Report: Oilers insider reports on potential development in Bouchard and McLeod negotiations

We're nearly one month into the official start of the NHL offseason and we're still nowhere closer to seeing a new deal for Edmonton Oilers young guns Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod.

Bouchard and McLeod remain the Oilers' final two contracts left for GM Ken Holland to negotiate this offseason and he has just $5.6 million to get them both under contract. Oilers insider Jonathan Willis reports that it will take bout $5.9 million to get both Bouchard and McLeod under contract for a 'bridge deal', meaning a short-term deal.

Check it out:

I don't know how Willis figures that $5.9 million will be divvied up, but I'm of the opinion that the Oilers should be locking up Bouchard to a team-friendly contract for as long as they can. He has all the makings of being a #1 defenseman and he's so desperately needed to run the Oilers' powerplay from the back end.