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Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl is attempting to get his team in the Western Conference Final. No matter the outcome of his Game 6 clash with the Vancouver Canucks, though, his time in Edmonton may be limited. The German star hits NHL Free Agency in 2025. And according to recent rumors, he could be heading to a rather shocking team.
Draisaitl should have no shortage of suitors next summer. He is one of the best players in the game today and is a legitimate top-line caliber center. He would immediately make any team better and give them a chance to win games simply by playing the way he does. But there is a team fans reportedly need to keep an eye on: the San Jose Sharks.
ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski appeared on The Jeff Marek Show on Wednesday to talk about various things. One topic that came up regarded playoff teams with chaotic offseasons ahead. That’s when the ESPN reporter questioned Marek about whether Draisaitl would be open to play for San Jose because of their German owner. “I think there’s an opportunity. That’s kind of been whispered for a while now,” Marek responded, via Sportsnet.
Leon Draisaitl is a game-breaker
The Oilers drafted Draisaitl third overall in the 2014 NHL Draft. He was a star with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders, scoring 105 points with the club in his draft year. With Edmonton, though, it took a bit for him to get going. Draisaitl scored just nine points in his first 37 games in the NHL. In fact, he even went back to junior hockey during his rookie year.
But in his sophomore season, he found his footing. He scored 19 goals and 51 points in 72 games. He truly broke out the year following when he scored 77 points in 82 games. But the German star had a lot more in the tank. And he showed that in 2018-19 when he scored 50 goals and 105 points.
Over the last five seasons, Leon Draisaitl has recorded 100+ points four times. The only season in which he didn’t was the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 season. Even then, he scored 84 points in 56 games. In an 82-game season, that works out to a 123-point pace. His efforts led him to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP for the 2019-20 campaign.
Sharks are currently rebuilding
The Sharks are an interesting destination for Draisaitl. San Jose is certainly not a team on most people’s radars regarding his NHL Free Agency. The team has not played well over the last few seasons. In fact, they ended the 2023-24 campaign with the best odds for the first-overall pick. They went on to win the NHL Draft Lottery and will pick first in the 2024 NHL Draft.
But the Sharks already have a promising core in place. Forward William Eklund has already made the NHL. Waiting in the wings are fellow forwards Will Smith and David Edstrom. And they are likely to select Boston University star Macklin Celebrini with the first overall selection in June’s draft. Not to mention the team’s ability to outbid other interested teams.
All of this is speculation and rumor at this point. But there are reasons that Draisaitl may be interested in joining the Sharks. The Oilers superstar won’t hit the open market until July 1, 2025. However, his potential availability is certainly going to be a major story until he receives his next major contract.
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