Draisaitl is expected to be a core piece for the Oilers for the foreseeable future. He signed an eight-year, $112 million contract ($14 million average annual value) starting next season and is currently in the final season of an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) signed prior to the 2017-2018 season.

The Edmonton Oilers are second in the Pacific Division, and they have Leon Draisaitl to thank for that. While their 27-13-3 record through 43 games was largely expected, how they got there has been somewhat surprising.

Here are the report cards for the first half Oilers in 2024-25.

The top unit of McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evan Bouchard, and Zach Hyman are still spearheading a sharp unit as the Oilers rank No. 8 overall in power-play efficiency, but they ended last season at No. 4.

Draisaitl's elite production has led the Oilers to a top-five position in the NHL standings and he is firmly in the mix to take home his second Hart Trophy. Per FanDuel Sportsbook, Draisaitl has the third-best odds to win the award at +320. Only Nathan MacKinnon at +280 and his Oilers teammate Connor McDavid at +300 have shorter odds.

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Saturday, 7 p.m., Rogers Arena TV: Hockey Night In Canada. Radio: Sportsnet 650 The buzz: You may have heard Saturday is Hockey Day in Canada. The Canucks versus Oilers’ game will be the nightcap for a full day of hockey.

It’s always a solid bet that the Edmonton Oilers are going to be well-represented at the NHL Awards in the summer. That’s not just because the team boasts the game’s top player in Connor McDavid, a perennial favourite to lead the league in scoring and be voted as the Most Valuable Player.

With McDavid out with an injury in early November and the Oilers already struggling for traction, Draisaitl put up back-to-back three-point nights, factoring in on six of Edmonton’s nine goals in 5-1 and 4-2 wins over Nashville and Calgary.

CBC, Sportsnet. Radio: 880 CHED. TIME: 8 p.m. Saturday Odds: Oilers -166, Canucks +138 THE SETUP The Oilers have won four in a row to reach a share of first place in the Pacific Division for the first time this season,

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The Edmonton Oilers will face the Colorado Avalanche in this NHL matchup at Ball Arena on Thursday, January 16th. WATCH: Oilers vs Avalanche Live | Stream free