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Chiarelli: Oilers ‘will match any offer sheet’ for Draisaitl

The idea of an offer sheet for Leon Draisaitl has been thrown around the past few days -- at least in the media.

Draisaitl, 21, has developed into a dangerous offensive weapon for the Edmonton Oilers, scoring 19 goals and 51 points in his sophomore season and 29 goals and 77 points this past season playing quite a bit alongside Connor McDavid.

After back-to-back impressive seasons -- not to mention a great playoff for the Oilers -- Draisaitl is a pending restricted free agent and due for a significant raise from his three-year, $10.2 million, bonus-laden entry-level contract.

The Oilers have about $19.5 million in cap space, per CapFriendly.

From TSN’s Craig Button, per the Edmonton Journal:

“(Montreal’s) biggest need is a No. 1 centre. It’s a glaring need. It’s a glaring hole. So forget about free agent frenzy, how about free agent shocks. If the Edmonton Oilers don’t get Leon Draisaitl signed by July 1, how about an offer sheet for Leon Draisaitl because the young player fits in perfectly with where they’re at, which is about today and Carey Price and what they can do to compete in the eastern conference. So that would create shock waves.”

Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli has since responded -- and rather defiantly, too -- to the notion of an opposing team considering that route for Draisaitl.

“We are not trading him. I have talked to nobody nor will I,” Chiarelli told TSN’s Darren Dreger. “We have tons of cap space and will match any offer sheet. I have said that before.”