Oilers reveal how Johnny Gaudreau impacted Leon Draisaitl signing announcement

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Axel Williams
September 4, 2024 (10:53)

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Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Gaudreau were killed by a drunk driver last week, and this has led to numerous tributes from around the National Hockey League.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, many teams ceased operations for a while, simply out of respect. One of the teams that did so was the Edmonton Oilers. So much so that they ultimately delayed the announcement of one of the biggest signings in the history of the NHL.

As we reported yesterday, Leon Draisaitl signed an eight-year deal worth $14 million AAV. Draisaitl is now the highest-paid player ever which is a truly impressive accomplishment. In a report, it was revealed that the deal was signed last week. However, after the news of Gaudreau's passing, the Oilers opted to delay their announcement, out of respect.

This was certainly the correct move here. On Friday, no one really wanted to hear about anything other than the Gaudreaus. It would have felt completely out of place to celebrate Draisaitl on his latest accomplishment.

Meanwhile, around the league, numerous tributes to Gaudreau have gone up. A Candlelight vigil is being held in both Calgary and Columbus. Meanwhile, Cole Caufield has changed his number to 13 in honor of his idol, Johnny.

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