Leon Draisaitl remains one of the most dominant forwards in the NHL, and 2026 has been another headline-making year for the Edmonton Oilers superstar from his Olympic debut for Germany to a season cut short by injury.
Leon Draisaitl’s Biography
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Leon Draisaitl |
| Nickname | “Drai” |
| Date of Birth | October 27, 1995 |
| Age | 30 years |
| Birthplace | Cologne, Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Height | 6’2″ (188 cm) |
| Junior Team | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) |
| College | N/A |
| Position | Center |
| Shoots | Left |
| Current Team | Edmonton Oilers |
| Salary | $14 million |
| Spouse | Celeste Desjardins |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Instagram Profile | @drat_29 |
Draisaitl was born and raised in Cologne, Germany, into a hockey family, as his father Peter Draisaitl also played professionally. Off the ice, he’s now a married man, having tied the knot with Canadian actress Celeste Desjardins in the south of France in 2025.
Early Career
Draisaitl grew up playing hockey in Germany before moving to North America to develop his game further. He joined the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where his offensive skills quickly caught scouts’ attention.
His standout junior performance made him a top prospect heading into the 2014 NHL Draft, where the Edmonton Oilers selected him third overall.
Professional Career
Since debuting with the Oilers in 2014, Draisaitl has grown into one of hockey’s most complete offensive players. He won the Art Ross, Hart Memorial, and Ted Lindsay awards in the 2019-20 season, becoming the first German to sweep those honors.
In 2024-25, he led the league in goals with 52 and won the Rocket Richard Trophy, then reached the 1,000-point career milestone in 2025-26 as the fastest European-trained player to do so. His 2025-26 season, however, ended early after suffering a lower-body injury in March that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season, though he returned for the playoffs.
Wife
Draisaitl has been with Celeste Desjardins, a Canadian actress known for roles in “Taken” and several Hallmark films, since 2018, after they connected through mutual friends Connor and Lauren McDavid. He proposed to her on a beach in Mallorca, Spain, in July 2024, and the couple married in August 2025 at Château d’Estoublon in Provence, France, surrounded by family and NHL friends including the McDavids. The couple continues to share their journey publicly on social media, with Celeste often cheering him on from the stands.
Leon Draisaitl’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Leon Draisaitl’s net worth is estimated to be between $70 million and $90 million, built primarily through his NHL salary and endorsement deals. His career earnings from NHL salary alone have surpassed $87 million as of the end of the 2024-25 season, with tens of millions more guaranteed through his current contract.
Contract
In September 2024, Draisaitl signed an eight-year contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers worth $112 million total, kicking in for the 2025-26 season and running through 2032-33. The deal carries an average annual value (cap hit) of $14 million, which made it the highest annual value contract in NHL history at the time of signing. The contract structure includes significant signing bonuses, with $104 million of the total guaranteed as bonus money.
Annual Salary
For the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, Draisaitl earns a base salary of $1 million plus a signing bonus of $15.5 million, bringing his total annual compensation to roughly $16.5 million, while his cap hit remains fixed at $14 million. This makes him one of the highest-paid players in the entire NHL.
Career Earnings
| Key Seasons | Team | Salary | Total Career Earnings (approx.) |
| 2014-15 to 2016-17 | Edmonton Oilers | Entry-level contract | Growing base |
| 2017-18 to 2024-25 | Edmonton Oilers | 8-yr, $68M deal (AAV $8.5M) | Over $87 million by end of 2024-25 |
| 2025-26 to 2032-33 | Edmonton Oilers | 8-yr, $112M deal (AAV $14M) | Projected $180M+ by contract’s end |
Endorsements
Draisaitl has built a strong endorsement portfolio, becoming the first NHL player to sign with sportswear brand Puma in 2021, alongside deals with Warrior Sports, EA Sports, and Skip the Dishes.
He’s also partnered with Canadian brands including Tim Hortons, Hyundai Canada, and Sherwood, and is a key face for hockey equipment maker Warrior alongside teammate Erik Karlsson.
Achievements
| Award/Achievement | Year(s) |
| Art Ross Trophy (scoring leader) | 2019-20 |
| Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) | 2019-20 |
| Ted Lindsay Award | 2019-20 |
| Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (goal leader) | 2024-25 |
| Germany’s Sportsman of the Year | 2020 |
| 2026 Winter Olympics — Team Germany Captain & Flagbearer | 2026 |
| 1,000th NHL career point | 2025-26 |
Career Stats
| Season | Team | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points |
| 2014-15 | Edmonton Oilers | 37 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| 2015-16 | Edmonton Oilers | 72 | 19 | 32 | 51 |
| 2016-17 | Edmonton Oilers | 82 | 29 | 48 | 77 |
| 2018-19 | Edmonton Oilers | 82 | 50 | 55 | 105 |
| 2019-20 | Edmonton Oilers | 71 | 43 | 67 | 110 |
| 2022-23 | Edmonton Oilers | 80 | 52 | 76 | 128 |
| 2024-25 | Edmonton Oilers | 71 | 52 | 54 | 106 |
| 2025-26 | Edmonton Oilers | 65 | 35 | 62 | 97 |
| Career Totals | Edmonton Oilers | 845 | 428 | 608 | 1036 |
FAQs
1. Who is Leon Draisaitl?
Leon Draisaitl is a German professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. He was born on October 27, 1995, in Cologne, Germany, and stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 209 pounds.
2. When was Leon Draisaitl drafted?
Draisaitl was selected third overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He has spent his entire NHL career with the Oilers organization since being drafted.
3. What position does Draisaitl play?
He primarily plays center, though he has also lined up on the wing throughout his career. His versatility allows him to play alongside superstar teammate Connor McDavid on Edmonton’s top line.
4. What are Draisaitl’s career stats?
Through the 2025-26 season, Draisaitl has accumulated over 1,000 career NHL points, becoming the first German player to reach that milestone. His career totals include 434 goals and 619 assists across 855 games with the Oilers.
5. Has Draisaitl won any major NHL awards?
Yes, Draisaitl won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2019-20, along with the Ted Lindsay Award for most outstanding player as voted by his peers and the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in scoring that same season. That season he posted 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) in just 71 games.
6. What is Draisaitl’s highest single-season point total?
His career-high point total came in 2022-23, when he recorded 128 points (52 goals, 76 assists) in 80 games. He has scored at least 50 goals in four of his first 11 NHL seasons and has topped 100 points six times.
7. Has Draisaitl won a Stanley Cup?
No, Draisaitl has not won a Stanley Cup as a player. He helped lead the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, but the team came up short both times.
8. How much is Draisaitl’s contract worth?
In September 2024, the Oilers signed Draisaitl to an eight-year contract extension worth 112 million dollars, running from the 2025-26 season through 2032-33. The deal gave him the highest salary cap hit in NHL history at 14 million dollars per season, and it includes a full no-movement clause.
9. Who is Leon Draisaitl’s wife?
Draisaitl is married to Canadian actress Celeste Desjardins, known for roles in projects like Taken and Fashionably in Love. The couple began dating in 2018 after being introduced by Connor McDavid’s wife, Lauren Kyle McDavid, got engaged in July 2024, and married on August 2, 2025, in a ceremony in the south of France.
10. What records has Draisaitl set in the NHL playoffs?
During the 2022 playoffs, Draisaitl set a new Stanley Cup Playoff record by recording at least three points in five consecutive games during the Western Conference second round against the Calgary Flames. In the 2024-25 playoffs, he also became the first NHL player in history to score four overtime goals in a single postseason.