The Edmonton Oilers have signed Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year contract extension worth $112 million, the team confirmed on Tuesday. The deal, which carries an average annual value (AAV) of $14 million, is set to begin in the 2025-26 season.
Draisaitl, currently in the final year of his previous contract, which had an $8.5 million AAV, was set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025. With this new contract, Draisaitl’s AAV now ranks as the highest in the NHL, surpassing Auston Matthews’ $13.25 million mark. The total value of Draisaitl’s deal is the second-largest in NHL history, trailing only Alex Ovechkin’s $124 million, 13-year contract signed in 2008. The eight-year term is the maximum contract length allowed under NHL rules.
The 28-year-old’s new contract also includes a full no-movement clause throughout its duration, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
“This is a historic day for the Edmonton Oilers,” said Stan Bowman, the Oilers’ executive vice president of hockey operations and general manager. “Leon’s commitment to our team, our city, and Oilers fans everywhere cannot be overstated. His desire to help bring a Stanley Cup title home to Edmonton is central to everything he does both on and off the ice.”
Draisaitl had another standout season in 2023-24, recording his fifth career 100-point campaign with 41 goals and 65 assists over 81 games. He was also a key contributor in the postseason, adding 31 points in 25 playoff games as the Oilers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.
The German-born forward has an impressive resume, including winning the Hart Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and Art Ross Trophy in 2020 when he led the league with 110 points in 71 games. He has consistently finished in the top 10 in Hart Trophy voting in the three seasons following his MVP campaign.
Since his breakout season in 2015-16, Draisaitl ranks second in the NHL in points, trailing only his teammate Connor McDavid, and third in goals behind Ovechkin and Matthews. Over his 10-year career, he has averaged 97 points per 82 games and has accumulated 108 points in 74 career playoff games.
Drafted third overall by the Oilers in 2014, Draisaitl’s extension is the first in what could be a series of significant contracts for Edmonton. Defenseman Evan Bouchard is set to become a restricted free agent in 2025 and can negotiate a new deal at any time. Meanwhile, McDavid is eligible to sign an extension on July 1, 2025, as his current contract is set to expire in 2026.
