Leon Draisaitl contract: How much does the Edmonton Oilers star earn in salary?

Leon Draisaitl is a professional hockey center for the Edmonton Oilers who started his career as a minor leaguer. The rising star was drafted in the first round of the 2014 National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft by the Oilers with the third overall pick.

Draisaitl inked his first professional three-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2014 for $10.2 million. Leveling up his grip over the puck, Leon Draisaitl signed a second eight-year contract with the Oilers for $68 million on Aug. 16, 2017.

The hockey star’s current contract carries a cap hit of $8.5 million with $8.5 million as the annual average salary. The contract has $7 million as signing bonus and $1 million as base salary. Draisaitl’s minors salary is $8 million for the 2022-23 season.

Draisaitl will be an unrestricted free agent by the end of the 2024-25 season when he turns 29. With that said, let’s take a look at the Oilers center’s early career and professional life.

Leon Draisaitl’s early career and professional life

With 744 points in 638 games and 69 playoff points in 42 games, the 27-year-old Oilers hockey star has managed to hold prolific records throughout his career over nine seasons.

The Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL) selected Leon Draisaitl with the second overall pick in the 2012 CHL Import draft after an outstanding season in which he was crowned Player of the Year in the German Development League. Draisaitl was later moved to the Kelowna Rockets during the 2015 World Junior Championships; the contract became official on Jan. 5 of that year.

Draisaitl, who contributed 28 points in 19 games and was named playoff MVP, played a significant role in the Rockets' 2015 WHL Championship victory. Despite the Rockets losing to the Oshawa Generals in the championship game, he continued to have success by earning the Stafford Smythe Trophy as the Memorial Cup MVP that same year.

After a profound junior-level career, Leon Draisaitl signed an entry-level three-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers at the beginning of his professional hockey career. Draisaitl debuted in the NHL on Oct. 9, 2014, against the Calgary Flames after being chosen to the Oilers' NHL opening night roster from training camp.

On Oct. 24, 2014, he beat Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Anton Khudobin with a spectacular shot to record his first NHL goal. Draisaitl played in 37 games for the Oilers in 2014–15, recording two goals and four assists.