Edmonton Oilers make Leon Draisaitl NHL’s highest-paid player with eight-year, $14 million AAV extension

One of the best players in the game is sticking around northern Alberta for a long time, and at a big price.

On Tuesday, the Edmonton Oilers announced that they have signed forward Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year contract extension. The deal will carry an AAV of $14 million through the 2032-33 season, making him the highest-paid player in the NHL.

🔒 LEON'S LOCKED IN 🔒

The #Oilers have signed forward Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year contract extension beginning in 2025-26 with an average annual value of $14 million. pic.twitter.com/wERUyneHA7

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 3, 2024

Draisaitl is heading into the final year of his current eight-year contract, with a cap hit of $8.5 million. His new cap hit will surpass Auston Matthew’s $13.25 million AAV as the largest annual contract in the league.

There is no question that the German winger has earned the big payday. Over the last several years, he has been one of the most efficient scorers in the NHL. He has scored over 100 points in each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 128 points during the 2022-23 campaign, only finishing second to teammate Connor McDavid’s incredible 153-point performance that year. Draisaitl has also notched 50 or more goals three times in his career, registering 55 goals three seasons ago.

His efforts have not only helped revitalize the Oilers, but have also given them success in the playoffs. Even though he has played through injury during stretches postseason career, Draisaitl’s game has helped Edmonton make it to the Western Conference Final in two of the last three seasons, including advancing all the way to Game 7 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final.

In 719 career games, Draisaitl has scored 347 goals and 503 assists for 850 points. Despite having played just 10 years with the franchise, he ranks sixth on the Oilers’ all-time scoring list. Draisaitl has also posted 108 points in 74 playoff games, which is also the sixth-highest in franchise history.

Draisaitl has also earned individual accolades during his time in the NHL. In the 2019-20 season, his 110 points earned him the Art Ross Trophy, as well as winning the Hart Trophy and league MVP, and being voted as the winner of the Ted Lindsay Award.