Edmonton Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl may not have won the Stanley Cup this year, but the superstar athlete still has good news to celebrate: his engagement to longtime girlfriend Celeste Desjardins.
Mr. Draisaitl, 28, posted photos on Instagram July 11 of him popping the question to the Sudbury, Ont., actress on a beach in Mallorca, Spain. The German NHL star shared photos of him on one knee and of a champagne toast accompanied by the word “Forever.”
Ms. Desjardins, also 28, posted an Instagram photo of her fiancé sliding the ring on to her finger, along with the words: “The easiest yes. I love you forever.”
The actress is best known for starring in several Hallmark movies as well as for the TV series ‘Taken.’
The NHL’s official German account offered congratulations to the pair with a post on X entitled: “love is in the air.”
“Leon Draisaitl is making good use of the summer break and is getting engaged to his long-time girlfriend Celeste — we send our warmest congratulations,” the July 11 post reads.
Ms. Desjardins has become a common fixture at games and can often be seen among the Oilers’ wives and girlfriends. She is close friends with Connor McDavid’s fiancée, Lauren Kyle, and is set to be a bridesmaid in their July 27 wedding.
The Oilers captain and Ms. Kyle are another longtime couple. The pair announced their engagement last June.
News of Mr. Draisaitl’s engagement comes less than three weeks after the Oilers lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers. The loss dashed Alberta’s hopes that the Oilers would bring the cup home for the first time in 34 years. Edmonton has won the Stanley Cup five times: in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990.
Mr. Draisaitl was instrumental in helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final this summer, the first time in 18 years that the Alberta team reached the final round of the playoffs.
At the start of the season, the Oilers saw three wins, eight regulation losses, and one overtime loss. Since the hiring of head coach Kris Knoblauch and defensive coach Paul Coffey in November, the team changed its fortunes.
In December and January, the Oilers won 16 straight games, finishing the season with 49 wins, 27 regulation losses, and six overtime losses for 104 points.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
