Most people first hear the name David Lemanowicz and immediately think “Jill Wagner’s husband.” That’s fair, but it does the man a real disservice. Before he ever walked down the aisle with the Hallmark queen at Rose Hill Plantation in North Carolina, he’d already lived enough life for three different careers: professional hockey goaltender, U.S. military officer, and graphic design entrepreneur. The love story is just the icing.
Here’s everything you actually need to know about David Lemanowicz.
Who Is David Lemanowicz?
David Lemanowicz was born on March 8, 1976, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to Polish immigrant parents who had moved to Canada in 1973. His Polish-born parents settled in Vancouver, and growing up in an immigrant household shaped how David saw the world. He says it made him genuinely grateful for life in a free society, and that sense of civic duty would drive almost every major decision he made after hockey.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Toronto, and later attended the University of Texas-Pan American, where he attained a degree in Global Security. The academic detour was deliberate: he had dreams of working for a federal agency like the FBI or DEA, and hockey was always going to be a means to an end for him, not the end itself.
David Lemanowicz’s Hockey Career
David Lemanowicz is a left-catching goaltender who stands 6’2″ and weighs 195 lbs. He was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the 9th round, 218th overall, in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.
He was the first all-star goaltender in Spokane Chiefs history, a Florida Panthers draft choice, and a seven-year professional. His time with the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League stands out as the highlight of his playing days. The 1996 Chiefs won 50 games for the first time, reached the WHL championship series, came back from a 3-0 series deficit to beat Portland in the first round, and once rallied from six goals down to beat Kamloops. He still speaks about that season with obvious affection.
Over the course of his career, Lemanowicz played in eight different leagues and suited up for 14 teams, including the Kelowna Spartans, Penticton Panthers, Spokane Chiefs, Port Huron Border Cats, Carolina Monarchs, Tallahassee Tiger Sharks, New Haven Beast, and Austin Ice Bats.
After graduating to Florida’s AHL farm club, the romance of pro hockey life faded quickly. Lemanowicz was frank about it: stepping down from the AHL to the ECHL and lower leagues meant a grind with no loyalty from the organizations and a very real risk of waking up at 30 with no plan. He made a conscious choice to get out strategically rather than end up on what he called the “minor pro merry-go-round.”
He signed a player/goaltending coach deal with the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees in 2008, which effectively marked the end of his playing career and the beginning of his next chapter.
From the Ice to the Military
This is where David Lemanowicz’s story gets genuinely interesting, because most retired minor-league hockey players do not go on to become U.S. Army Majors.
After leaving hockey, David made a significant life change and joined the U.S. Army Reserve, partly to pursue a path to U.S. citizenship, but also because of a deeply personal motivation. Having grown up hearing about the hardships his parents endured in Poland, he felt a genuine obligation to serve.
He was eventually called up to active service and deployed to places including Afghanistan. That deployment turned out to be far more significant than just military service.
In 2020, David was promoted to the rank of Major. The ceremony took place on the rooftop of a U.S. consulate in Canada, with Jill and their daughter Army Gray present. Jill helped place his new rank on his uniform, and by all accounts it was an emotional moment for the whole family.
The Love Story With Jill Wagner
You genuinely couldn’t write this in a Hallmark pitch meeting without someone calling it too unrealistic.
Wagner and Lemanowicz first met when she was just 17 years old and he was 20. He was passing through North Carolina on hockey business. Wagner recalled sneaking out of her house at night to meet him. They went on three dates before Lemanowicz disappeared. When asked about it years later, David joked that a 20-year-old hockey player probably did worse, and that it wasn’t his favourite part of the story.
As fate would have it, they ran into each other in Afghanistan when Wagner was on a USO tour and Lemanowicz was active in the Air Force as a special agent. Even though the photo promoting her for the event at his base didn’t immediately look like the Wagner he knew, he recognised the name and did some research. They were both seeing other people at the time, so it was just a quick reconnect in a strange corner of the world.
Three years later, in 2016, it happened a third time. Wagner was leaving a restaurant in Los Angeles with her friends when she heard someone call her name. It was David, walking in as she was walking out.
“We kind of knew at that point,” Wagner laughed. “We were like, ‘Okay, there’s a reason this keeps happening.’ And then three months after that, we were engaged and then quickly married, and moved from L.A. that same year and renovated this house, and then got pregnant.”
They married in April 2017 at Rose Hill Plantation in North Carolina, with the men enjoying outdoor activities and the women relaxing inside.
Jill has said publicly that Hallmark is considering turning their origin story into a movie. As of mid-2026, no production has been officially announced, but the treatment reportedly exists and Wagner has said she’d produce and star in it.
David Lemanowicz’s Family Life
In addition to his daughter Lija from his first marriage, David and Jill have two girls: Army Gray, born in April 2020, and Daisy Roberta, born in August 2021.
Army Gray’s name has a specific origin: Wagner revealed that she had another name in mind but changed it after finding out her daughter was conceived on July 4th, Independence Day.
Daisy Roberta’s arrival came with complications for Jill during labour. She wrote a public letter to David afterwards describing how safe he made her feel through the difficult delivery, saying he was a “strong, devoted partner.” It’s the kind of thing that makes you understand why their story keeps circulating.
The family lives on a farm in Tennessee, where they care for rescue animals alongside their three daughters.
Life After the Military: Art Direction and Design
After retiring from military service, Lemanowicz set up a career as an art director and graphic designer. He runs his own company, which has worked with brands including Tesla, Adidas, K2 Snowboarding, and Everbind. His work covers website design, brochures, and product pages. The remote-friendly nature of the work fits well with farm life in Tennessee and being present for three daughters.
He also produced the Paramount+ series Lioness, which stars Jill Wagner and is created by Taylor Sheridan of Yellowstone fame. David Lemanowicz is credited as a producer on the 2023 series.
David Lemanowicz Net Worth
Net worth estimates for David Lemanowicz vary across sources, with figures ranging from $7 million to $9 million cited across different outlets. These numbers are difficult to verify independently. His income has come from professional hockey, military service, design work, and production credits. His wife Jill Wagner is estimated separately at around $4 million by various entertainment outlets. Neither figure has been confirmed publicly by either party.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Date of Birth | March 8, 1976 |
| Birthplace | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian (Polish heritage) |
| Height | 6’2″ (188 cm) |
| NHL Draft | Florida Panthers, 1995, Round 9, Pick 218 |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Military Rank | U.S. Army Major |
| Wife | Jill Wagner (married April 2017) |
| Children | Lija, Army Gray, Daisy Roberta |
| Current Residence | Tennessee farm |
| Post-military career | Art director, graphic designer, TV producer |
FAQ
Is David Lemanowicz still in the military?
He has retired from active service. He was promoted to the rank of Major in 2020 and has since focused on his design business and family life on their Tennessee farm.
Did David Lemanowicz ever play in the NHL?
He was drafted by the Florida Panthers in 1995 but did not appear in official NHL games. He played professionally for roughly 13 years across eight different leagues before retiring around 2007 to 2008.
How did David Lemanowicz and Jill Wagner meet?
They first met when Jill was 17 and David was 20, went on three dates in North Carolina, and then lost contact for 17 years. They ran into each other again during a USO tour in Afghanistan, then reconnected properly at a Los Angeles restaurant in 2016. They were engaged three months later and married in April 2017.
How many children does David Lemanowicz have?
Three daughters: Lija from his first marriage, and Army Gray and Daisy Roberta with Jill Wagner.
What does David Lemanowicz do now?
He works as an art director and graphic designer, running his own company. He also produced Special Ops: Lioness on Paramount+.
David Lemanowicz built his life the hard way: immigrant kid from Vancouver, minor-league hockey lifer, military officer, and now a creative professional raising three daughters on a Tennessee farm. The Hallmark love story is real, but it’s just one layer of someone who has genuinely done a lot with his years.
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