The NHL’s highest-paid player is Connor McDavid, who makes $13.25 million per season. He signed his current contract in the summer of 2018.
McDavid is followed by fellow center Auston Matthews, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs and earns $11.6 million per year. The third-highest paid player is Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings, who earns $10 million per year.
The league’s fourth-highest paid player is Sidney Crosby, a center for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who earns $9.5 million per year. The fifth-highest earner is John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who makes $11 million per year.
Nhl Highest Salary
The top 11 highest-paid players in the National Hockey League all make more than $10 million in average salary when factoring in salary paid in signing bonuses over their contracts, according to data compiled by Spotrac.com.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid tops the list, bagging an average of $12.5 million a year. McDavid, who is considered the best player in hockey, was just 20 years old in 2017 when he signed an eight-year, $100 million extension fresh off an MVP season. It took effect the following season and made him the league’s highest-paid player.
The New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews come in at second and third on the list, respectively, with each earning an average annual salary of about $11.6 million Panarin, the 30-year-old winger, signed a seven-year, $81.5 million deal with the Rangers in 2019.
Matthews, who is the second fastest to reach 200 career goals among active players behind Alex Ovechkin, penned a five-year, $54.5 million deal in 2019.
The pay figures do not include the 17.2% reduction, according to reports, taken out in escrow from player contracts. Escrow ensures a 50-50 split of league revenue between owners and players; the players get that money back or it is given to owners.
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Who are the highest-paid players in the NHL?
Here is Spotrac.com’s full list of the top 10 highest-paid NHL players based on average annual value:
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers: $12.5 million; $100 million over eight years
2. Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers: $11.642 million; $81.5 million over seven years
3. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs: $11.640 million; $54.5 million over five years
4. Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks: $11.5 million; $92 million over eight years
5. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers: $11.333 million; $68 million over six years
6. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings: $11 million; $88 million over eight years
6. John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs: $11 million; $77 million over seven years
7. Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs: $10.903 million, $65.4 million over six years
8. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens: $10.5 million, $84 million over eight years
8. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks $10.5 million; $84 million over eight years
8. Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks: $10.5 million; $84 million over eight years
As with any professional athlete, players in the NHL cash in on endorsement deals off the ice.
Forbes ranked the top-earning NHL players taking into account their outside income.
McDavid still tops this list. He brings home $4 million in outside deals, with endorsement deals that include Adidas and CCM. Second is Matthews, who makes $3.5 million outside of his NHL pay, with deals that include Nike and Verizon.
