Who Are the Biggest Earners in the NHL?
Did you know that seven of the top 10 earners in the NHL are forwards? And Carey Price is the only goaltender on this year’s highest earners’ list? Well, most of the NHL’s big-billion earners are franchise players who are renowned for their shot-making and slick finishing skills. Not so surprisingly, these highly paid superstars earn more than double their NHL standard salary, including the NHL referees, who are also paid a handsome sum. Reading this, you must have become curious to know the top earners in the country’s famous National Hockey League. Let’s take a more detailed look.
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The Highest Earning Players in NHL in 2022
It must be a hard take, but Carey Price indeed makes it into the top 10 earners list in NHL. He will be earning nearly $10.5 million till the end of 2024-25 under the present contract. Besides him, there are several others who earn a hefty amount from their annual contracts in NHL. Let’s look at the top 7 earners starting from the bottom.
7. John Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Annual Salary – $11 million
The Maple Leafs signed Tavares for seven years on a $77 million deal in 2018, making him one of the highest earners in the NHL. However, Tavares has failed to live up to his bidding and hasn’t been able to stand out any time since. The 32-year-old will be 35 when his contract expires. The trio of Tavares, along with Austin Matthews and Mitch Marner, are responsible for 41% of the Maple Leafs’ yearly salary expenditure.
6. Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)
Annual Salary – $11.33 million
Only a few could see the potential that Leon Draisatl had, and Edmonton Oilers was one of them. Signed in August 2017 with an eight-year $68 million contract, Draisatl has fully repaid the club’s faith in him.
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Draisatl won the Hart Trophy in 2020 and was the fourth highest goal scorer in the previous season while being the second highest in 2020-21, first in 2019-20, and fourth back in 2018-19.
5. Erik Karlsson (San Jose Sharks)
Annual Salary – $11.5 millionThe lone player from San Jose Sharks to feature on the list, Erik Karlsson, came to the club from Ottawa in September 2018 after being dubbed the “final missing puzzle piece in the team.” However, their aim for the first Stanley Cup hasn’t been fruitful to date.
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Karlsson currently enjoys a whopping salary of $11.5 million under his $92 million eight-year contract with San Jose, which doesn’t expire before the end of the 2026-27 season.
4. Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Annual Salary – $11.64 million
Presently, the Hart Trophy winner, Auston Matthews, signed a $58.195 million five-year contract with the Maple Leafs in February 2019. He currently has one and a half seasons left in his contract, after which he is likely to sign a new deal that could see him very likely becoming the highest-paid player in NHL.
3. Artemi Panarin (New York Rangers)
Annual Salary – $11.64 million
Nicknamed the “Bread Man,” Artemi Panarin earns around $11.64 million every year. He is currently under a seven-year $81.5 million contract signed in 2019 with New York Rangers, which leaves him with another year at his current salary. Panarin notched his career-best score of 96 points in the last season, which bettered his previous best by one point that he set in 2019-20.
2. Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Annual Salary – $12.5 million
No one can question Connor McDavid on his valuation. The Oilers superstar is currently the best player in the world and is known for his absolute dominance. It is only a matter of time before McDavid lays his hands on the coveted Stanley Cup with his current club Edmonton Oilers. He is also a two-time Hart Trophy winner and will soon pick it up for the third time.
1. Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Annual Salary – $12.6 million
MacKinnon’s latest contract extension will push him ahead of Connor McDavid in the list of the league’s highest-earning players starting from the 2023-24 season when his extended contract officially comes into effect.
MacKinnon is known for his unbreakable loyalty to his first club, Colorado Avalanche, where he has played for his entire career. Even though he hasn’t won the Rocket Richard, Art Ross, or Hart Trophies, he has been very influential in bringing the club its first Stanley Cup after 20 years.
Conclusion
The salaries listed here do not include the 17.2% tax reduction they are required to pay in escrow which ensures a 50-50 split of the league revenue among the players and owners.