How Much Does The Highest Paid NHL Player Make?

We all know that professional athletes make a lot of money, but just how much does the highest paid NHL player make? We did some research and found out that the answer may surprise you!

NHL Player Salaries

The highest paid NHL player in the 2017-2018 season is none other than Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. He has an annual salary of $12.5 million. That’s a lot of money! But it’s not just Connor McDavid who is making a lot of money. In fact, the average NHL player salary is $2.9 million.

The NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement

The National Hockey League’s (NHL) current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was agreed to on July 22, 2005, and runs through the 2021-22 season. The CBA details many items such as player salaries, free agency rules, revenue sharing, and more.

One of the most important things the CBA does is set a maximum salary for each team. For the 2020-21 season, the maximum salary a team can pay one player is $81.5 million. This number is calculated using a complex formula that takes into account the league’s revenue.

The CBA also has a minimum salary that all teams must pay their players. For the 2020-21 season, the minimum salary is $700,000. Players with less than two years of experience in the NHL have a lower minimum salary of $520,000.

Each team must also have a salary cap ceiling and floor. The salary cap ceiling is the maximum amount of money a team can spend on player salaries in a season. For the 2020-21 season, the salary cap ceiling is $81.5 million. The salary cap floor is the minimum amount of money a team must spend on player salaries in a season. For the 2020-21 season, the salary cap floor is $60 million.

The NHL’s Salary Cap

During the 2008-09 NHL season, the salary cap was $56.7 million. The following season, it rose to $59.4 million. For the 2010-11 NHL season, the salary cap is $59.4 million. The most a team can spend on player salaries is termed the “cap ceiling”, while the lowest a team can spend is called the “cap floor”. In order for a team to stay under the salary cap, they cannot exceed this salary limit at any point during the season, including playoffs.

The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

In the 2019-2020 season, the NHL’s highest paid player is none other than Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid. The Canadian native is in the first year of an eight-year, $100 million contract extension that he signed in July of 2017. His annual salary cap hit is $12.5 million.

Not far behind McDavid is Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane. The American is in the middle of an eight-year, $84 million contract extension that he signed back in 2014. His annual salary cap hit is $10.5 million.

Rounding out the top three is Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby. The Canadian superstar is in the midst of a 12-year, $104.4 million contract extension that he signed in 2012. His annual salary cap hit is $8.7 million.

How Much Does The Highest Paid NHL Player Make?

The highest paid NHL player as of 2019 is none other than Connor McDavid. He is currently signed to the Edmonton Oilers and is in the second year of an eight-year, $100 million contract. That comes out to an annual salary of $12.5 million.

The NHL’s Highest Paid Player

NHL players are some of the best-paid athletes in the world. The average salary for an NHL player is over $2 million per year, but some superstars make much more than that. The highest-paid NHL player in 2020 is Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, who will earn a total of $15.9 million this season. That includes a $4 million signing bonus and a $11.6 million base salary.

The NHL’s Second Highest Paid Player

The National Hockey League’s (NHL) second highest paid player is none other than Chicago Blackhawks captain, Jonathan Toews. Toews is set to earn $13.8 million for the 2018-19 NHL season, which includes a $2 million signing bonus and a $1 million salary deferral. This puts his cap hit at just over $10 million for the season.

The NHL’s Third Highest Paid Player

The NHL’s third highest paid player is Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane, who has an annual salary cap hit of $10.5 million. Kane is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 2013.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the highest paid NHL player makes a lot of money. However, there are other players who make just as much money or even more.