Who Has the Biggest Contract in the NHL?
The NHL has a lot of big contracts, but which one is the biggest? We take a look at the top five largest contracts in the NHL.
NHL’s Biggest Contracts
Semyon Varlamov, a goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche, has the biggest contract in the NHL. His contract is for 8 years and worth $81 million. Let’s take a look at some of the other biggest contracts in the NHL.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
At just 21 years old, Connor McDavid is already one of the best players in the NHL. And he’s being paid like it. In July 2017, McDavid signed an eight-year, $100 million extension with the Edmonton Oilers. That works out to an annual salary cap hit of $12.5 million.
McDavid’s contract is the richest in NHL history, edging out the previous record-holder, Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. Toews’ eight-year, $84 million deal carries a cap hit of $10.5 million per season.
McDavid’s annual salary is also the highest in NHL history. The only player who comes close is Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who has an annual base salary of $9.538 million (though he also has significant performance bonuses that can push his total earnings well over $10 million per year).
The young Canadian star is worth every penny, though. In 2016-17, his second NHL season, McDavid won the Hart Trophy as league MVP after scoring 30 goals and racking up 70 assists for a total of 100 points. He’s also a two-time winner of the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the NHL’s most outstanding player as voted on by his peers.
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have the biggest contract in the NHL, with goaltender Carey Price signed to an eight-year extension worth $84 million. The deal, which runs through the 2025-26 season, has an average annual value of $10.5 million.
Price is a five-time All-Star and was the recipient of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender in 2014-15. He is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, having represented Canada at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
As of September 14th, 2018, the Chicago Blackhawks’ winger Patrick Kane has the biggest contract in the NHL. His contract is an 8 year deal worth $84 million dollars.
Kane is one of the most decorated American-born players in NHL history. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion (2010, 2013, 2015) and was the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He has won numerous individual awards, including the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP and the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year.
NHL’s Highest-Paid Players
Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators is the NHL’s highest-paid player, with an annual average salary of $14 million. Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is second, at $13.8 million. Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar rounds out the top three, at $13 million.
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Sidney Crosby is the NHL’s highest-paid player, with an annual salary of $12 million. He also has the biggest contract in the league, worth a total of $104 million over 12 years. Crosby’s salary is more than double that of the second-highest paid player, Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane, who makes $6 million per year.
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
As of the 2019-2020 season, Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks has the biggest contract in the NHL. He signed an eight-year, $84 million extension with the team in 2014. The deal has an annual average value (AAV) of $10.5 million. Toews is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and has won the Selke Trophy (given to the best defensive forward) twice.
John Tavares, New York Islanders
According to Spotrac.com, John Tavares of the New York Islanders is currently the NHL’s highest-paid player, with an annual salary of $11 million. Tavares is in the second year of a eight-year, $77 million contract that he signed with the Islanders in 2018.
Other top-earning NHL players include Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane ($10.5 million), Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby ($10.9 million), and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos ($9.5 million).
NHL’s Most Valuable Contracts
Sidney Crosby, captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has the most valuable contract in the NHL. His 12 year, $104.4 million contract extension runs through the 2025-26 season. The 29 year old center is the defending Stanley Cup champion and has won the cup three times in his career.
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
At 8 years and $124 million, Alexander Ovechkin’s contract is the largest in NHL history. The Washington Capitals star forward is in the sixth year of the deal, which pays him an annual salary of $10 million. Ovechkin has already won three MVP awards and a Stanley Cup with the Capitals, and is widely considered to be one of the best players in the world.
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Malkin, who turns 32 in July, has two years remaining on a eight-year, $76 million contract extension he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013. His annual average value is $9.5 million.
Malkin has played in all 82 games for the Penguins this season, scoring 21 goals and 62 points. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins and has won the Calder Trophy (NHL Rookie of the Year), Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) and Hart Trophy (regular season MVP) once each.
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
In May 2013, Lundqvist became the NHL’s highest-paid goaltender when he signed a seven-year, $59.5 million contract extension with the Rangers. The deal has an annual average value of $8.5 million, which is the highest AAV among all goaltenders in the NHL.
Lundqvist is in the final year of his current contract, which has an AAV of $6.875 million. He will earn a base salary of $8.5 million in 2018-19, and his total salary for the season will be $11 million when including performance bonuses.
