Who are the highestpaid NHL players? Ranking hockey stars' salaries, cap hits Mike Brehm, USA TODAYSeptember 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM 0 The NHL will enter the 202526 season with a new highestpaid player for the third season in a row.
- - Who are the highest-paid NHL players? Ranking hockey stars' salaries, cap hits
Mike Brehm, USA TODAYSeptember 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
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The NHL will enter the 2025-26 season with a new highest-paid player for the third season in a row.
That honor goes to Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, who signed an eight-year, $112 million extension ($14 million cap hit) in 2024.
That deal takes effect this season, pushing him past last year's leader, Toronto's Auston Matthews ($13.25 million). Matthews had passed Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million, starting in 2023-24), who had topped Edmonton's Connor McDavid ($12.5 million since 2018-19).
Draisaitl's reign will last only a year. The salary cap is going up and McDavid, Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov and Vegas' Jack Eichel are among the high-profile 2026 unrestricted free agents. Kaprizov reportedly turned down a record-setting eight-year offer.
Here's a look at the highest-paid players for the 2025-26 season (figures from puckpedia.com):
Forward Mitch Marner joined the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade.
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Forward Mitch Marner joined the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade.
">Forward Mitch Marner joined the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade.
" src=https://ift.tt/4aVr2XH class=caas-img>Forward Nikolaj Ehlers signed with the Hurricanes.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/R6eSEln class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Forward Nikolaj Ehlers signed with the Hurricanes.
">Forward Nikolaj Ehlers signed with the Hurricanes.
" src=https://ift.tt/R6eSEln class=caas-img>Mikael Granlund signed with the Ducks.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/7O8pzKi class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Mikael Granlund signed with the Ducks.
">Mikael Granlund signed with the Ducks.
" src=https://ift.tt/7O8pzKi class=caas-img>Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov signed with the Rangers.
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Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov signed with the Rangers.
">Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov signed with the Rangers.
" src=https://ift.tt/CSKpfln class=caas-img>Forward Pius Suter signed with the Blues.
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Forward Pius Suter signed with the Blues.
">Forward Pius Suter signed with the Blues.
" src=https://ift.tt/iCOdQyz class=caas-img>Defenseman Nate Schmidt signed with the Mammoth.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/a3FGpqi class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Defenseman Nate Schmidt signed with the Mammoth.
">Defenseman Nate Schmidt signed with the Mammoth.
" src=https://ift.tt/a3FGpqi class=caas-img>
Defenseman Brent Burns signed with the Avalanche.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/eQ49kUo class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Defenseman Brent Burns signed with the Avalanche.
">Defenseman Brent Burns signed with the Avalanche.
" src=https://ift.tt/eQ49kUo class=caas-img>Connor Brown signed with the Devils.
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Connor Brown signed with the Devils.
">Connor Brown signed with the Devils.
" src=https://ift.tt/xK17QBA class=caas-img>
Forward Jeff Skinner signed with the Sharks.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/mCZEMGu class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Forward Jeff Skinner signed with the Sharks.
">Forward Jeff Skinner signed with the Sharks.
" src=https://ift.tt/mCZEMGu class=caas-img>
Defenseman Travis Hamonic signed with the Red Wings.
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Defenseman Travis Hamonic signed with the Red Wings.
">Defenseman Travis Hamonic signed with the Red Wings.
" src=https://ift.tt/yENFVDM class=caas-img>
Defenseman Noah Dobson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/3wGVyLB class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Defenseman Noah Dobson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.
">Defenseman Noah Dobson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.
" src=https://ift.tt/3wGVyLB class=caas-img>
Defenseman K'Andre Miller was traded to the Hurricanes.
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Defenseman K'Andre Miller was traded to the Hurricanes.
">Defenseman K'Andre Miller was traded to the Hurricanes.
" src=https://ift.tt/dLvZcwB class=caas-img>
Forward Mason Marchment was traded to the Kraken.
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Forward Mason Marchment was traded to the Kraken.
">Forward Mason Marchment was traded to the Kraken.
" src=https://ift.tt/i3L68Rp class=caas-img>Forward Viktor Arvidsson was traded to the Bruins.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/hQOmAGz class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Forward Viktor Arvidsson was traded to the Bruins.
">Forward Viktor Arvidsson was traded to the Bruins.
" src=https://ift.tt/hQOmAGz class=caas-img>Goaltender John Gibson was traded to the Red Wings.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/fEIyRPQ class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Goaltender John Gibson was traded to the Red Wings.
">Goaltender John Gibson was traded to the Red Wings.
" src=https://ift.tt/fEIyRPQ class=caas-img>Forward Chris Kreider was traded to the Ducks.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/MF1G5s7 class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Forward Chris Kreider was traded to the Ducks.
">Forward Chris Kreider was traded to the Ducks.
" src=https://ift.tt/MF1G5s7 class=caas-img>
Forward Evander Kane was traded to the Canucks.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/DdCxIUE class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Forward Evander Kane was traded to the Canucks.
">Forward Evander Kane was traded to the Canucks.
" src=https://ift.tt/DdCxIUE class=caas-img>Forward JJ Peterka was traded to the Mammoth. Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan went to the Sabres in the trade.
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Forward JJ Peterka was traded to the Mammoth. Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan went to the Sabres in the trade.
">Forward JJ Peterka was traded to the Mammoth. Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan went to the Sabres in the trade.
" src=https://ift.tt/WKaIFbR class=caas-img>
Forward Trevor Zegras was traded to the Flyers.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/hGfjcP2 class=caas-img data-headline="NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason" data-caption="
Forward Trevor Zegras was traded to the Flyers.
">Forward Trevor Zegras was traded to the Flyers.
" src=https://ift.tt/hGfjcP2 class=caas-img>
1 / 39NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Mitch Marner joined the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade.
Highest-paid NHL players by cap hit
Top 50 plus ties
C Leon Draisaitl, Oilers, $14,000,000
C Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs, $13,250,000
C Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche, $12,600,000
C Connor McDavid, Oilers, $12,500,000
RW Mitch Marner, Golden Knights, $12,000,000
RW Mikko Rantanen, Stars, $12,000,000
LW Artemi Panarin, Rangers, $11,642,857
C Elias Pettersson, Canucks, $11,600,000
D Erik Karlsson, Penguins, $11,500,000
C William Nylander, Maple Leafs, $11,500,000
G Igor Shesterkin, Rangers, $11,500,000
RW David Pastrnak, Bruins, $11,250,000
D Drew Doughty, Kings, $11,000,000
D Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres, $11,000,000
D Evan Bouchard, Oilers, $10,500,000
LW Jonathan Huberdeau, Flames, $10,500,000
C Aleksander Barkov, Panthers, $10,000,000
C Jack Eichel, Golden Knights, $10,000,000
G Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers, $10,000,000
C Tyler Seguin, Stars, $9,850,000
C Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes, $9,750,000
D Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets, $9,583,333
LW Alex Ovechkin, Capitals, $9,500,000
RW Mark Stone, Golden Knights, $9,500,000
RW Nikita Kucherov, Lightning, $9,500,000
D Seth Jones, Panthers, $9,500,000
C Brayden Point, Lightning, $9,500,000
LW Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers, $9,500,000
D Charlie McAvoy, Bruins, $9,500,000
D Adam Fox, Rangers, $9,500,000
D Noah Dobson, Canadiens, $9,500,000
G Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning, $9,500,000
D Darnell Nurse, Oilers, $9,250,000
C Mathew Barzal, Islanders, $9,150,000
D Roman Josi, Predators, $9,059,000
D Dougie Hamilton, Devils, $9,000,000
LW Jake Guentzel, Lightning, $9,000,000
LW Kirill Kaprizov, Wild, $9,000,000
D Jakob Chychrun, Capitals, $9,000,000
D Cale Makar, Avalanche, $9,000,000
D Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights, $8,800,000 (currently injured)
RW Timo Meier, Devils, $8,800,000
RW Travis Konecny, Flyers, $8,750,000
C Sidney Crosby, Penguins, $8,700,000
C Dylan Larkin, Red Wings, $8,700,000
LW Patrik Laine, Canadiens, $8,700,000
C Sam Reinhart, Panthers, $8,625,000
D Moritz Seider, Red Wings, $8,550,000
D Brock Faber, Wild, $8,500,000
C Mika Zibanejad, Rangers, $8,500,000
C Mark Scheifele, Jets, $8,500,000
C Filip Forsberg, Predators, $8,500,000
C Bo Horvat, Islanders, $8,500,000
LW Nikolaj Ehlers, Hurricanes, $8,500,000
D Ivan Provorov, Blue Jackets, $8,500,000
C Pierre-Luc Dubois, Capitals, $8,500,000
D Mikhail Sergachev, Mammoth, $8,500,000
G Connor Hellebuyck, Jets, $8,500,000
Highest-paid NHL players by salary
Top 30 plus ties
C Leon Draisaitl, Oilers, $16,500,000
C Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche, $16,050,000
G Igor Shesterkin, Rangers, $15,825,000
C Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs, $15,200,000
RW Mitch Marner, Golden Knights, $15,000,000
RW Mikko Rantanen, Stars, $15,000,000
C Elias Pettersson, Canucks, $14,500,000
C William Nylander, Maple Leafs, $13,500,000
RW David Pastrnak, Bruins, $12,500,000
D Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres, $12,000,000
D Evan Bouchard, Oilers, $12,000,000
C Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes, $12,000,000
C Brayden Point, Lightning, $12,000,000
D Noah Dobson, Canadiens, $12,000,000
C Aleksander Barkov, Panthers, $11,600,000
D Dougie Hamilton, Devils, $11,550,000
D Charlie McAvoy, Bruins, $11,500,000
C Pierre-Luc Dubois, Capitals, $11,350,000
LW Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers, $11,250,000
D Mikhail Sergachev, Mammoth, $11,050,000
D Drew Doughty, Kings, $11,000,000
D Jakob Chychrun, Capitals, $11,000,000
RW Travis Konecny, Flyers, $11,000,000
D Miro Heiskanen, Stars, $11,000,000
C Seth Jarvis, Hurricanes, $10,950,000
RW Timo Meier, Devils, $10,750,000
LW Jonathan Huberdeau, Flames, $10,500,000
D Seth Jones, Panthers, $10,500,000
L Brady Tkachuk, Senators, $10,500,000
C Jordan Kyrou, Blues, $10,500,000
C Robert Thomas, Blues, $10,500,000
Highest-paid NHL defensemen by cap hit -
Erik Karlsson, Penguins, $11,500,000
Drew Doughty, Kings, $11,000,000
Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres, $11,000,000
Evan Bouchard, Oilers, $10,500,000
Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets, $9,583,333
Seth Jones, Panthers, $9,500,000
Charlie McAvoy, Bruins, $9,500,000
Adam Fox, Rangers, $9,500,000
Noah Dobson, Canadiens, $9,500,000
Darnell Nurse, Oilers, $9,250,000
Roman Josi, Predators, $9,059,000
Dougie Hamilton, Devils, $9,000,000
Jakob Chychrun, Capitals, $9,000,000
Cale Makar, Avalanche, $9,000,000
Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights, $8,800,000 (currently injured)
Moritz Seider, Red Wings, $8,550,000
Ivan Provorov, Blue Jackets, $8,500,000
Mikhail Sergachev, Mammoth, $8,500,000
Brock Faber, Wild, $8,500,000
Miro Heiskanen, Stars, $8,450,000
Owen Power, Sabres, $8,350,000
Jake Sanderson, Senators, $8,050,000
John Carlson, Capitals, $8,000,000
Victor Hedman, Lightning, $8,000,000
Jacob Trouba, Ducks, $8,000,000
Thomas Chabot, Senators, $8,000,000
Quinn Hughes, Canucks, $7,850,000
Jared Spurgeon, Wild, $7,575,000
Morgan Rielly, Maple Leafs, $7,500,000
K'Andre Miller, Hurricanes, $7,500,000
Highest-paid NHL goaltenders by cap hit -
Igor Shesterkin, Rangers, $11,500,000
Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers, $10,000,000
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning, $9,500,000
Connor Hellebuyck, Jets, $8,500,000
Jeremy Swayman, Bruins, $8,250,000
Jake Oettinger, Stars, $8,250,000
Ilya Sorokin, Islanders, $8,250,000
Linus Ullmark, Senators, $8,250,000
Juuse Saros, Predators, $7,740,000
Lukas Dostal, Ducks, $6,500,000
John Gibson, Red Wings, $6,400,000
Adin Hill, Golden Knights, $6,250,000
Jacob Markstrom, Devils, $6,000,000
Jordan Binnington, Blues, $6,000,000
Philipp Grubauer, Kraken, $5,900,000
Logan Thompson, Capitals, $5,850,000
Elvis Merzlikins, Blue Jackets, $5,400,000
Tristan Jarry, Penguins, $5,375,000
MacKenzie Blackwood, Avalanche, $5,250,000
Darcy Kuemper, Kings, $5,250,000
Joey Daccord, Kraken, $5,000,000
Thatcher Demko, Canucks, $5,000,000
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Sabres, $4,750,000
Karel Vejmelka, Mammoth, $4,750,000
Kevin Lankinen, Canucks, $4,500,000
Spencer Knight, Blackhawks, $4,500,000
Petr Mrazek, Ducks, $4,250,000
Joonas Korpisalo, Bruins, $4,000,000
Filip Gustavsson, Wild, $3,750,000
Joseph Woll, Maple Leafs, $3,666,667
Who could pass Leon Draisaitl as top-paid player?
The 2026 free-agent class is star-studded, and includes Connor McDavid (current $12.5 million cap hit), Jack Eichel ($10 million) and Kirill Kaprizov ($9 million).
All are eligible to sign extensions before they become unrestricted free agents on July 1.
The reported offer to Kaprizov was eight years with an average annual value of $16 million. That would give him the top cap hit, and the $128 million total would set a record for largest NHL contract, passing the 13-year, $124 million contract that Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin signed in 2008.
In the end, McDavid should re-establish himself as the NHL's top-paid player. He is a three-time MVP who has taken his team to the Stanley Cup Final the last two seasons.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is highest-paid NHL player? Salaries of hockey stars, ranked
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