Who are the highest-paid players in the NHL?
Here’s a look at the players in the league who make at least $10 million per season for the 2024-25 season, ranked by average annual salary, per spotrac.com, a site that tracks NHL player contracts (through May 29, 2025).
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ Auston Matthews, an Arizona native, leads the list at $13.25 million per season. The top 3 highest paid players in the NHL are centers, with the Colorado Avalanche‘s Nathan MacKinnon second at $12.6 million and the Oilers’ Connor McDavid third at $12.5 million.
New York Rangers LW Artemi Panarin is fourth on the list at $11.64 million, with Vancouver Canucks C Elias Pettersson rounding out the top 5 at $11.6 million in average annual salary.
There are 17 NHL players who currently make at least $10 million per season on average.
NFL’s highest paid players in 2025: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive linemen | D-linemen | Cornerbacks | Safeties | Linebackers | Edge rushers | Highest paid NFL players: Overall | By position | By team
Auston Matthews is the highest paid player in the NHL this season.
NHL’s highest paid players in 2025 (average salary per year):
Maple Leafs C Auston Matthews: $13.25 million
Avalanche C Nathan MacKinnon: $12.6 million
Oilers C Connor McDavid $12.5 million
Rangers LW Artemi Panarin: $11.64 million
Canucks C Elias Pettersson: $11.6 million
Penguins D Erik Karlsson: $11.5 million
Maple Leafs C/RW William Nylander: $11.5 million
Bruins RW David Pastrnak: $11.25 million
Kings D Drew Doughty: $11 million
Maple Leafs C John Tavares: $11 million
Sabres D Rasmus Dahlin: $11 million
Maple Leafs RW Mitchell Marner: $10.9 million
Canadiens G Carey Price: $10.5 million
Flames LW Jonathan Huberdeau: $10.5 million
Panthers C Aleksander Barkov: $10 million
Golden Knights C Jack Eichel: $10 million
Panthers G Sergei Bobrovsky: $10 million
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
-Source: spotrac.com
MLB’s highest paid players in 2025: Starting pitchers | Relief pitchers | Catchers | Infielders | First basemen | Second basemen | Third basemen | Shortstops | Outfielders | Right fielders | Center fielders | Left fielders | Highest paid players: Overall | By position | By team
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: NHL’s highest paid players 2024-25: Which players make most per year?