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).

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

NHL’s highest paid players in 2025 (average salary per year):Maple Leafs C Auston Matthews: $13.25 millionAvalanche C Nathan MacKinnon: $12.6 millionOilers C Connor McDavid $12.5 millionRangers LW Artemi Panarin: $11.64 millionCanucks C Elias Pettersson: $11.6 millionPenguins D Erik Karlsson: $11.5 millionMaple Leafs C/RW William Nylander: $11.5 millionBruins RW David Pastrnak: $11.25 millionKings D Drew Doughty: $11 millionMaple Leafs C John Tavares: $11 millionSabres D Rasmus Dahlin: $11 millionMaple Leafs RW Mitchell Marner: $10.9 millionCanadiens G Carey Price: $10.5 millionFlames LW Jonathan Huberdeau: $10.5 millionPanthers C Aleksander Barkov: $10 millionGolden Knights C Jack Eichel: $10 millionPanthers G Sergei Bobrovsky: $10 million

-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.

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