The National Hockey League (NHL) players’ average salary 2017 – 2018 was $3,386,993, according to a study by sportingintelligence.com. The minimum player salary in the NHL is $650,000 and maximum can exceed 5 million dollars (for top echelon players). The average league attendance per game is 17 552 spectators.
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league. The league has thirty franchised member clubs: twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada. These teams are divided into two conferences of three divisions with four teams each. During regular season, each team plays 82 games (semi-regularly 41 at home and 41 away). The playoffs follow the regular season, during which, eight teams from each conference qualify to play in the knockout phase. The winner of Stanley Cup wins the annual Ice Hockey World Championship.
average nhl salary
Kevin Shattenkirk is the highest paid NHL player of 2017-2018 season with annual salary of $6.65 million, followed by Jonathan Toews and Connor McDavid. Sidney Crosby is the highest paid Canadian NHL player with annual salary of $10 million. Auston Matthews is the lowest paid NHL player in 2017-2018 season with annual salary of $650,000.
Top 10 Highest Paid NHL Players 2017-2018 by Average Salary:
- Kevin Shattenkirk, D, Rangers – $6,650,000
- Jonathan Toews, C, Blackhawks – $10,500,000
- Connor McDavid, C , Oilers – $12,500,000
- Sidney Crosby, C/RW , Penguins – $10,900,000
- Anze Kopitar, C, Kings – $10,000,000
- John Tavares, C , Islanders – $9,500,000
- Carey Price, G , Canadiens – $9 000 000
- Evgeni Malkin, C , Penguins – $9,500,000
- Tyler Seguin , C/RW , Stars – $9 400 000
- Patrick Kane , RW, Blackhawks – $10,500,000
How does player salary vary based on position and experience level?
- The average NHL player gets paid $3,386,993 annually.
- Defenceman are the highest paid players in the league with a salary of $4,766,816 on average per year.
- Forwards and goaltenders make less on average than defenseman. The position with the lowest pay is center with an annual salary of $2,460,816 on average per year.
- Players with less than two years’ experience make $925,000 on average per year while those with five or more years of experience receive an annual salary of $3,365,769 on average.
- A rookie player like Auston Matthews (who had only played one season in the league) can expect to receive an entry level salary of $925,000. Players with at least three years experience but less than six can earn up to $3 million annually, while those who have played for 6-10 years are paid $5 million on average per year.
What are some of the biggest contracts in NHL history, and how do they compare to other sports leagues?
NHL player contracts are guaranteed unlike contracts in other leagues such as NBA and NFL. NHL players also receive a higher average salary than players in other leagues such as MLB (Major League Baseball). The highest paid NHL player is Sidney Crosby with annual salary of $10 million while the highest paid MLB player is Clayton Kershaw with annual salary of $34,571,429.
Are NHL players worth their high salaries, or are they overpaid compared to other professional athletes?
In general, NHL players are worth their salaries. They have a longer season compared to other professional athletes and work on a team basis, which means that the success of an individual player is linked to the performance of his teammates. The league also has higher average attendance per game than MLB and NBA.
The average National Hockey League (NHL) player salary 2017 – 2018 was $3,386,993. [Data taken from sportingintelligence.com and converted to USD.] The minimum player salary in the NHL is $650,000 and maximum can exceed 5 million dollars (for top echelon players). The average league attendance per game is 17 552 spectators.
