Here are several lists of National Hockey League players' salaries since the 1989–90 NHL season. This list does not include income from corporate endorsements or salaries before . __TOC__

Top salaries in the NHL since 1989 This is an unofficial list of the twenty NHL players who have earned the most in total salary from the through the s.

These figures have been gleaned from certain financial sites dedicated to professional sports, and so may not be perfectly accurate. This is merely an estimation that, for the most part, does not take into account bonuses nor sponsor contracts. They do not take into account inflation, nor the growth in the popularity of the game allowing league revenue, and thus player salaries, to grow faster than inflation over the decades. For example, the highest salary in 1989–90 was Mario Lemieux's million (equivalent to $million in ), while the salary cap for any single player in the was $17.6 million.

These totals take into account players missing an entire season due to illness or injury, such as Jonathan Toews missing all of due to illness. These totals do not take into account reductions for partial seasons played, due to injuries or suspensions, for which a player would only receive a partial salary.

The list counts no salary for any player during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, when the was cancelled in its entirety. It is not apparent, from the notes left here, if there has been an adjustment for the reduction in salaries paid when the 1994–95 NHL lockout shortened the by (48 games played of a scheduled 84), or when the 2012–13 NHL lockout shortened the by (48 games played of a scheduled 82), or when the COVID-19 pandemic shortened the by varying amounts, with teams having played anywhere from 68 to 71 of their scheduled 82 games when the season was halted.

+ Key Became a Stanley Cup champion during their playing career + Top 20 NHL salary-earners from 1989–90 to 2023–24 Rank Player name Salary (USD) Total seasons Years active 1 $ 19 –present 2 $ 19 2005–present 3 $ 16 2005– 4 $ 24 –; – 5 $ 18 –present 6 $ 18 2006–present 7 $ 17 – 8 $ 17 –present 9 $ 13 2007– 10 $ 18 – 11 $ 19 2005–present 12 $ 24 –present 13 $ 19 2005– 14 $ 15 2007– 15 $ 15 – 16 $ 15 2005– 17 $ 16 –present 18 $ 16 2008–present 19 $ 24 1997–2022 20 $ 15 –present

Top five contracts by season

1989–90 season

Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) million (equivalent to $million in ) Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) $1.72million ($million in ) Mark Messier (Edmonton Oilers) $0.86million ($million in ) Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings) $0.7million ($million in ) Bryan Trottier (New York Islanders) $0.575million ($million in )

1990–91 season Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) $3 million Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) $2.18 million Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings) $1.3 million Ray Bourque (Boston Bruins) $1.19 million Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues) $1.12 million

1991–92 season Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) million (equivalent to $million in ) Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) $2.34million ($million in ) Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues) $1.5million ($million in ) (tie) Pat LaFontaine (Buffalo Sabres) $1.4million ($million in )(tie) Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings) $1.4million ($million in )

1992–93 season Eric Lindros (Philadelphia Flyers) million (equivalent to $million in ) Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) $3million ($million in ) Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) $2.41million ($million in ) Mark Messier (New York Rangers) $2.39million ($million in ) Pat LaFontaine (Buffalo Sabres) $1.78million ($million in )

1993–94 season

Eric Lindros (Philadelphia Flyers) million (equivalent to $million in ) Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings) $3.2million ($million in ) (tie) Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) $3million ($million in )(tie) Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) $3million ($million in ) Patrick Roy (Montreal Canadiens) $2.66million ($million in )

1994–95 season After the 1994–95 NHL season was shortened to 48 games due to a lockout, players earned only about 56% of their predicted salary. Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) $3.66 million (Predicted salary of $6.54 million) Mark Messier (New York Rangers) $3.45 million (Predicted salary of $6.29 million) Scott Stevens (New Jersey Devils) $3.24 million (Predicted salary of $5.8 million) Pavel Bure (Vancouver Canucks) $2.61 million (Predicted salary of $4.5 million) Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) $2.36 million (Predicted salary of $4.07 million)

1995–96 season Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings/St. Louis Blues) $6.54 million Mark Messier (New York Rangers) $6.29 million Keith Tkachuk (Winnipeg Jets) $6 million Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) $4.57 million Pavel Bure (Vancouver Canucks) $4.5 million

1996–97 season Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) $11.35 million Mark Messier (New York Rangers) $6 million Pavel Bure (Vancouver Canucks) $5 million Pat LaFontaine (Buffalo Sabres) $4.6 million Patrick Roy (Colorado Avalanche) $4.57 million

1997–98 season Joe Sakic (Colorado Avalanche) $16.45 millionThe given salary includes a signing bonus. Chris Gratton (Philadelphia Flyers) $10.15 million Wayne Gretzky (New York Rangers) $6.25 million Mark Messier (New York Rangers) $6 million Pavel Bure (Vancouver Canucks) $5.5 million

1998–99 season Sergei Fedorov (Detroit Red Wings) $14.5 million Paul Kariya (Anaheim Ducks) $8.25 million Eric Lindros (Philadelphia Flyers) $8 million Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) $8 million Mats Sundin (Toronto Maple Leafs) $6.35 million

1999–00 season

Jaromir Jagr (Pittsburgh Penguins) $11.7 million Paul Kariya (Anaheim Ducks) $11 million Peter Forsberg (Colorado Avalanche) $9 million Theoren Fleury (New York Rangers) $8.5 million Eric Lindros (Philadelphia Flyers) $8.5 million

2000–01 season Peter Forsberg (Colorado Avalanche) $10 million Paul Kariya (Anaheim Ducks) $10 million Jaromir Jagr (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9.8 million Pavel Bure (Florida Panthers) $9 million Keith Tkachuk (St. Louis Blues) $7.3 million

2001–02 season Jaromir Jagr (Washington Capitals) $11 million Pavel Bure (Florida Panthers/New York Rangers) $10 million Paul Kariya (Anaheim Ducks) $10 million Joe Sakic (Colorado Avalanche) $9.83 million Chris Pronger (St. Louis Blues) $9.5 million Teemu Selanne (San Jose Sharks) $9.5 million

2002–03 season Jaromir Jagr (Washington Capitals) $11.48 million Keith Tkachuk (St. Louis Blues) $11 million Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings) $10.5 million Pavel Bure (New York Rangers) $10 million Paul Kariya (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) $10 million

2003–04 season

Peter Forsberg (Colorado Avalanche) $11 million Jaromir Jagr (Washington Capitals) $11 million Sergei Fedorov (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) $10 million Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings) $10 million Keith Tkachuk (St. Louis Blues) $10 million

2004–05 season Season cancelled (see 2004–05 NHL lockout).

2005–06 season The team salary cap was $39 million. Under the latest NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement, no player could earn more than 20 percent of the team salary cap ($7.8 million). Jaromir Jagr (New York Rangers) $8.36 million$7.8 million + $0.56 million in arrears from the Washington Capitals. Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings) $7.6 million Keith Tkachuk (St. Louis Blues) $7.6 million Alexei Yashin (New York Islanders) $7.6 million Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames) $7 million

2006–07 season The team salary cap was $44 million. No player could earn more than $8.8 million. Jaromir Jagr (New York Rangers) $8.36 million Brad Richards (Tampa Bay Lightning) $7.8 million Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings) $7.6 million Mats Sundin (Toronto Maple Leafs) $7.6 million Alexei Yashin (New York Islanders) $7.6 million

2007–08 season The team salary cap was $50.3 million. No player could earn more than $10.06 million. Daniel Briere (Philadelphia Flyers) $10 million Scott Gomez (New York Rangers) $10 million Thomas Vanek (Buffalo Sabres) $10 million Jaromir Jagr (New York Rangers) $8.36 million Kimmo Timonen (Philadelphia Flyers) $8 million

2008–09 season The team salary cap was $56.7 million. No player could earn more than $11.34 million. Dany Heatley (Ottawa Senators) $10 million Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9 million Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) $9 million Mats Sundin (Vancouver Canucks) $8.6 million Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames) $8.5 million

2009–10 season The team salary cap was $56.8 million. No player could earn more than $11.36 million. Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay Lightning) $10 million Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9 million Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9 million Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) $9 million Chris Drury (New York Rangers) $8.05 million

2010–11 season The team salary cap was $59.4 million. No player could earn more than $11.88 million. Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay Lightning) $10 million Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks) $10 million Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9 million Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9 million Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) $9 million

2011–12 season The team salary cap was $64.3 million. No player could earn more than $12.86 million. Brad Richards (New York Rangers) $12 million Ilya Bryzgalov (Philadelphia Flyers) $10 million Christian Ehrhoff (Buffalo Sabres) $10 million Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay Lightning) $10 million Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9 million

2012–13 season The team salary cap was $70.2 million. No player could earn more than $14.04 million. Shea Weber (Nashville Predators) $14 million Tyler Myers (Buffalo Sabres) $12 million Zach Parise (Minnesota Wild) $12 million Brad Richards (New York Rangers) $12 million Ryan Suter (Minnesota Wild) $12 million

2013–14 season The team salary cap was $64.3 million. No player could earn more than $12.86 million. Shea Weber (Nashville Predators) $14 million Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) $12 million Zach Parise (Minnesota Wild) $12 million Ryan Suter (Minnesota Wild) $12 million Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes) $9.25 million

2014–15 season The team salary cap was $69 million. No player could earn more than $13.8 million. Shea Weber (Nashville Predators) $14 million Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) $12 million Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) $11 million Zach Parise (Minnesota Wild) $11 million Ryan Suter (Minnesota Wild) $11 million

2015–16 season The team salary cap was $71.4 million. No player could earn more than $14.28 million. Shea Weber (Nashville Predators) $14 million Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) $13.8 million Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks) $13.8 million Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) $12 million Phil Kessel (Pittsburgh Penguins) $10 million

2016–17 season The team salary cap was $73 million. No player could earn more than $14.6 million. Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) $14 million Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) $13.8 million Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks) $13.8 million Shea Weber (Montreal Canadiens) $12 million Ryan O'Reilly (Buffalo Sabres) $11 million

2017–18 season The team salary cap was $75 million. No player could earn more than $15 million. Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) $13.8 million Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks) $13.8 million Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars) $13 million Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) $13 million Shea Weber (Montreal Canadiens) $12 million

2018–19 season The team salary cap was $79.5 million. No player could earn more than $15.9 million. John Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs) $15.9 million Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) $15 million Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens) $15 million Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars) $13 million John Carlson (Washington Capitals) $12 million

2019–20 season The team salary cap was $81.5 million. No player could earn more than $16.3 million. Mitch Marner (Toronto Maple Leafs) $16 million