Phil Esposito
NHL Fortune:
$4,316,662
Description
Phil Esposito’s net worth / earnings / salary history. He made US $4,316,662 (US $14,994,857 in today's dollars), ranking #1767 in NHL / hockey career earnings.
Birthdate: February 20, 1942Did you know that Gary Bettman has accumulated the largest NHL fortune with $150M?
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| Salary History All amounts in US$ unless otherwise noted. |
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| Season | Salary (US$) |
In today's US$ |
NHL Rank |
+/- (US$) |
+/- (%) |
| 1961-62 | $1,362 | $12,317 | |||
| Contract in Canadian currency: $1,380. At age 19, played most of the season with the St. Catharines Teepees, of the Ontario Hockey Association, earning $C57.50 per week ($60 per week minus $2.50 because he was a pound over his target weight of 200 pounds) for 6 months | |||||
| Source: Phil Esposito on Cam & Strick podcast | |||||
| 1963-64 | $5,800 | $51,200 | |||
| His first season in the NHL. During the summer, until his first big contract at age 30 in 1972, worked at a steel plant earning $10,000 for the summer. | |||||
| Source: SportingNewsRadio interview | |||||
| 1964-65 | $10,000 | $87,137 | |||
| Signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Chicago Blackhawks for $8,500 and $10,000. Regular season bonuses for 1964-65 included $500 for 40 points or more, $500 for 15 goals or more, another $500 for 20 goals or more. Regular season bonuses for 1965-66 included $500 for 15 goals or more, another $500 for 20 goals or more. Got 23 goals and 55 points, earning a bonus of $ 1,500. (According to Phil Esposito on Pioneers on NHL Network, he earned $6,500) | |||||
| Source: Copy of contract | |||||
| 1965-66 | $11,000 | $94,361 | |||
| Scored 27 goals, earning a bonus of $ 1,000 (Earned $6,500 according to the book Hockey Night Fever: Mullets, Mayhem and the Game's Coming of Age in the 1970s.) | |||||
| Source: Copy of contract | |||||
| 1966-67 | $16,000 | $133,276 | |||
| Signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Chicago Blackhawks for $16,000 and $17,000. Regular season bonuses included $1,000 for scoring over 30 goals in the season. Did not earn the bonus. | |||||
| Source: Copy of contract | |||||
| 1967-68 | $18,000 | $145,845 | |||
| Earned $1,000 bonus with 35 goals. (According to Phil Esposito on Pioneers on NHL Network, he earned $10,000 base salary plus bonuses based on number of goals: $500 for 20; an additional $1,000 for 25; an additional $1,000 for 30 goals; an additional $2,000 for 35; an additional $5,000 for 40.) | |||||
| Source: Copy of contract | |||||
| 1968-69 | $19,500 | $151,548 | |||
| $10,000 base salary plus bonus based on number of goals: $500 for 20; an additional $1,000 for 25; an additional $1,000 for 30 goals; an additional $2,000 for 35; an additional $5,000 for 40. Scored 49 goals, earning $ 9,500 in bonuses. | |||||
| Source: Phil Esposito on Pioneers (NHL Network) | |||||
| 1969-70 | $20,000 | $147,383 | |||
| Estimated minimum earnings based on documented salary for 1968-69. | |||||
| Source: HockeyZonePlus | |||||
| 1970-71 | $20,000 | $139,258 | |||
| Estimated minimum earnings based on documented salary for 1968-69. | |||||
| Source: HockeyZonePlus | |||||
| 1971-72 | $20,000 | $133,514 | |||
| Estimated minimum earnings based on documented salary for 1968-69. | |||||
| Source: HockeyZonePlus | |||||
| 1972-73 | $100,000 | $646,341 | |||
| Signed his first big NHL contract with the Boston Bruins for $100,000 per year and stopped working at a steel plant during the summer. | |||||
| Source: Phil Esposito on Cam & Strick Podcast | |||||
| 1973-74 | $100,000 | $608,784 | |||
| Estimated minimum earnings based on documented salary for 1972-73. | |||||
| Source: HockeyZonePlus | |||||
| 1974-75 | $100,000 | $548,165 | |||
| Estimated minimum earnings based on documented salary for 1972-73. | |||||
| Source: HockeyZonePlus | |||||
| 1975-76 | $200,000 | $1,004,459 | |||
| Prior to the season, met the Vancouver Blazers of the World Hockey Association and was offered a five-year contract for $2.5M plus a $1M signing bonus. He considered it and turned it down out of loyalty for the Bruins. He ultimately signed a four-year contract with the Boston Bruins for $200,000 per season. Twelve game into the season, he was traded to the New York Rangers. (According to The Sporting News, his salary was $375,000.) | |||||
| Source: The New York Times / Book: The Hot Line | |||||
| 1976-77 | $400,000 | $1,899,842 | |||
| (Earned $300,000 according to The Sporting News.) | |||||
| Source: Phil Esposito on Cam & Strick podcast | |||||
| 1977-78 | $325,000 | $1,449,390 | |||
| Earned $US 400,000 according to Phil Esposito on the Cam & Strick podcast (and he's not known to exagerate!) | |||||
| Source: Globe and Mail / The Hockey News 1979 / Book: The Hot Line | |||||
| 1978-79 | $400,000 | $1,657,520 | |||
| Source: Phil Esposito on Cam & Strick podcast | |||||
| 1979-80 | $400,000 | $1,489,667 | |||
| Source: Phil Esposito on Cam & Strick podcast | |||||
| 1980-81 | $400,000 | $1,311,977 | |||
| Retired as a pro-hockey player after the season. | |||||
| Source: Phil Esposito on Cam & Strick podcast | |||||
| 1991-92 | $350,000 | $694,655 | 120 | ||
| Signed a five-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning to be their General Manager. | |||||
| Source: Tampa Bay Times | |||||
| 1992-93 | $350,000 | $674,209 | 218 | ||
| As General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. | |||||
| Source: Tampa Bay Times | |||||
| 1993-94 | $350,000 | $654,887 | 336 | ||
| As General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. | |||||
| Source: Tampa Bay Times | |||||
| 1994-95 | $350,000 | $638,274 | 215 | ||
| Because of the lockout, his NHL salary of $612,500 was prorated for the 48-game season. As General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. | |||||
| Source: Tampa Bay Times | |||||
| 1995-96 | $350,000 | $620,849 | 499 | ||
| As General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. | |||||
| Source: Tampa Bay Times | |||||
| 2020-21 | $0 | $0 | 1268 | ||
| He receives a $C 32,600/year pension from the NHL. Unclear when the pension kicked in. | |||||
| Source: Phil Esposito on Cam & Strick podcast | |||||
| Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the NHL played a 56-game season instead of 82. Base salaries were not pro-rated but 10% of $0 was deferred and payable in three yearly payments, starting in October 2022, without interests. Escrow for the season was increased to 20% and performance bonuses were pro-rated (amounts and targets to reach). | |||||
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Career Total: US $4,316,662 (In today's dollars: US $14,994,857) NHL Rank: 1767 (In today's dollars: 1020) |
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