Mark Messier
NHL Fortune:
$68,861,194
Description
Mark Messier’s net worth / earnings / salary history: Earned US $68,861,194 (US $136,004,645 in today's dollars), ranking #132 in NHL / hockey career earnings.
Birthdate: January 18, 1961Country of birth: Canada
Position: C
NHL Draft:
- Year: 1979
- Round #3
- Overall Pick: 48
- By: Edmonton Oilers
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Did you know that Gary Bettman has accumulated the largest NHL fortune with $167M? Info about the franchise value evolution and ownership history of NHL/hockey teams. |
| Salary History - Mark Messier All amounts in US$ unless otherwise noted. |
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| Season | Earnings (US$) |
In today's US$ |
Rank | |
| 1978-79 | $26,000 | $128,465 | ||
| Earned $2,200 for playing with the Indianapolis Racers, of the World Hockey Association, until the team folded in December 1978. He never got paid. He then signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Stingers, of the World Hockey Association, for $26,000. (Earned $35,000 or $34,000 according to the book No One Wins Alone - A Memoir. Earned $30,000 according to the book The Rebel League) | ||||
| Source(s): Copy of contract / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir | ||||
| 1979-80 | $42,700 | $189,614 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $50,000. | ||||
| After being drafted 48th overall in the NHL draft by the Edmonton Oilers, held out during training camp wanting a four-year contract at CAN$50,000/season. The Oilers were offering either a four-year, two-way contract that would pay considerably less if sent in the minors or a one-year plus one option year, one-way contract at CAN$20,000. He ended up signing a five-year, one-way contract at $50,000 per season. | ||||
| Source(s): Book: Messier / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir | ||||
| 1980-81 | $42,750 | $167,192 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $50,000. | ||||
| Source(s): Book: Messier / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir | ||||
| 1981-82 | $41,700 | $147,821 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $50,000. | ||||
| Source(s): Book: Messier / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir | ||||
| 1982-83 | $40,550 | $135,433 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $50,000. | ||||
| Source(s): Book: Messier / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir | ||||
| 1983-84 | $40,550 | $131,218 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $50,000. | ||||
| Source(s): Book: Messier / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir | ||||
| 1984-85 | $231,600 | $718,566 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $300,000. | ||||
| In March 1984, signed a five-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers for CAN$300,000 per season. | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News 1985 Yearbook / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir / The Hockey News | ||||
| 1985-86 | $219,600 | $657,963 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $300,000. | ||||
| (Earned $325,000 according to The Hockey News.) | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News 1985 Yearbook / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir / The Hockey News | ||||
| 1986-87 | $216,000 | $635,132 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $300,000. | ||||
| (Earned $320,000 according to La Presse.) | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News 1985 Yearbook / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir / The Hockey News | ||||
| 1987-88 | $226,200 | $641,650 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $300,000. | ||||
| (Earned $325,000, $528,000 or $550,000 according to different editions of La Presse.) | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News 1985 Yearbook / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir / The Hockey News | ||||
| 1988-89 | $243,900 | $664,713 | ||
| Amount in Canadian currency: $300,000. | ||||
| (Earned US $510,000 according to La Presse.) | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News 1985 Yearbook / Book: No One Wins Alone - A Memoir / The Hockey News | ||||
| 1989-90 | $837,142 | $2,176,419 | 4 | |
| Amount in Canadian currency: $990,700. | ||||
| One-way contract for a base salary of C $990,700 plus C $42,800 in deferred payment. | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News / Canadian Press | ||||
| 1990-91 | $824,434 | $2,033,638 | 9 | |
| Amount in Canadian currency: $962,000. | ||||
| One-way contract. | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News / Canadian Press | ||||
| 1991-92 | $1,084,000 | $2,565,337 | 12 | |
| In December 1991, signed five-year contract with the New York Rangers for $13M. | ||||
| Source(s): Book: A Season in Time | ||||
| 1992-93 | $2,385,000 | $5,478,089 | 4 | |
| Amount includes salary and any signing bonus paid in 1992-93. | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News / La Presse | ||||
| 1993-94 | $2,533,000 | $5,651,294 | 5 | |
| Includes base salary and any signing bonus and deferred payments allocated to the 1993-94 season. | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News | ||||
| 1994-95 | $3,596,059 | $7,819,523 | 3 | |
| Because of the lockout, his NHL salary of $6,293,103 was prorated for the 48-game season. | ||||
| Source(s): Guide Hockey 1995-1996 | ||||
| 1995-96 | $6,000,000 | $12,690,642 | 2 | |
| (Earned $6.29M according to the book The Whalers) | ||||
| Source(s): La Presse | ||||
| 1996-97 | $6,000,000 | $12,328,977 | 2 | |
| Source(s): La Presse / Guide Hockey RDS | ||||
| 1997-98 | $6,015,000 | $12,077,215 | 5 | |
| Signed a five-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks for $6M/season (Each year: $2M signing bonus, $3M salary and $1M promotional fee). Included buyout options of $2M before the 2000-01 season and a $1M before the 2001-02 season. Contract clauses included up to $ 3,000 per month for a 3-bedroom corporate apartment in Vancouver as he was living in Washington State; post-career moving allowance; fully guaranteed disability and life insurance; luxury box and 10 tickets per game if box unavailable; no trade clause; and single room on the road. Bonuses included $ 150,000 if the team participates in the second playoff round; $ 200,000 for the 3rd round; $ 200,000 for the 4th round; and $ 200,000 for winning the Stanley Cup. Also $ 250,000 if the team won the Western Conference; $ 100,000 if he made the NHL 1st All-Star Team; $ 25,000 if he made the 2nd All-Star team; $ 15,000 if he participated in the All-Star game; $ 100,000 for winning the Hart/Ross/Smythe awards; $ 25,000 for finishing second for the Hart/Ross/Smythe awards; and $ 15,000 for finishing 3rd for the Hart/Ross/Smythe awards. He did not earn any bonus except $15,000 for participating in the All Star Game. | ||||
| Source(s): Copy of negotiating notes from Darren Rovell / Vancouver Sun / The Hockey News / Book: Quinn - The Life of a Hockey Legend | ||||
| 1998-99 | $6,015,000 | $11,892,734 | 5 | |
| He did not earn any bonus except $15,000 for participating in the All Star Game. | ||||
| Source(s): Copy of negotiating notes from Darren Rovell / The Hockey News | ||||
| 1999-00 | $8,000,000 | $15,478,449 | 6 | |
| He did not earn any bonus. After the season, the Vancouver Canuck bought out the last 3 years of the contract for $2M. | ||||
| Source(s): Copy of negotiating notes from Darren Rovell / The Hockey News | ||||
| 2000-01 | $4,807,037 | $8,997,143 | 34 | |
| Includes base salary, bonuses paid in 2000-01, and deferred income paid in 2000-01. (Earned $4M according to The Hockey News Ultimate Fantasy Guide 2000-01) | ||||
| Source(s): The Hockey News | ||||
| 2001-02 | $5,583,530 | $10,163,053 | 30 | |
| 2002-03 | $3,904,858 | $6,996,530 | 74 | |
| Does not include signing bonuses, performance bonuses and deferred payments. | ||||
| Source(s): La Presse | ||||
| 2003-04 | $3,904,585 | $6,840,877 | 82 | |
| Retired from pro hockey after the season. | ||||
| 2004-05 | NHL lockout year: Season cancelled - no NHL salary paid. | |||
| 2011-12 | $6,000,000 | $8,596,959 | 52 | |
| In the 2012 summer, an arbitrator awarded a $ 6M settlement from the Vancouver Canucks because of a clause in his 1997-98 contract stipulating that he would compensate if the value of the Canuck franchise increased over the life of his contract. | ||||
| Source(s): Vancouver Sun | ||||
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Career Total: US $68,861,194 (In today's dollars: US $136,004,645) NHL Rank: 132 (In today's dollars: 46) |
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| His father Doug played and coached hockey! |



