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Hockey Fortune: $415,701

Description

Jean Beliveau’s net worth / earnings / salary history: Earned US $415,701 (US $4,445,654 in today's dollars), ranking #4783 in NHL / hockey career earnings.

Birthdate: August 31, 1931
Country of birth: Canada
Position: C
Salary History - Jean Beliveau
All amounts in US$ unless otherwise noted.
Season   Earnings
(US$)
In today's
US$
Rank
1947-48 $1,040 $14,649
Amount in Canadian currency: $1,040.
For Victoriaville, in the Quebec Junior Hockey League, earned CAN$15/week until December and then CAN$35/week for the rest of the season. Also earned a $200 bonus at the end of the season.
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey / La Presse
1948-49 $980 $12,811
Amount in Canadian currency: $980.
For Victoriaville, in the Quebec Junior Hockey League, earned CAN$35/week.
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey / La Presse
1949-50 $5,406 $71,384
Amount in Canadian currency: $6,000.
For the Quebec Citadelles, in the Quebec Junior Hockey League, he earned CAN$6,000. He was also working in Public Relations for Laiterie Laval for $3,000/year.
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey
1950-51 $5,406 $70,613
Amount in Canadian currency: $6,000.
For the Quebec Citadelles, in the Quebec Junior Hockey League, he earned CAN$6,000. (Earned $4,500 or $8,000 according to different editions of The Hockey News.) He was also working in Public Relations for Laiterie Laval for $3,000/year ($4,000 according to The Hockey News).
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey / Ottawa Citizen
1951-52 $9,500 $115,054
Amount in Canadian currency: $10,000.
With the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League. (According to Maclean's, he earned CAN$20,000)
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey / Book: Jacques Plante / The Hockey News
1952-53 $20,420 $241,810
Amount in Canadian currency: $20,000.
With the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League. Also had earning from his job in a dairy company and other sources. His $20,000 salary was reported as the highest salary for a hockey player in the world. (According to a copy of his contract with the Aces, he earned CAN$300 per week.)
Source(s): Books: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey and Blue Lines, Goal Lines & Bottom Lines / Book: La glorieuse histoire des Canadiens / Maclean's / Copy of contract / Book: Jacques Plante / Book: 100 moments historiques des Canadiens / The Society for International Hockey Research Newsletter
1953-54 $41,697 $489,893
Amount in Canadian currency: $41,000.
First full season in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens. On October 3, 1953, signed a five-year contract for CAN $21,000 per year in base salary. In addition to his base salary, he had a CAN$10,000/year public relations job with Molson's Brewery (owner of the team) and hockey bonuses of approximately CAN$10,000. (According to the Globe and Mail, it was a five-year contract for $110,000 overall. According to the books La glorieuse histoire des Canadiens and 100 moments historiques des Canadiens, it was for $100,000 overall. The 1958 Stanley Cup Annual Magazine has conflicting information, stating that Beliveau signed a three-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens for CAN$100,000 for the 3 seasons. Earned a base salary of $20,000 according to the Society for International Hockey Research Newsletter.)
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey / Maclean's / Hockey Select 89-90 / Book: Breaking the Ice / The Sporting News / The Hockey News
1954-55 $42,107 $493,052
Amount in Canadian currency: $41,000.
In addition to a base salary of CAN$21,000, he had a CAN$10,000/year public relations job with Molson's Brewery (owner of the team) and hockey bonuses of approximately CAN$10,000.
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey; Maclean's; Hockey Select 89-90
1955-56 $37,518 $440,465
Amount in Canadian currency: $37,000.
In addition to a base salary of C$21,000, he had a C$10,000/year public relations job with Molson's Brewery (owner of the team) and earned C$6,000 in bonuses ($3,000 for being a member of a team that won the NHL championship and then went on to win the Stanley Cup: $1,000 for winning the NHL scoring title; $1, 000 for being named on the 1st NHL All-Star Team; and another $1,000 for winning the Hart Trophy.) (According to another edition of The Hockey News, Beliveau earned $49,999 in hockey and "other interests.")
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey; The Hockey News; Maclean's; Hockey Select 89-90
1956-57 $41,656 $481,849
Amount in Canadian currency: $41,000.
In addition to a base salary of CAN$21,000, he had a CAN$10,000/year public relations job with Molson's Brewery (owner of the team) and hockey bonuses of approximately CAN$10,000.
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey; Maclean's; Hockey Select 89-90
1957-58 $42,763 $478,629
Amount in Canadian currency: $41,000.
In addition to a base salary of CAN$21,000, he had a CAN$10,000/year public relations job with Molson's Brewery (owner of the team) and hockey bonuses of approximately CAN$10,000. (Earned $30,000 according to The Sporting News.)
Source(s): Book: Jean Beliveau - My Life in Hockey; Maclean's; Hockey Select 89-90
1958-59 $21,630 $235,637
Amount in Canadian currency: $21,000.
Estimated minimum base salary based on documented salary for 1957-58 and 1959-60.
Source(s): HockeyZonePlus
1959-60 $26,075 $281,234
Amount in Canadian currency: $25,000.
Base salary of C $25,000.
Source(s): The Hockey News
1963-64 $18,540 $190,365
Amount in Canadian currency: $20,000.
Source(s): The Hockey News
1964-65 $5,163 $52,333
Amount in Canadian currency: $5,570.
Received $5,570 in bonuses, including $1,000 from the NHL for winning the Connie Smythe trophy.
Source(s): Official National Hockey Annual 66 / The Sporting News
1970-71 $95,800 $775,876
Amount in Canadian currency: $100,000.
He retired from pro hockey after the season.
Source(s): Radio-Canada
1973-74 $0 $0
Amount in Canadian currency: $0.
The Quebec Nordiques, of the World Hockey Association, offered him CAN$DN 300,000 per season to come out of retirement and join the team. He refused and stayed with the Montreal Canadiens in his administrative role.
Source(s): Book: Les Nordiques
2004-05 $0 $0 21
Through the firm Classic Auctions, sold about 200 items from his private collection for nearly US$1 million. Proceeds of the sale were shared with his family. Items sold included US$62,768 for his 1958-59 Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup Championship Ring; $44,000 for a 1967 game worn jersey; $27,964 for his 1965 Conn Smythe Trophy; $27,087 for his 1957-58 Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup Championship miniature trophy; and $25,937 for his 1992-93 Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup Championship Ring.
Source(s): The Globe and Mail / La Presse
2019-20 $0 $0 1026
Through the firm Classic Auctions, sold about 80 items from his private collection for approximately US$ 360,000. Proceeds of the sale were shared among the Beliveau family. Items sold include (in $) $65,591 for a 1962-63 game-worn jersey; $48,050 for his 1970-71 game used skates for his 500th goal; $45,960 for his 1958-59 Stanley Cup ring; and $37,023 for a 1970-71 presentational trophy for his 500th goal.
Source(s): Classic Auctions
Career Total: US $415,701
(In today's dollars: US $4,445,654)

NHL Rank: 4783
(In today's dollars: 2474)

Contract(s) (click to enlarge)