HockeyZonePlus tracks over $63 billions ($87 billions in today's dollar value) of hockey/NHL salaries for 7,000+ players, going back to 1898! The salary history / net worth / earnings database provides information -- including yearly salaries, rankings, career earnings, and values in today's dollars -- for players, coaches and general managers. While NHL salaries started to be disclosed in 1989, HockeyZonePlus has a constantly growing number of prehistoric (pre-1989) salaries with weekly updates based on continuous research. To find a player, coach or GM, type the last name in the HZP search box at the top.
Evolution of Hockey Career Earnings
Interesting animated bar chart race showing that 39 players and 1 commissioner appeared, from 1989 to 2022, in the yearly Top Ten NHL/hockey career earnings with Jaromir Jagr standing as #1 in total hockey earnings since 2002-03. How is your 401k/RSSP doing?
Top 25 NHL Fortunes
Gary Bettman is #1 in the NHL/hockey fortunes accumulated. Among players, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in the Top 3 and are all still active. How is your 401k / RSSP doing?
Franchise Valuation History
Franchise value evolution, over time, and ownership history of NHL and other hockey teams:
Prehistoric Salaries
The HockeyZonePlus salary history database has information for some players who played before 1989, when NHL salaries became public. This list is growing so come back often or follow-us on social media for announcements of additions.
Coaches, GMs & Referees
Salary information for some coaches, General Managers and hockey operations staff.
NHL Draft First Rounders Career Earnings
Compare the career earnings of players picked in the first round of each NHL entry draft between 1989-2011.
50% of Jacques Demers’ Hockey Fortune Earned While Not Coaching
Jacques Demers earned around $US 7.6M throughout his career as coach, assistant-coach and general manager for 21 seasons. Interestingly enough, nearly half of it, $US 3.7M, was paid while he was actually not coaching, after being fired, thanks to guaranteed contracts.
Gary Bettman Ranks #1 in NHL Fortunes Accumulated
Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner since 1993, has amassed the largest NHL fortune, with over US$ 209 million, ahead of Ovechkin, Crosby, and Malkin. For comparison, John Ziegler earned $225,000/year in the late 70s; Red Dutton $13,505 in 1943; and Frank Calder $1,080 in 1922.
HockeyZonePlus iOS/Android App
Add HockeyZonePlus to your mobile phone's home screen for easy and quick access to hockey salary info!
The Hockey Lockout of 2004-05
In this article published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the author analyzes the NHL’s 2004-05 lockout and concludes that it resulted in a settlement that was solidly in the owners’ favor.
Henri Richard's Rookie Contract on Calendar Page
Henri Richard's rookie contract with the Canadiens, for the 1955-56 and 1956-57 seasons, was handwritten on a nearly 2-year old calendar page and signed by both Richard and General Manager Frank Selke.
The Stadium Swindle: The $500M Heist from Taxpayers to Give a Handout to a Billionaire
This commentary from J.C. Bradbury, a professor of economics at Kennesaw State University in Georgia who studies the economics of sports stadiums, is specifically about a baseball stadium but also applies to NHL arenas.
Public Financing of Sports Venues: 7 Reporting Tips from our Webinar
The Journalist's Resource and Econofact recently hosted a webinar featuring two sports economists and a journalist who covers sports venue financing. Read key tips and takeaways.
Sports Betting in the US: A Research Roundup and Explainer
We look at the landscape of legal sports betting in America, explain what the research says about how legalization affects tax revenues, and provide a brief history of the activity.
- Fortune Accumulated by 2019 NHL All-Star Game Players = $1.45 billion
- The NHL Lockout
- Salary Determinants of NHL Defensemen: A Quantile Regression Approach
- Evolution of Hockey Career Earnings - Toronto Maple Leafs
- Public Funding for Sports Stadiums: A Primer and Research Roundup
- Evolution of Hockey Career Earnings - Boston Bruins
- The $95.5 Million Benchmark: How Salary Caps Shape Hockey Business Strategy
- Most Brutal Roster Cuts Ahead of the 2026 Olympics
- NHL's 2025 Most Valuable List Announced: Do any of the Top Four Have Stanley Cup Aspirations?
- The First Quarter of the NHL Season is Finished – What are the Defining Trends So Far?
- NHL Recommits to Olympic Involvement – What Prompted the Change?
- Casino Partnerships Impact NHL Franchise Values and Sports Betting Market Trends
- How Much Money Do Hockey Players Make? Breaking Down Salaries Across Leagues
- Way-too-early Favorites to Win the 2026 Stanley Cup
- Historic NHL Salary Cap Growth
- UK Hockey In-Play Betting Strategies and Timing Tips
- How NHL Stars’ Contracts Affect Betting Odds and Bookmakers’ Strategies
- The Million-Dollar Question: What If NHL Legends Had Today’s Salaries?
- Hockey’s Billion-Dollar Clubs: How NHL Team Valuations Compare to the Raptors
- Panthers vs Blue Jackets Player Props & Odds
- Wild vs Red Wings Game Odds and Tips
- The Future of the NHL’s International Influence: How European Players Are Making Their Mark
- Beyond the Ice – How Canadian Fans Can Benefit from NHL’s Betting Partnerships