Top 25

Gary Bettman is #1 in the NHL/hockey fortunes accumulated since 2020-21. Among players, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are in the Top 3. How is your 401k/RSSP doing?

Top 25 NHL Fortunes

Nathan MacKinnon, for the first time, is the best-paid player in the NHL!

Top 25 Salaries: 2022-23

Montreal won the Stanley Cup while Guy Lafleur had the most goals and points with Bryan Trottier following in total points and Mike Bossy as the second goal-scorer with 53. Bobby Orr missed the whole season with an injury.

Top 25 Salaries: 1977-78

Mario Lemieux had the highest NHL base salary but Wayne Gretzky led the NHL with 142 points and, by far, had more lucrative endorsement deals. They were the only NHLers, with Steve Yzermand, earning $1M+ a year in base salary.

Top 25 Salaries: 1989-90

Mario Lemieux, who missed most of the season, won his first Stanley Cup while falling behind Wayne Gretzky as the best-paid NHLer. 7 players were now making more than a million per season, up from 2 the previous year.

Top 25 Salaries: 1990-91

Wayne Gretzky is still the best-paid NHLer but his LA Kings are eliminated in the first round while Mario Lemieux wins a second Stanley Cup in a row. There are now 16 NHLers making more than $1M per season.

Top 25 Salaries: 1991-92

Rookie Eric Lindros is the best-paid NHLer while Teemu Selanne wins the Calder Trophy and breaks the rookie scoring record with 76 goals.For the first time, everybody in the Top 25 NHL salaries is making over $1M.

Top 25 Salaries: 1992-93

For the second year in a row, and the last Eric Lindros is the best-paid NHLer. Wayne Gretzky and Pavel Bure respectively lead the league with points and goals, and the Rangers win the Stanley Cup. 12 NHLers now earn over $2M.

Top 25 Salaries: 1993-94

In this lockout year, a 48-game season ends up being played and New Jersey wins the Cup. Rookie Paul Kariya is the best-paid NHLer.Jagr and Lindros have the most points, with 70, while the 2nd best-paid NHLer Gretzky gets only 48.

Top 25 Salaries: 1994-95

This is the first season that some NHLers were paid over $4M/year, with 8 players in that category, although some would have in 1994-95 without a lockout. Colorado, with Patrick Roy as goalie, won the Stanley Cup. Mario Lemieux led the NHL in goals and points.

Top 25 Salaries: 1995-96