Wayne Gretzky is still the best-paid NHLer but his LA Kings are eliminated in the first round of the playoffs while Mario Lemieux is the league's point leader and wins a second Stanley Cup in a row. Brett Hull is again the NHL goal leader with 70. There are now 16 NHLers making more than $1M per season.
| vs previous season | ||||||
| Rank | Player | NHL Salary ($US) | In today's $ | +/- ($) | +/- (%) | |
| 1 | Wayne Gretzky | $3,000,000 | $6,672,296 | |||
| 2 | Pat LaFontaine | $2,400,000 | $5,337,837 | $2,000,000 | 500% | |
| 3 | Mario Lemieux | $2,338,000 | $5,199,943 | -$162,000 | -6% | |
| 4 | Steve Yzerman | $1,800,000 | $4,003,378 | |||
| 5 | Brett Hull | $1,500,000 | $3,336,148 | -$266,000 | -15% | |
| 6 | Kevin Stevens | $1,375,000 | $3,058,136 | $1,225,000 | 817% | |
| 7 | John Cullen | $1,200,000 | $2,668,918 | $1,070,000 | 823% | |
| 8 | Raymond Bourque | $1,196,000 | $2,660,022 | $96,000 | 9% | |
| 9 | Scott Stevens | $1,155,000 | $2,568,834 | -$1,020,000 | -47% | |
| 10 | Chris Chelios | $1,100,000 | $2,446,509 | |||
| 10 | Luc Robitaille | $1,100,000 | $2,446,509 | $780,000 | 244% | |
| 12 | Denis Savard | $1,091,250 | $2,427,048 | $298,525 | 38% | |
| 13 | Mark Messier | $1,084,000 | $2,410,923 | $259,566 | 31% | |
| 14 | Patrick Roy | $1,047,600 | $2,329,966 | $379,140 | 57% | |
| 15 | Doug Wilson | $1,000,000 | $2,224,099 | $450,000 | 82% | |
| 15 | Paul Coffey | $1,000,000 | $2,224,099 | $100,000 | 11% | |
| 17 | Ed Belfour | $925,000 | $2,057,291 | $805,000 | 671% | |
| 18 | Esa Tikkanen | $873,000 | $1,941,638 | $530,200 | 155% | |
| 19 | Rick Tocchet | $815,000 | $1,812,640 | $65,000 | 9% | |
| 20 | Guy Carbonneau | $807,525 | $1,796,015 | $516,145 | 177% | |
| 21 | Cam Neely | $800,000 | $1,779,279 | $50,000 | 7% | |
| 21 | Charlie Huddy | $800,000 | $1,779,279 | $628,600 | 367% | |
| 21 | Jari Kurri | $800,000 | $1,779,279 | $300,000 | 60% | |
| 21 | Mark Recchi | $800,000 | $1,779,279 | $695,000 | 662% | |
| 25 | Al MacInnis | $785,700 | $1,747,474 | $100,100 | 15% | |
Photo credit: Upper Deck and Parkhurst.