The 2016–17 NHL season was the league's Centennial Year, and the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrated by becoming the first team in the salary-cap era to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. They defeated the Nashville Predators, whose "Smashville" atmosphere captivated the league. Connor McDavid had a breakout year, winning the Hart and Art Ross trophies as a 20-year-old. The season also featured the debut of Auston Matthews, who scored four goals in his first game. This was the final year of the 30-team league before the addition of expansion teams.
| vs previous season | ||||||
| Rank | Player | NHL Salary ($US) | In today's $ | +/- ($) | +/- (%) | |
| 1 | Anze Kopitar | $14,000,000 | $18,800,050 | $6,300,000 | 82% | |
| 2 | Patrick Kane | $13,800,000 | $18,531,478 | |||
| 2 | Jonathan Toews | $13,800,000 | $18,531,478 | |||
| 4 | Shea Weber | $12,000,000 | $16,114,329 | -$2,000,000 | -14% | |
| 5 | Ryan O'Reilly | $11,000,000 | $14,771,468 | $4,800,000 | 77% | |
| 5 | P.K. Subban | $11,000,000 | $14,771,468 | $4,000,000 | 57% | |
| 7 | Sidney Crosby | $10,900,000 | $14,637,182 | -$1,100,000 | -9% | |
| 8 | Alex Ovechkin | $10,000,000 | $13,428,607 | |||
| 8 | Corey Perry | $10,000,000 | $13,428,607 | $1,000,000 | 11% | |
| 8 | Jakub Voracek | $10,000,000 | $13,428,607 | $5,500,000 | 122% | |
| 11 | Gary Bettman | $9,600,000 | $12,891,463 | |||
| 12 | Evgeni Malkin | $9,500,000 | $12,757,177 | |||
| 12 | Steven Stamkos | $9,500,000 | $12,757,177 | $4,000,000 | 73% | |
| 12 | Henrik Lundqvist | $9,500,000 | $12,757,177 | -$500,000 | -5% | |
| 15 | Ryan Getzlaf | $9,250,000 | $12,421,462 | |||
| 16 | Ryan Suter | $9,000,000 | $12,085,746 | |||
| 16 | Zach Parise | $9,000,000 | $12,085,746 | |||
| 16 | Claude Giroux | $9,000,000 | $12,085,746 | |||
| 16 | Brent Seabrook | $9,000,000 | $12,085,746 | $4,000,000 | 80% | |
| 16 | Phil Kessel | $9,000,000 | $12,085,746 | -$1,000,000 | -10% | |
| 21 | Patrice Bergeron | $8,750,000 | $11,750,031 | |||
| 22 | Sergei Bobrovsky | $8,500,000 | $11,414,316 | |||
| 23 | Rick Nash | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | $100,000 | 1% | |
| 23 | Milan Lucic | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | $1,500,000 | 23% | |
| 23 | Vladimir Tarasenko | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | |||
| 23 | Andrew Ladd | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | $3,500,000 | 78% | |
| 23 | Loui Eriksson | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | $3,500,000 | 78% | |
| 23 | David Backes | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | $3,250,000 | 68% | |
| 23 | Dustin Byfuglien | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | $2,000,000 | 33% | |
| 23 | Kyle Okposo | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | $3,500,000 | 78% | |
| 23 | Derek Stepan | $8,000,000 | $10,742,886 | |||