The 2020–21 NHL season featured a unique one-year divisional realignment, including an all-Canadian "North Division" due to border restrictions. The Tampa Bay Lightning became back-to-back champions, defeating the Montreal Canadiens in the Finals. Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe, solidifying his status as the world’s best goalie. Connor McDavid had a historic campaign, scoring 105 points in just 56 games, a scoring pace not seen since the early '90s. This season also marked the final year before the league expanded to 32 teams with the Seattle Kraken.
| vs previous season | ||||||
| Rank | Player | NHL Salary ($US) | In today's $ | +/- ($) | +/- (%) | |
| 1 | Auston Matthews | $15,900,000 | $19,801,275 | |||
| 2 | Mitch Marner | $15,000,000 | $18,680,448 | -$1,000,000 | -6% | |
| 3 | Connor McDavid | $14,000,000 | $17,435,085 | -$1,000,000 | -7% | |
| 4 | Artemi Panarin | $13,000,000 | $16,189,722 | -$1,000,000 | -7% | |
| 5 | Erik Karlsson | $12,000,000 | $14,944,359 | -$2,500,000 | -17% | |
| 5 | John Tavares | $12,000,000 | $14,944,359 | -$3,900,000 | -25% | |
| 5 | Nicklas Backstrom | $12,000,000 | $14,944,359 | $4,000,000 | 50% | |
| 5 | Sergei Bobrovsky | $12,000,000 | $14,944,359 | $500,000 | 4% | |
| 5 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | $12,000,000 | $14,944,359 | $8,000,000 | 200% | |
| 5 | Mikko Rantanen | $12,000,000 | $14,944,359 | |||
| 11 | Roman Josi | $11,750,000 | $14,633,018 | $7,750,000 | 194% | |
| 12 | Sebastian Antero Aho | $10,570,000 | $13,163,489 | -$1,430,000 | -12% | |
| 13 | Alex Ovechkin | $10,000,000 | $12,453,632 | |||
| 13 | Drew Doughty | $10,000,000 | $12,453,632 | -$2,000,000 | -17% | |
| 13 | Brent Burns | $10,000,000 | $12,453,632 | |||
| 13 | Jeff Skinner | $10,000,000 | $12,453,632 | |||
| 13 | Jack Eichel | $10,000,000 | $12,453,632 | |||
| 13 | Jacob Trouba | $10,000,000 | $12,453,632 | -$2,000,000 | -17% | |
| 13 | Chris Kreider | $10,000,000 | $12,453,632 | $6,000,000 | 150% | |
| 20 | Carey Price | $9,750,000 | $12,142,291 | -$5,250,000 | -35% | |
| 21 | Gary Bettman | $9,600,000 | $11,955,487 | |||
| 21 | Sidney Crosby | $9,600,000 | $11,955,487 | $600,000 | 7% | |
| 23 | Evgeni Malkin | $9,500,000 | $11,830,951 | |||
| 23 | Steven Stamkos | $9,500,000 | $11,830,951 | |||
| 25 | Tyler Seguin | $9,000,000 | $11,208,269 | -$4,500,000 | -33% | |
| 25 | Jamie Benn | $9,000,000 | $11,208,269 | -$4,000,000 | -31% | |
| 25 | Logan Couture | $9,000,000 | $11,208,269 | -$1,000,000 | -10% | |
| 25 | Leon Draisaitl | $9,000,000 | $11,208,269 | |||
| 25 | Nikita Kucherov | $9,000,000 | $11,208,269 | -$3,000,000 | -25% | |
| 25 | Jared Spurgeon | $9,000,000 | $11,208,269 | $3,500,000 | 64% | |
| 25 | Justin Faulk | $9,000,000 | $11,208,269 | $3,000,000 | 50% | |