The 2021–22 NHL season saw the Colorado Avalanche finally break through, winning their first Stanley Cup since 2001. Led by Cale Makar, who won the Norris and Conn Smythe, Colorado’s elite speed and skill overwhelmed the defending champion Lightning in six games. Auston Matthews became the first player in a decade to score 60 goals, winning the Hart Trophy. The Seattle Kraken played their inaugural season, and the league returned to its traditional 82-game schedule and divisional alignment, with arenas worldwide returning to full capacity.
| vs previous season | ||||||
| Rank | Player | NHL Salary ($US) | In today's $ | +/- ($) | +/- (%) | |
| 1 | Erik Karlsson | $14,500,000 | $17,244,834 | $2,500,000 | 21% | |
| 2 | Carey Price | $13,000,000 | $15,460,886 | $3,250,000 | 33% | |
| 2 | Tyler Seguin | $13,000,000 | $15,460,886 | $4,000,000 | 44% | |
| 2 | Connor McDavid | $13,000,000 | $15,460,886 | -$1,000,000 | -7% | |
| 2 | Artemi Panarin | $13,000,000 | $15,460,886 | |||
| 6 | Sergei Bobrovsky | $12,000,000 | $14,271,587 | |||
| 6 | Mark Stone | $12,000,000 | $14,271,587 | $4,000,000 | 50% | |
| 6 | Nikita Kucherov | $12,000,000 | $14,271,587 | $3,000,000 | 33% | |
| 9 | Drew Doughty | $11,000,000 | $13,082,288 | $1,000,000 | 10% | |
| 9 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | $11,000,000 | $13,082,288 | -$1,000,000 | -8% | |
| 11 | Roman Josi | $10,750,000 | $12,784,963 | -$1,000,000 | -9% | |
| 12 | Oliver Ekman-Larsson | $10,500,000 | $12,487,638 | $2,500,000 | 31% | |
| 13 | Auston Matthews | $10,470,000 | $12,451,959 | -$5,430,000 | -34% | |
| 14 | Mitch Marner | $10,358,000 | $12,318,758 | -$4,642,000 | -31% | |
| 15 | Nicklas Backstrom | $10,000,000 | $11,892,989 | -$2,000,000 | -17% | |
| 15 | Jeff Skinner | $10,000,000 | $11,892,989 | |||
| 15 | Matt Duchene | $10,000,000 | $11,892,989 | $2,000,000 | 25% | |
| 15 | Blake Wheeler | $10,000,000 | $11,892,989 | $3,500,000 | 54% | |
| 15 | Jack Eichel | $10,000,000 | $11,892,989 | |||
| 15 | Mikko Rantanen | $10,000,000 | $11,892,989 | -$2,000,000 | -17% | |
| 21 | Gary Bettman | $9,600,000 | $11,417,269 | |||
| 22 | Evgeni Malkin | $9,500,000 | $11,298,339 | |||
| 22 | Vladimir Tarasenko | $9,500,000 | $11,298,339 | $4,000,000 | 73% | |
| 22 | Chris Kreider | $9,500,000 | $11,298,339 | -$500,000 | -5% | |
| 25 | John Tavares | $9,350,000 | $11,119,945 | -$2,650,000 | -22% | |