As the start of the 2023-24 National Hockey League (NHL) season looms, examining the earnings of some of the league’s most elite players, calculated per minute during their time on the ice, is illuminating. Unsurprisingly, the top echelons of this list are occupied by some of the most highly skilled and celebrated players in the NHL today.
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins leads the pack regarding NHL earnings per minute. Over his remarkable career, Crosby has amassed total earnings exceeding $135 million, a figure unmatched by his peers. Drafted as the first overall pick by the Penguins in the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, the now 35-year-old center has consistently met and exceeded expectations. Crosby, often called “Sid The Kid,” earned his reputation as the world’s best player throughout the 2010s. For the 2023-24 season, Crosby’s salary is $3 million, with a cap hit of $8.7 million. A recent analysis of NHL salaries calculated his earnings at an impressive $6.583 per minute of ice time.
Also among the highest earners per minute played is Alex Ovechkin, known as “The Great 8,” and widely celebrated as one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history. The Washington Capitals star, who re-signed with the team in July 2021 with a five-year extension contract worth $47.5 million (including a $34.5 million signing bonus), earns an average salary of $9.5 million annually. For the 2023-24 season, Ovechkin’s base salary is $1 million, complemented by a bonus of $11.5 million, while his cap hit $9.5 million. Over his illustrious career, Ovechkin has earned $4.929 per minute played, a testament to his scoring prowess and consistent performance.
Joining Crosby and Ovechkin in the top-tier earners is Evgeni Malkin, another distinguished player from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Malkin, also known as “Geno,” secured a $24.4 million contract with the Penguins in July 2022, including a $5 million signing bonus and an average salary of $6.1 million. In the upcoming season, Malkin’s base salary is $6 million, with a cap hit of $6.1 million. Since his draft by the Penguins in 2004, Geno has amassed an impressive $6.721 per minute on the ice. Notably, in November 2022, the 36-year-old Malkin played his 1,000th NHL game, a significant achievement shared by only ten other players in the franchise’s history.
Steven Stamkos, the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning, is another notable figure on this list. Although not usually found among the highest NHL earners, Stamkos has made a significant impact, earning $6.065 per minute on the ice. Drafted first overall by the Lightning in the 2008 NHL Draft, the 33-year-old Ontario native rapidly rose to become one of the top goal-scorers of his generation, leading his team to win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. Stamkos is under an 8-year contract with the Lightning worth $68 million. For the 2023-24 season, he will receive a base salary of $1 million plus a signing bonus of $5.5 million, with a cap hit of $8.5 million.
Other noteworthy players who have earned remarkable amounts per minute on the ice include Zach Parise, who has made $5.450 per minute, and Jonathan Toews, reaching $5.238 per minute. Their contributions to their respective teams are well-remunerated, reflecting the high value of talent in the NHL.