Auston Matthews recent extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs has earned him the title of highest-paid player in the NHL. His new deal doesn’t kick in until 2024-25, but at that point, he will make an average annual salary of $13.25MM (CapFriendly) per season for four years. Prior to his new deal, Matthews was the fourth highest-paid player in the game behind Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Artemi Panarin.
MacKinnon’s new eight-year $100.8MM deal kicks in this season which will make him the highest-paid player in the league at $12.6MM for this year. His actual salary is much higher than his cap hit at $16.5MM, but the final four years of his deal will back-dive to $9.9MM in salary. McDavid has three years left on his current deal with a cap hit of $12.5MM while Panarin’s deal also concludes in three seasons and pays him $11.642MM annually.
With Matthews having topped MacKinnon’s new extension by over $600K annually the question now becomes, who will be the NHL’s next highest-paid player?
Connor McDavid – McDavid is the obvious answer. He is arguably the best player in the game and undoubtedly the best player in the world with the puck on his stick. The Richmond Hill, Ontario native will be 29 years old when he reaches unrestricted free agency and could essentially ask teams for a blank check and fill in the maximum salary under the salary cap. That is if he remains the best player in the world. While it seems hard to believe there is a world in which McDavid isn’t the game’s most explosive player, three years is a long time, and in hockey, it can be an eternity. There is also another Connor who could be the one to top Matthews’ extension.
Connor Bedard – It seems crazy that Bedard has yet to play a minute in the NHL and he could conceivably be the next highest-paid player in the NHL. But it could happen. Bedard signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 17th and should be a lock to make their opening night lineup. He will become a restricted free agent in 2026, the same time that McDavid becomes a UFA. It is fair to wonder how Bedard will produce once he is playing against men in the NHL, especially given that he will be playing on a bad Blackhawks team that will have its struggles. But he dominated the WHL with 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 games and obliterated the competition at the World Junior Championships with nine goals and 14 assists in 7 games. He’s a phenom, and in three years he could be paid like one.
Leon Draisaitl – Draisaitl has been one of the best bargains in the NHL since signing his eight-year $68MM contract back in August of 2017. All he has done during his six years under this contract is score 50+ goals three times, top 100 points four times, and win a Hart Trophy as well as an Art Ross Trophy. At 27-years-old Draisaitl is coming off the best season of his career having posted 52 goals and 76 assists in 80 games.
All things considered, it seems likely that Draisaitl will top Matthews’ contract two seasons from now when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The native of Cologne, Germany will be 29 years old, and the salary cap should go up substantially between now and then positioning him to cash in big with any team of his choosing. Draisaitl will likely hold onto that distinction for just one season as McDavid and Bedard will be following right behind him and could top Draisaitl to earn the title of the highest-paid player in the NHL.
Pump the brakes on the Bedard talk a bit. Few experts are declaring him a generational talent so far. Exceptional talent, yes. But few expect him to be in the elite of elites class.
And I dont know if Drai takes a max contract. It supposedly was talked about (I read it somewhere) within the team that if the band wants to stick together for a chance to win together everyone would have to take a haircut from their value and expectations. Whether that’s true or not and if each individual holds their own up on that is another story.
@wreckage
I guess one of the few experts you’re talking about is the well respected Corey Pronman, of The Athletic. He calls Bedard a “bubble generational player”. If you Google “Bedard generational talent” you’ll come up with a few articles saying just that.
“Take a haircut”? Is that an in-joke, or is your spellchecker in a humorous mood?
“Take a haircut” as in take a little off the top of their asking price. Apparently McDavid and Drai have talked to the rest of their teammates and said if they want to keep most of everyone around to try and reach the goal of winning the cup, they won’t all be able to maximize their deals and get what they would on the open market in Edmonton. It’s what I read somewhere, can’t remember where. Whether it’s true or not is another story.
I haven’t seen very much of Bedard, but nothing I have seen puts him in the generational player conversation. What I saw looked more like a (peak) Tyler Seguin than a Connor McDavid.
Bedard has a Matthews type shot, i believe he will be better than Patrick Kane
He has an Elite shot, and hockey IQ. His skating isn’t above average and he is on the smaller side. some doubts on how his game actually translates to the NHL. No doubt he has the skill to be a top 3 offensive player. Some doubts about his defensive game and if his overall game will translate to the NHL and his size is questioned.
Bedard at the world juniors looked pretty dang good to me. Haven’t seen any of the other elite players do what he did with the puck on his stick when pushing into the zone. Whether or not he’ll rise to that level in the NHL, I can’t predict.
NSCO 1996 ,,Pump the brakes man Bedard will probably not even play 16 seasons like Kane has …Remember one good solid hit from a man could and will alter his career..
you think he’ll retire at 34? LMFAO you’re special kid
Far from a kid just look at all # 1 picks in the past like Lindros if you get hit hard enough your career will be over shortly…Yes Lindros played a different style but far from the hype of being the next one…Bedard is a great player outside the NHL playing with kids..
It was a different game when Lindros was playing. Yes any players heakth can be altered greatly due to one hit but back in Lindros day head hunting was allowed, not so much now. Also Bedards frame will fill out over the next few years. He’ll be fine.
So head hunting is still not in today’s game come on so is sticking knees or elbows out …Frame or no frame he will be OK if no one hits him I guess…
How is Bedard going to be different than any other player? Any single player in the NHL could be one hit away from being toast. You guys are acting like Bedard is at more risk than anyone.
Yes there are dirty plays that happen on the ice however suspensions are given out constantly. Also you tell me how many guys hit like Scott Stevens used to back in the 90s.
Theres a lot of small players in todays game, plenty that are shorter and playing the full 82, DeBrincat hasn’t missed much time at all, Sammy Girard usually plays the full season, Zucarello, Bedard isn’t even one of the smallest players in the league even at 5’9 and for his height he is pretty tough on his skates
Yutaka Fukufuji