The Top Ten Highest Paid NHL Players Heading Into The 2023-24 Season
By Jim Lynch
5. Erik Karlsson $11.5 million
Next up, we have the highest paid defenseman in the NHL, Erik Karlsson. Karlsson signed a massive contract on Jun. 17, 2019 with the San Jose Sharks. The contract was worth $92 million and was for eight seasons giving him a cap hit of $11.5 million.
Karlsson has since been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and his contract has been retained to lower his cap hit, but that does not change the fact that he is the highest paid defenseman in the NHL. This past season Karlsson put up 101 points including 25 goals with the San Jose Sharks.
4. Auston Matthews $11,640,250
Auston Matthews could very well be back on top of the list very soon. Matthew signed a 5 year, $58 million dollar contract on February 5, 2019, a contract that is now in the final year.
Since signing the deal, Matthews has had some pretty incredible seasons in the NHL, but has only won one playoff round up to this point. This past year Matthews registered 85 points in 74 games. He is the fourth highest paid player in the league, but the most highest paid player on the Maple Leafs.
Toronto has three of the top ten highest paid players in the NHL, the only team with more than one player in the top ten.