The NHL has seen some eye-popping contracts over the years, and Kirill Kaprizov just added his name to that exclusive list. His new deal with the Minnesota Wild isn’t just massive for the franchise, but it also cements his place among the league’s highest-paid players of all time.
But Kaprizov isn’t alone. From franchise cornerstones to once-in-a-generation superstars, the league has handed out some contracts that shifted the balance of power and reset the market for everyone else. Here is a look at the largest contracts ever signed by NHL athletes in terms of dollar value.
1. Kirill Kaprizov: $136 million, 8 years
The news of Kaprizov's record-breaking contract comes not long after the star Minnesota Wild forward turned down another massive deal. That one was reportedly worth $16 million AAV and still would have placed him atop this list as the largest contract in NHL history. For a player who’s quickly become the face of the Wild, the money reflects not just his production, but his value as a game-changer.
The 28-year-old was able to get the extra $1 million per year from GM Bill Guerin thanks to his torrid scoring pace and otherworldy playmaking abilities. Had Kaprizov not suffered an injury that limited him to 41 games this past season, he was on track for 50 goals and 102 points across 82 games. Looking back at his career thus far, Kaprizov already has three 40-goal outings under his belt plus a Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie in 2020-21.
A healthy Kaprizov is worth every cent of that $17 million annually, but with a free agent class including the likes of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel approaching in the summer of 2026, it's unclear how long this record is going to stand.
2. Alex Ovechkin: $124 million, 13 years
Back in 2008, Ovechkin was just finishing up his entry-level contract after taking the league by storm from the minute he stepped on the ice during his rookie season two years prior. By the time January of 2008 rolled around, he already had 30 goals in just 39 games played in his extension-eligible season, so it was a no-brainer that Ovechkin was deserving of a massive payday.
Longtime Capitals GM George McPhee wasted no time locking the future Hall of Famer up on what stood as the largest contract in history for 17 years. With a cap hit just over $9.5 million across 13 seasons, no contract will ever be this long again, as the CBA was amended to limit the maximum contract extension length down to eight years beginning in 2013. That figure will drop once more to seven years starting in 2026-27 under the latest CBA.
3. Leon Draisaitl: $112 Million, 8 years
Before Kaprizov's $17 million salary was announced, Draisaitl was set to become the highest paid player ever in the NHL with an annual cap hit of $14 million starting with the 2025-26 season. With the added context of Kaprizov's extension, that almost feels like a bargain -- Draisaitl is a six-time 100-point scorer with a Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award in his collection.
The 29-year-old signed this contract in September of 2024 and is locked up through the 2032-33 season, when he will be 37 years old. This massive deal paved the road for Kaprizov to get his pay raise -- now, Draisaitl awaits the next record-breaking salary when teammate Connor McDavid puts pen to paper on his next deal.
4. Shea Weber: $110 Million, 14 years
In the summer of 2012, Nashville Predators GM Dave Poile was facing an immensely difficult decision: let captain Shea Weber leave the team as an RFA, or match the offer sheet submitted by the Philadelphia Flyers to keep him in Music City. Poile decided to do the latter, resulting in the largest contract ever for a defenseman.
With an annual cap hit of over $7.8 million, Weber's contract is actually still actively being paid out despite the fact that he hasn't played an NHL game in four years. The Chicago Blackhawks are now responsible for paying off the final year of Weber's contract, which shows the danger of signing such massive extensions and is a perfect glimpse into why the CBA was rewritten to change that rule the following year after Weber signed.
5. Sidney Crosby: $104.4 Million, 12 Years
The same summer that Weber inked his deal with the Preds, Pittsburgh Penguins legend Sidney Crosby was due for a new contract of his own. At age 24, he had already won a Stanley Cup to match his trophy case that was filled to the brim with an Art Ross Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, Hart Trophy, and Maurice "Rocket" Richard to boot. It's no surprise that Crosby would crack the top five largest contracts ever based on those accomplishments.
The contract carried an annual cap hit of $8.7 million, which was not only a nod to his jersey number, but also a steep discount compared to the landscape of NHL salaries at that time. Partially because of the extra wiggle room the Penguins were granted by Crosby's discount, the team was able to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, further cementing Crosby as an all-time great.