TheNHLonce again has a new highest-paid player this season. And once again, his reign will be short-lived. The top-paid player for 2025-26 isEdmonton OilerscenterLeon Draisaitl, who will average $14 million in theeight-year, $112 million contract extensionhe signed in 2024. But he will be passed next season byMinnesota WildwingerKirill Kaprizov, whoseeight-year, $136 million extensionkicks in during 2026-27. The total amount and $17 million cap hit are NHL records. The highest-paid player title has changed for three seasons in a row. Colorado'sNathan MacKinnon($12.6 million) topped Edmonton'sConnor McDavid($12.5 million) in 2023-24. Toronto'sAuston Matthews($13.25 million) passed MacKinnon last season, and Draisaitl topped Matthews. Kaprizov could remain at top for a while. McDavid was expected to regain the title, but hesigned a two-year extensionwith a team-friendly $12.5 million cap hit, his current average. Here's a look at the highest-paid players for the 2025-26 season (figures are frompuckpedia.com): NHL PREDICTIONS:Who will win Stanley Cup, top awards in 2025-26? Forward Mitch Marner joined the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade. Top 50 plus ties C Leon Draisaitl, Oilers, $14,000,000 C Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs, $13,250,000 C Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche, $12,600,000 C Connor McDavid, Oilers, $12,500,000 RW Mitch Marner, Golden Knights, $12,000,000 RW Mikko Rantanen, Stars, $12,000,000 LW Artemi Panarin, Rangers, $11,642,857 C Elias Pettersson, Canucks, $11,600,000 D Erik Karlsson, Penguins, $11,500,000 C William Nylander, Maple Leafs, $11,500,000 G Igor Shesterkin, Rangers, $11,500,000 RW David Pastrnak, Bruins, $11,250,000 D Drew Doughty, Kings, $11,000,000 D Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres, $11,000,000 D Evan Bouchard, Oilers, $10,500,000 LW Jonathan Huberdeau, Flames, $10,500,000 C Aleksander Barkov, Panthers, $10,000,000 (currently injured) C Jack Eichel, Golden Knights, $10,000,000 G Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers, $10,000,000 C Tyler Seguin, Stars, $9,850,000 C Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes, $9,750,000 D Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets, $9,583,333 LW Alex Ovechkin, Capitals, $9,500,000 RW Mark Stone, Golden Knights, $9,500,000 RW Nikita Kucherov, Lightning, $9,500,000 D Seth Jones, Panthers, $9,500,000 C Brayden Point, Lightning, $9,500,000 LW Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers, $9,500,000 D Charlie McAvoy, Bruins, $9,500,000 D Adam Fox, Rangers, $9,500,000 D Noah Dobson, Canadiens, $9,500,000 G Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning, $9,500,000 D Darnell Nurse, Oilers, $9,250,000 C Mathew Barzal, Islanders, $9,150,000 D Roman Josi, Predators, $9,059,000 D Dougie Hamilton, Devils, $9,000,000 LW Jake Guentzel, Lightning, $9,000,000 LW Kirill Kaprizov, Wild, $9,000,000 D Jakob Chychrun, Capitals, $9,000,000 D Cale Makar, Avalanche, $9,000,000 D Luke Hughes, Devils, $9,000,000 D Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights, $8,800,000 (currently injured) RW Timo Meier, Devils, $8,800,000 RW Travis Konecny, Flyers, $8,750,000 C Sidney Crosby, Penguins, $8,700,000 C Dylan Larkin, Red Wings, $8,700,000 LW Patrik Laine, Canadiens, $8,700,000 C Sam Reinhart, Panthers, $8,625,000 D Moritz Seider, Red Wings, $8,550,000 D Brock Faber, Wild, $8,500,000 C Mika Zibanejad, Rangers, $8,500,000 C Mark Scheifele, Jets, $8,500,000 C Filip Forsberg, Predators, $8,500,000 C Bo Horvat, Islanders, $8,500,000 LW Nikolaj Ehlers, Hurricanes, $8,500,000 D Ivan Provorov, Blue Jackets, $8,500,000 C Pierre-Luc Dubois, Capitals, $8,500,000 D Mikhail Sergachev, Mammoth, $8,500,000 G Connor Hellebuyck, Jets, $8,500,000 POWER RANKINGS:Where champion Florida Panthers rank after major injuries Top 30 plus ties C Leon Draisaitl, Oilers, $16,500,000 C Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche, $16,050,000 G Igor Shesterkin, Rangers, $15,825,000 C Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs, $15,200,000 RW Mitch Marner, Golden Knights, $15,000,000 RW Mikko Rantanen, Stars, $15,000,000 C Elias Pettersson, Canucks, $14,500,000 C William Nylander, Maple Leafs, $13,500,000 RW David Pastrnak, Bruins, $12,500,000 D Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres, $12,000,000 D Evan Bouchard, Oilers, $12,000,000 C Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes, $12,000,000 C Brayden Point, Lightning, $12,000,000 D Noah Dobson, Canadiens, $12,000,000 C Aleksander Barkov, Panthers, $11,600,000 D Dougie Hamilton, Devils, $11,550,000 D Charlie McAvoy, Bruins, $11,500,000 C Pierre-Luc Dubois, Capitals, $11,350,000 LW Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers, $11,250,000 D Mikhail Sergachev, Mammoth, $11,050,000 D Drew Doughty, Kings, $11,000,000 D Jakob Chychrun, Capitals, $11,000,000 RW Travis Konecny, Flyers, $11,000,000 D Miro Heiskanen, Stars, $11,000,000 C Seth Jarvis, Hurricanes, $10,950,000 RW Timo Meier, Devils, $10,750,000 LW Jonathan Huberdeau, Flames, $10,500,000 D Seth Jones, Panthers, $10,500,000 L Brady Tkachuk, Senators, $10,500,000 C Jordan Kyrou, Blues, $10,500,000 C Robert Thomas, Blues, $10,500,000 Erik Karlsson, Penguins, $11,500,000 Drew Doughty, Kings, $11,000,000 Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres, $11,000,000 Evan Bouchard, Oilers, $10,500,000 Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets, $9,583,333 Seth Jones, Panthers, $9,500,000 Charlie McAvoy, Bruins, $9,500,000 Adam Fox, Rangers, $9,500,000 Noah Dobson, Canadiens, $9,500,000 Darnell Nurse, Oilers, $9,250,000 Roman Josi, Predators, $9,059,000 Dougie Hamilton, Devils, $9,000,000 Jakob Chychrun, Capitals, $9,000,000 Cale Makar, Avalanche, $9,000,000 Luke Hughes, Devils, $9,000,000 Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights, $8,800,000 Moritz Seider, Red Wings, $8,550,000 Ivan Provorov, Blue Jackets, $8,500,000 Mikhail Sergachev, Mammoth, $8,500,000 Brock Faber, Wild, $8,500,000 Miro Heiskanen, Stars, $8,450,000 Owen Power, Sabres, $8,350,000 Jake Sanderson, Senators, $8,050,000 John Carlson, Capitals, $8,000,000 Victor Hedman, Lightning, $8,000,000 Jacob Trouba, Ducks, $8,000,000 Thomas Chabot, Senators, $8,000,000 Quinn Hughes, Canucks, $7,850,000 Jared Spurgeon, Wild, $7,575,000 Morgan Rielly, Maple Leafs, $7,500,000 K'Andre Miller, Hurricanes, $7,500,000 NHL:Regular season begins, key dates, home openers, Olympics break Igor Shesterkin, Rangers, $11,500,000 Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers, $10,000,000 Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning, $9,500,000 Connor Hellebuyck, Jets, $8,500,000 Jeremy Swayman, Bruins, $8,250,000 Jake Oettinger, Stars, $8,250,000 Ilya Sorokin, Islanders, $8,250,000 Linus Ullmark, Senators, $8,250,000 Juuse Saros, Predators, $7,740,000 Lukas Dostal, Ducks, $6,500,000 John Gibson, Red Wings, $6,400,000 Adin Hill, Golden Knights, $6,250,000 Jacob Markstrom, Devils, $6,000,000 Jordan Binnington, Blues, $6,000,000 Philipp Grubauer, Kraken, $5,900,000 Logan Thompson, Capitals, $5,850,000 Elvis Merzlikins, Blue Jackets, $5,400,000 Tristan Jarry, Penguins, $5,375,000 MacKenzie Blackwood, Avalanche, $5,250,000 Darcy Kuemper, Kings, $5,250,000 Joey Daccord, Kraken, $5,000,000 Thatcher Demko, Canucks, $5,000,000 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Sabres, $4,750,000 Karel Vejmelka, Mammoth, $4,750,000 Kevin Lankinen, Canucks, $4,500,000 Spencer Knight, Blackhawks, $4,500,000 Petr Mrazek, Ducks, $4,250,000 Joonas Korpisalo, Bruins, $4,000,000 Filip Gustavsson, Wild, $3,750,000 Joseph Woll, Maple Leafs, $3,666,667 The 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons could have minor adjustments up or down based on revenues: 2025-26 Upper limit: $95.5 million Lower limit: $70.6 million 2026-27 Upper limit: $104 million Lower limit: $76.9 million 2027-28 Upper limit: $113.5 million Lower limit: $83.9 million This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NHL highest-paid players for 2025-26 season, ranked by salary
