Top 50 Highest-Paid NHL Players for the 2026-27 Season Revealed

The landscape of NHL salaries is evolving rapidly, with Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby now outside the top 50 earners. In a surprising turn, Minnesota Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov, who previously held the title of highest-paid player, has also seen his status challenged.

Kaprizov secured an impressive eight-year, $136 million extension in 2025, setting his cap hit at $17 million as the season commenced. However, that record was eclipsed when the Philadelphia Flyers signed Leo Carlsson to a lucrative five-year, $90 million offer sheet, which the Anaheim Ducks promptly matched, elevating his cap hit to $18 million.

Adding to the competitive salary landscape, San Jose Sharks announced on July 29 that Macklin Celebrini has inked a five-year extension with an average cap hit of $18.8 million, effective from the 2027-28 season. Meanwhile, Chicago Blackhawks standout Connor Bedard has signed a five-year deal with a cap hit of $15 million, placing him third among the highest-paid players for the 2026-27 season, trailing only Carlsson and Kaprizov.

Other notable restricted free agents, such as Anaheim’s Cutter Gauthier and Columbus’ Adam Fantilli, have yet to finalize their contracts for the upcoming season, leaving fans eager for updates. The NHL salary cap has seen significant growth, rising from a stagnant period post-pandemic to $95.5 million last season and reaching $104 million this season.

As for Crosby, his cap hit of $8.7 million, a nod to his iconic jersey number 87, has placed him at 52nd in terms of average annual value among NHL players.

Here’s a look at the top 50 players in the league based on cap hits, along with details on the highest salaries and standout defensemen and goaltenders, with figures sourced from puckpedia.com. It’s worth noting that Sharks center Macklin Celebrini’s $18.8 million average will kick in starting in the 2027-28 season, and Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram will see a $12.5 million cap hit beginning in the same season.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.