Going to an NHL game is not for the financially faint-hearted..For the full NHL game experience (single game ticket, two beers, hot dog and parking), the New York Rangers charge the most at just under CAD$250, roughly US$190, followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, rounding out at CAD$240. The two lowest priced Canadian teams are the Ottawa Senators (CAD$123) and Calgary Flames (CAD$127). Least expensive is the Arizona Coyotes (US$88, CAD$118)..The ticket and other prices reflect the 2021-2022 season..The bulk of costs can be attributed to the players..Forbes tabulated the NHL’s 10 highest-paid players, who combined will earn US$118 million, including contracts and off ice income..Here are the top 10..#1. $15.3 mil.Connor McDavid.AGE: 25 | TEAM: Edmonton Oilers | ON-ICE: $10.8 mil • OFF-ICE: $4.5 mil.McDavid finished first in points last season, with 123 and leads the league in the dollar derby thanks to the NHL’s second-best off-ice figure and third-best on-ice, with his $12 million in salary and bonus reduced to $10.8 million by an escrow* adjustment. McDavid’s sponsors include BetMGM, equipment maker CCM, Go Auto and Upper Deck..#2. $14 mil.Alex Ovechkin.AGE: 37 | TEAM: Washington Capitals | ON-ICE: $9 mil • OFF-ICE: $5 mil.Ovechkin signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract last year, committing just $5 million in salary and bonus for 2021-22. It jumps to $10 million (escrowed to $9 million), tacking on a league-best endorsement portfolio including Coca-Cola, Hublot and Nike..#3. $11.9 mil.Tyler Seguin.AGE: 30 | TEAM: Dallas Stars | ON-ICE: $11.7 mil • OFF-ICE: $0.2 mil.With the league’s most valuable contract at $13 million and bonus (before escrow) Sequin is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $78.8 million contract. He has endorsements with Adidas and fragrance house Michel Germain, plus equity stakes in sports drink maker BioSteel and the Chew Club..#4. $11.7 mil.Artemi Panarin.AGE: 30 | TEAM: New York Rangers | ON-ICE: $11.3 mil • OFF-ICE: $0.4 mil.Panarin has 249 points in 186 games since he signed a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the New York Rangers in 2019. Partners include CCM, EA Sports and Upper Deck..#5T. $11 mil.Sergei Bobrovsky.AGE: 34 | TEAM: Florida Panthers | ON-ICE: $10.8 mil • OFF-ICE: $0.2 mil.Bobrovsky’s Florida Panthers had the NHL’s best regular-season record last year. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner is in the fourth year of a seven-year, $70 million contract..#5T. $11 mil.Auston Matthews.AGE: 25 | TEAM: Toronto Maple Leafs | ON-ICE: $7.2 mil • OFF-ICE: $3.8 mil.Hart Trophy winner Matthews is only the second U.S.-born player to win MVP and the first Maple Leaf since 1955, ranking no lower than No. 2 on the earnings list over the last three seasons. He hits free agency in 2024 and has captured the attention of marketers, including hat retailer Lids and Edge Theory Labs. In February, signed with betting company Bet99..#7T. $10.9 mil.Aleksander Barkov.AGE: 27 | TEAM: Florida Panthers | ON-ICE: $10.8 mil • OFF-ICE: $0.1 mil.With an eight-year, $80 million contract extension Barkov is scheduled to make $11 million in signing bonus and just $1 million in salary this season. He is still subject to an escrow reduction, but because he lives in Florida his signing bonus is not subject to taxes. Sponsors include Upper Deck and Puhdistamo..#7T. $10.9 mil.Erik Karlsson.AGE: 32 | TEAM: San Jose Sharks | ON-ICE: $10.8 mil • OFF-ICE: $0.1 mil.Karlsson’s eight-year, $92 million deal makes him the highest-paid defenseman in league history. Since 2018 he hasn’t always lived up to his reputation as a two-time Norris Trophy winner, but he will be a crucial for San Jose this season after Brent Burns was dealt away..#7T. $10.9 mil.Darnell Nurse.AGE: 27 | TEAM: Edmonton Oilers | ON-ICE: $10.8 mil • OFF-ICE: $0.1 mil.Nurse has pedigree. His sister Kia plays for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, his cousin Sarah will be the first female hockey player to appear on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL video game, and his uncle is former NFL star Donovan McNabb. Nurse signed an eight-year, $74 million extension last year and has endorsement deals with Fanatics, equipment manufacturer Warrior and the Chopped Leaf..#10. $10.2 mil.Andrei Vasilevskiy.AGE: 28 | TEAM: Tampa Bay Lightning | ON-ICE: $9.9 mil • OFF-ICE: $0.3 mil.Vasilevskiy is in the third year of an eight-year, $76 million contract. He has made three straight appearances in the Stanley Cup finals and won the 2018-19 Vezina Trophy. He is partnered with Bauer and Upper Deck..*The escrow system ensures the league’s players and team owners equally divide revenue. A portion of players’ paychecks is diverted into an escrow account until the NHL finishes tabulating its income; the money is then returned to the players or surrendered to the owners depending on exactly how much revenue the league collected in all.
