League ranking · United States & Canada
NHL take-home pay: all 32 teams ranked after tax
On a $10,000,000 NHL contract, take-home pay runs from $4,085,000 at San Jose Sharks to $5,415,000 at Dallas Stars — a spread of $1,330,000 for doing the same job.
Every NHL team, ranked by net pay
| # | Team | Market | Top rate | Net | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Stars | Texas | 0% | $5,415,000 | 54.1% |
| 2 | Florida Panthers | Florida | 0% | $5,415,000 | 54.1% |
| 3 | Nashville Predators | Tennessee | 0% | $5,415,000 | 54.1% |
| 4 | Seattle Kraken | Washington | 0% | $5,415,000 | 54.1% |
| 5 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Florida | 0% | $5,415,000 | 54.1% |
| 6 | Vegas Golden Knights | Nevada | 0% | $5,415,000 | 54.1% |
| 7 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Ohio | 2.8% | $5,140,000 | 51.4% |
| 8 | Philadelphia Flyers | Pennsylvania | 3.1% | $5,108,000 | 51.1% |
| 9 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Pennsylvania | 3.1% | $5,108,000 | 51.1% |
| 10 | Carolina Hurricanes | North Carolina | 4% | $5,016,000 | 50.2% |
| 11 | Detroit Red Wings | Michigan | 4.3% | $4,990,000 | 49.9% |
| 12 | Colorado Avalanche | Colorado | 4.4% | $4,975,000 | 49.7% |
| 13 | Utah Hockey Club | Utah | 4.5% | $4,965,000 | 49.6% |
| 14 | St. Louis Blues | Missouri | 4.7% | $4,945,000 | 49.4% |
| 15 | Chicago Blackhawks | Illinois | 5% | $4,920,000 | 49.2% |
| 16 | Calgary Flames | Alberta | 48% | $4,700,000 | 47% |
| 17 | Edmonton Oilers | Alberta | 48% | $4,700,000 | 47% |
| 18 | Boston Bruins | Massachusetts | 9% | $4,515,000 | 45.1% |
| 19 | Winnipeg Jets | Manitoba | 50.4% | $4,460,000 | 44.6% |
| 20 | Minnesota Wild | Minnesota | 9.8% | $4,430,000 | 44.3% |
| 21 | New Jersey Devils | New Jersey | 10.8% | $4,340,000 | 43.4% |
| 22 | Washington Capitals | Washington DC | 10.8% | $4,340,000 | 43.4% |
| 23 | Buffalo Sabres | New York | 10.9% | $4,325,000 | 43.2% |
| 24 | New York Islanders | New York | 10.9% | $4,325,000 | 43.2% |
| 25 | New York Rangers | New York | 10.9% | $4,325,000 | 43.2% |
| 26 | Montreal Canadiens | Quebec | 53.3% | $4,169,000 | 41.7% |
| 27 | Vancouver Canucks | British Columbia | 53.5% | $4,150,000 | 41.5% |
| 28 | Ottawa Senators | Ontario | 53.5% | $4,147,000 | 41.5% |
| 29 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Ontario | 53.5% | $4,147,000 | 41.5% |
| 30 | Anaheim Ducks | California | 13.3% | $4,085,000 | 40.8% |
| 31 | Los Angeles Kings | California | 13.3% | $4,085,000 | 40.8% |
| 32 | San Jose Sharks | California | 13.3% | $4,085,000 | 40.8% |
How NHL money is taxed
The 2026-27 payroll range runs from $76.9M to $104.0M with a $90.4M midpoint. Agent commission is capped at 5% by the NHLPA. Escrow is negotiated season by season and is not modelled here.
Beyond the league deductions, every NHL salary meets the tax system of the country and state it is earned in. US-based players pay progressive federal income tax up to 37%, plus their state rate, plus a 2.35% Medicare contribution, plus a jock tax on duty days worked in other states.
Select a team above to see its full line-by-line breakdown at three contract sizes.
Questions
Which NHL team has the best take-home pay?
Dallas Stars come out on top: a $10,000,000 contract keeps about $5,415,000, or 54.1%. Dallas Stars play in Texas, where the top rate is 0%.
Which NHL team has the worst take-home pay?
San Jose Sharks come out last: the same $10,000,000 contract keeps about $4,085,000, or 40.8%. The gap between the best and worst NHL market is $1,330,000 on a $10,000,000 deal.
What does NHL escrow and agent commission cost?
NHL has no league escrow modelled here, and agent commission is capped at 5% by the players' association.