Before making it to the Ice Hockey rich list, these players have to go through some rough times. Probably, that’s why cold weather nations love their ice hockey. Northern areas of the United States of America, Sweden, Russia, and other European countries are particularly famous for their ice hockey teams. The national hockey league held in North America is considered to be the highest men’s hockey level out there. The Kontinental Hockey league is another famous high profile league that takes place in Eastern European countries like Russia. As ice hockey prospers, the pay of players does, as well.
The NHL, in particular, is famous for handing out high salaries, especially to top performing players, so making an ice hockey rich list for these players only makes sense. On average, ice hockey players in the NHL make around 2 million dollars per year. The value of franchises is estimated to be close to 500 million dollars per year. The reason why NHL is so widely mentioned in this article is that some of the richest ice hockey players in the world play in it.
Ice hockey’s popularity stems from the huge viewership it gets from countries like Canada and the United States. Therefore, salaries are not the only determinant behind the rankings in this ice hockey rich list. Ad campaign deals and brand endorsements are also important factors. So, without further ado, let us discuss the 10 highest-paid ice hockey players in the world.
The Toppers on the Ice Hockey Rich List
1. Connor McDavid
Topping this Ice Hockey Rich list is the face of the NHL – Connor McDavid. Connor not only has an impressive portfolio of victories and individual awards, but his resume of endorsements is also impressive. Rogers Communications, Canadian Tire, BioSteel, CIBC, and Adidas are just among a few companies that rely on Connor to sell their products. Connor also earns a sizable sum of money through his affiliation with video game giants EA. The company makes the official NHL video game.
2. Sidney Crosby
Coming second on this list is fan-favorite superstar Sidney Crosby. He earns around 17 million through his ice hockey salary. But that’s not all, as he also earns close to 5 million dollars through endorsements. This center from the Pittsburgh Penguins is considered to be a highly marketable personality in the ice hockey world and rightfully so, with his ranking of second on this ice hockey rich list.
3. Shea Webber
Nashville Predator’s defender Shea Webber comes third on this list. He is a highly sought after player, as his tall height of about six feet and four inches makes him a nightmare for any attacker. He recently penned a 14-year contract (with signing bonus) on which he stands to become a multimillionaire.
4. Ryan Suter
Ryan Suter is another defender on this ice hockey rich list. Playing for Minnesota Wild has been a career-defining move for Ryan. His accolades and achievements speak for themselves. Despite suffering a few injury setbacks during his career, Ryan remains an important part of his team at all times.
5. Alex Ovechkin
This Russian who captains the Washington Capitals in the NHL is one of the most consistent players in the ice hockey world. It is because of his formidable captaincy and consistency why he earns an average salary of around 10 million U.S. dollars. Alex continues to spearhead his team through victory and rightfully deserves the 5th rank on this ice hockey rich list.
The following are other players who made it to this distinguished list but didn’t make the top five.
- Claude Giroux
- Pavel Datsyuk
- Phil Kessel
- Jonathan Toews
- Jamie Benn
Ice hockey is still a growing sport, and more and more youngsters are partaking in it and making lucrative careers out of it. It wouldn’t be surprising to see some of them make this hockey rich list in the future.
