Highest Paid Ice Hockey Players 2015
Ice hockey is considered one of the most important sports in the cold countries of the world, like the nations in the northern parts of the US, and Canada, as well as Russia and Sweden and comparable European countries. Like the other high profile games like baseball or basketball, ice hockey, too, has a huge viewership, especially in America. In the current scenario of ice hockey, a number of players have received enormous height of success through the magic that they can create with the ice hockey sticks. These ice hockey players earn a good salary from the clubs they play for in the National Hockey League. Besides, they also receive their personal endorsements of mega brands. Some of the most well-known players, such as Shea Weber or Sidney Crosby, earn amounts from their endorsements and salary which is at par with that of athletes of other sports. So let us have a look at the Top 10 Highest Paid Ice Hockey Players 2015.
Top 10 Highest Paid Ice Hockey Players 2015
1. Shea Weber
Shea Weber is now playing for the Nashville Predators in the defense position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 6 feet 4 inches height and 233 lb. weight. He was drafted as the 49th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Nashville Predators, Shea Weber also plays for Canada national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 14 years contract with the team and in 2026 will be a free agent. His recent contract is a total worth of $110,000,000 including a total of $68,000,000 as the signing bonus. Shea Weber will get an average yearly salary of $7,857,143 and also has a guaranteed income of $110,000,000 till the contract ends. He now earns a base salary of $14,000,000 with $7,857,143 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
2. Sidney Crosby
Sidney Crosby is now playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the centre position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 5 feet 11 inches height and 200 lb. weight. He was drafted as the 1st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby also plays for Canada national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 12 years contract with the team and in 2025 will be a free agent. His fresh contract with the team is a total worth of $104,400,000. Sidney Crosby will get an average yearly salary of $8,700,000 and also has a guaranteed income of $104,400,000 till the contract ends. He now makes a base salary of $12,000,000 with $8,700,000 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
3. Ryan Suter
Ryan Suter is now playing for the Minnesota Wild in the defense position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 6 feet 1 inches height and 195 lb. weights. He was drafted as the 7th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Minnesota Wild, Ryan Suter also plays for the United States national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 13 years contract with the team and in 2025 will be a free agent. His recent contract is a total worth of $98,000,000 including a total of $25,000,000 as the signing bonus. Ryan Suter will get an average yearly salary of $7,538,462 and also has a guaranteed income of $98,000,000 till the contract ends. He now earns a base salary of $11,000,000 with $7,538,462 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
4. Henrik Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist is now playing for the New York Rangers in the goaltender position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 6 feet 1 inches height and 185 lb. weights. He was drafted as the 205th overall by the New York Rangers in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the New York Rangers, Henrik Lundqvist also plays for Sweden national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 7 years contract with the team and in 2021 will be a free agent. His recent contract is a total worth of $59,500,000 including a total of $14,000,000 as the signing bonus. Henrik Lundqvist will get an average yearly salary of $8,500,000 and also has a guaranteed income of $59,500,000 till the contract ends. He now makes a base salary of $11,000,000 with $8,500,000 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
5. Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin is now playing for the Washington Capitals in the Left Wing position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 6 feet 3 inches height and 230 lb. weight. He was drafted as the 1st overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Washington Capitals, Alex Ovechkin also plays for the Russian national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 13 years contract with the team and in 2021 will be a free agent. His recent contract with the team is a total worth of $124,000,000. Alex Ovechkin will get an average yearly salary of $9,538,462 and also has a guaranteed income of $124,000,000 till the contract ends. He now earns a base salary of $10,000,000 with $9,538,462 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
6. Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Datsyuk is now playing for the Detroit Red Wings in the forward position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 5 feet 11 inches height and 198 lb. weight. He was drafted as the 171st overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Detroit Red Wings, Pavel Datsyuk also plays for the Russian national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 3 years contract with the team and in 2017 will be a free agent. His recent contract with the team is a total worth of $22,500,000. Pavel Datsyuk will get an average yearly salary of $7,500,000 and also has a guaranteed income of $22,500,000 till the contract ends. He now makes a base salary of $10,000,000 with $7,500,000 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
7. Claude Giroux
Claude Giroux is now playing for the Philadelphia Flyers in the Right Wing position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 5 feet 11 inches height and 172 lb. weights. He was drafted as the 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Philadelphia Flyers, Claude Giroux also plays for Canada national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 8 years contract with the team and in 2022 will be a free agent. His recent contract is a total worth of $66,200,000 including a total of $9,000,000 as the signing bonus. Claude Giroux will get an average yearly salary of $8,275,000 and also has a guaranteed income of $66,200,000 till the contract ends. He now earns a base salary of $10,000,000 with $8,275,000 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
8. Philip Kessel
Philip Kessel is now playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Right Wing position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 6 feet height and 202 lb. weights. He was drafted as the 5th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philip Kessel also plays for the United States national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 8 years contract with the team and in 2022 will be a free agent. His recent contract is a total worth of $64,000,000 including a total of $22,500,000 as the signing bonus. Philip Kessel will get an average yearly salary of $8,000,000 and also has a guaranteed income of $64,000,000 till the contract ends. He now makes a base salary of $10,000,000 with $8,000,000 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
9. Evgeni Malkin
Evgeni Malkin is now playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the centre position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 6 feet 3 inches height and 195 lb. weight. He was drafted as the 2nd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Evgeni Malkin also plays for the Russian national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 8 years contract with the team and in 2022 will be a free agent. His recent contract with the team is a total worth of $76,000,000. Evgeni Malkin will get an average yearly salary of $9,500,000 and also has a guaranteed income of $76,000,000 till the contract ends. He now earns a base salary of $9,500,000 with $9,500,000 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
10. Eric Staal
Eric Staal is now playing for the Carolina Hurricanes in the centre position at the National Hockey League. He is listed in the NHL with 6 feet 4 inches height and 205 lb. weight. He was drafted as the 2nd overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Besides his active career with the Carolina Hurricanes, Eric Staal also plays for Canada national ice hockey team. He recently signed a 7 years contract with the team and in 2016 will be a free agent. His recent contract with the team is a total worth of $57,750,000. Eric Staal will get an average yearly salary of $8,250,000 and also has a guaranteed income of $57,750,000 till the contract ends. He now makes a base salary of $9,250,000 with $8,250,000 cap hit in the 2014-15 season of the NHL.
Apart the huge salary that the players draw from the clubs they represent, they draw a pretty handsome amount from their personal sponsors. Sidney Crosby obtains $4.5 million from his endorsements which include some of the big names like Reebok, Gatorade, Bell and Tim Hortons. Alex Ovechkin, another name that deserves a mention while discussing highest paid ice hockey players 2015, earns a neat amount of $3.5 million from his endorsements including Gillette, Coca-Cola, Nike, Bauer and Kraft Canada.