The NHL’s salary cap currently sits at $73 million and has gradually increased since being introduced at $39 million in the 2005-2006 season. For some Canadian NHL teams, their best player is also rightfully their highest number against the cap. You might be surprised, however, to see that’s not the case for all of them, though. Here is a look at players with the highest cap-hit for each of the seven Canadian franchises.
All numbers were found from HockeyBuzz.
Calgary Flames- Johnny Gaudreau, Mark Giordano
(Sanford Myers/Getty Images)
Cap-hit: $6,750,000
Giordano became the Flames' highest paid player in 2015 after signing a six-year $40.5 million contract, but was joined by Gaudreau after the American agreed to the same contract this past October. Dougie Hamilton, who leads all Calgary defencemen in points, is currently earning $1 million less annually per season.
Edmonton Oilers- Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
(Getty Images)
Cap-hit: $6 million
Lucic joined Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins as being the highest paid Oilers this past offseason. Connor McDavid will count as only $925,000 towards the cap next season, but will likely become the NHL’s highest paid player in 2019 (if he chooses to).
Montreal Canadiens- Shea Weber
(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Cap-hit: $7,857,142
General manager Marc Bergevin turned heads this past summer when he traded dynamic defenceman P.K. Subban for aging defenceman Shea Weber, whose contract will end when he is 40 years-old. Many would argue that reigning Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price ($6.5 million) should be the team’s highest paid player.
Ottawa Senators- Bobby Ryan
Cap-hit: $7,250,000
Nope, it’s not superstar defenceman Erik Karlsson ($6.5 million). In fact, he isn’t even the second-highest paid player, as defenceman Dion Phaneuf is earning $7 million per season. Ryan is signed through the 2021-22 and has just 24 points during his 2015-2016 campaign.
Toronto Maple Leafs- Morgan Rielly, Frederik Andersen
Cap-hit: $5 million
That’s it?
The Leafs are remarkably $19 million under the cap, but that number is bound to decrease after rookies forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander approach the end of their respective contracts in the coming years.
Vancouver Canucks- Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin
Cap-hit: $7 million
No surprises here.
The Sedin Twins have been heroes in Vancouver for the majority of their time in the city, but are set to become unrestricted free agents following next season. Goaltender Ryan Miller, who is set to become a free agent after next season, is the second-highest player with a cap hit of $6 million. They are the three oldest players on the team.
Winnipeg Jets- Dustin Byfuglien
(Getty Images)
Cap-hit: $7.6 million
Some would argue that breakout star center Mark Scheifele ($6.125 million) should be the team’s highest paid player, but the title was given to Buff after he signed a five-year $38 million extension last season. In a few years, superstar rookie forward Patrik Laine could very well take over the position.
