The NHL has seen a recent surge in popularity, as the past season was its most-watched in decades.
The top teams from the biggest markets have emphasized coaching hires, and head coach salaries in the league have grown substantially. The highest-paid NHL coaches rake in high salaries compared to other major sports.
Mike Sullivan reset the NHL coaching market upon leaving the Pittsburgh Penguins for the New York Rangers in May 2025. New York is reportedly paying Sullivan $6.5 million per year, which is a record contract for an NHL coach.
Sullivan won back-to-back Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. He mutually parted ways with the Penguins after the 2024-25 regular season after Pittsburgh missed the playoffs for the third straight year.
Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper brings in $5.3 million per year to land second on the list. Cooper is the NHL’s longest-tenured coach, having been with the Lightning since 2013.
He’s taken them to four Stanley Cup Finals and won two, in 2020 and 2021. The Lightning nearly pulled off a three-peat but lost to the Colorado Avalanche in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals.
Speaking of the Avalanche, Colorado’s Jared Bednar comes in third on the list, reportedly earning “just under $5 million” annually.
Bednar has been Colorado’s head coach for his entire career.
The fourth coach on the list is Bruce Cassidy of Vegas, who earns $4.5 million to lead the Knights.
He spent most of his career on the East Coast with the Capitals and then the Bruins before heading out west.
In 2023, he led the Knights to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup win as they defeated the Florida Panthers in five games.
The Dallas Stars’ Peter DeBoer rounds out the top five. He is the highest-paid coach on this list without a Stanely Cup on his resume, though he’s had a largely successful 15 years as an NHL head coach and has reached two Stanley Cup Finals, in 2012 with the New Jersey Devils and in 2016 with the San Jose Sharks.
Ranking the Highest-Paid NHL Coaches
Here is the list of the highest-paid NHL coaches of 2025, among publicly reported salary figures. The list was compiled using data from Hockeyzoneplus, The Athletic and Hockey-Reference.
- Updated: May 28, 2025
| Rank | Coach | Team | Annual Compensation |
| 1 | Mike Sullivan | New York Rangers | $6.5 million |
| 2 | Jon Cooper | Tampa Bay Lightning | $5.3 million |
| 3 | Jared Bednar | Colorado Avalanche | ~$4.9 million |
| 4 | Bruce Cassidy | Vegas Golden Knights | $4.5 million |
| 5 | Peter DeBoer | Dallas Stars | $4.25 million |
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