Due to their undeniable value on the ice, NHL forwards are typically among the highest-paid players in the league. And with the salary cap set to rise from $95.5 million in 2025 to $104 million in 2026 and $113.5 million by 2027, big-name stars on expiring contracts may soon earn even more.
After signing a massive 8-year, $112 million contract extension with the Oilers, Leon Draisaitl became the league’s highest-paid forward. Ranked fifth in the NHL for points per game in 2025–26, Draisaitl will be paid $14 million per season through 2032.
The player he unseated, 2021–22 MVP Auston Matthews, slipped to second with $13.25 million per year. In 2023, Matthews signed a four-year, $53 million contract extension to remain with the Maple Leafs.
But soon, Draisaitl will be unseated himself, as the Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov is set to make $17 million a year starting in 2026–27. That’s $3 million clear of any other forward.
Four other forwards make at least $12 million per year currently.
Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon brings in $12.6 million annually after signing a long-term eight-year, $100.8 million contract extension in 2022. Three-time MVP Connor McDavid takes the fourth position, earning $12.5 million yearly, but his contract runs out at the end of the 2025–26 season. At that point, he could sign a deal paying him in the region of $20 million a year.
Tied for fifth are a pair of wings who each signed eight-year, $96 million contracts in 2025: Mitch Marner of the Golden Knights and Mikko Rantanen of the Stars. They’ll make $12 million each season through 2032.
The Highest-Paid Forwards
Here is the full list of the 20 highest-paid NHL forwards by average annual salary. The list was compiled using data from Spotrac.
| Rank | Player | Team | Compensation |
| 1 | Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers | $14 million |
| 2 | Auston Matthews | Toronto Maple Leafs | $13.25 million |
| 3 | Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche | $12.6 million |
| 4 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | $12.5 million |
| T-5 | Mitchell Marner | Vegas Golden Knights | $12 million |
| T-5 | Mikko Rantanen | Dallas Stars | $12 million |
| 7 | Artemi Panarin | New York Rangers | $11.64 million |
| 8 | Elias Pettersson | Vancouver Canucks | $11.6 million |
| 9 | William Nylander | Toronto Maple Leafs | $11.5 million |
| 10 | David Pastrnak | Boston Bruins | $11.25 million |
| 11 | Jonathan Huberdeau | Calgary Flames | $10.5 million |
| T-12 | Aleksander Barkov | Florida Panthers | $10 million |
| T-12 | Jack Eichel | Vegas Golden Knights | $10 million |
| 14 | Tyler Seguin | Dallas Stars | $9.85 million |
| 15 | Sebastian Aho | Carolina Hurricanes | $9.75 million |
| T-16 | Mark Stone | Vegas Golden Knights | $9.5 million |
| T-16 | Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning | $9.5 million |
| T-16 | Brayden Point | Tampa Bay Lightning | $9.5 million |
| T-16 | Matthew Tkachuk | Florida Panthers | $9.5 million |
| T-16 | Alex Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | $9.5 million |
| 21 | Mathew Barzal | New York Islanders | $9.2 million |
| T-22 | Kirill Kaprizov | Minnesota Wild | $9 million |
| T-22 | Jake Guentzel | Tampa Bay Lightning | $9 million |
| 24 | Timo Meier | New Jersey Devils | $8.8 million |
| 25 | Travis Konecny | Philadelphia Flyers | $8.75 million |
- Updated: April 29, 2026
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