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ICE HOCKEY · MINIMUM SALARIES

NHL, AHL, ECHL and PWHL minimum salaries

The NHL's minimum salary is $850,000 in 2026-27, up from $775,000 in each of the three seasons before, and it rises every season to $1,000,000 in 2029-30. The AHL's minimum was $52,725 in 2024-25, an ECHL rookie is paid at least $610 a week, and a PWHL player at least $37,131.50 for 2025-26.

NHL 2026-27 $850,000
NHL 2029-30 $1,000,000
AHL 2024-25 $52,725
ECHL ROOKIE, A WEEK $610
PWHL 2025-26 $37,131.50

The minimum in each league

The least a club may pay a player for a season, or for a week where the league pays by the week, in the latest season we hold

The minimum salary in each ice hockey league, for the latest season we hold.
LEAGUE SEASON MINIMUM
NHL 2026-27 $850,000
AHL 2024-25 $52,725
ECHL 2026-27 $610 a week
PWHL 2025-26 $37,131.50

The minimum across four sports

The least each league pays a player for a season, in the latest season we hold, all in one currency

883 of the 1,367 Premier League players we hold a wage for are paid less than an NHL player on the minimum, whose 2026-27 salary works out at $16,346 a week.

The NHL minimum salary

The least a club may pay a player for a season, from 2020-21, with the three seasons already set

season set, not yet played

The NHL minimum salary by season, and the change on the season before.
SEASON MINIMUM CHANGE
2020-21 $700,000 -
2021-22 $750,000 +7.1%
2022-23 $750,000 no change
2023-24 $775,000 +3.3%
2024-25 $775,000 no change
2025-26 $775,000 no change
2026-27 $850,000 +9.7%
2027-28 $900,000 +5.9%
2028-29 $950,000 +5.6%
2029-30 $1,000,000 +5.3%

The minimum was $775,000 in each of the three seasons from 2023-24 to 2025-26. The extension agreed in 2025 raised it to $850,000 for 2026-27 and has already set the next three seasons at $900,000, $950,000 and $1,000,000, so in 2029-30 it is 29.0% higher than in 2025-26.

The AHL minimum salary

The least an AHL club could pay a player in 2024-25, against the NHL's minimum that season

NHL $775,000
AHL $52,725

In 2024-25 the NHL's minimum was 14.7 times the AHL's. The players ratified a new agreement on 21 January 2026, running to 31 August 2030, and we hold no minimum under it.

The ECHL minimum salary

The ECHL pays by the week, and sets both a floor and a cap on what a club spends a week on its whole roster, in 2026-27

The ECHL's weekly minimum salaries and payroll limits for 2026-27.
RULE A WEEK
Rookie minimum $610
Returning player minimum $660
Club payroll floor $13,680
Club payroll cap, first 30 days $18,610
Club payroll cap, rest of the season $18,000

A rookie is paid at least $610 a week and a returning player at least $660. Across its whole roster a club must spend at least $13,680 a week, and may spend no more than $18,610 for the first 30 days of the season and $18,000 after that.

The PWHL minimum salary

The least and the most a PWHL club could pay a player in 2025-26, and what the player in the middle of the league was paid

Maximum $126,090
Median $49,000
Minimum $37,131.50

Both the minimum and the maximum rise 3% a season. 21 of the 194 players under contract on 12 April 2026 were on the minimum, and Emily Clark of the Ottawa Charge was on the maximum. In 2025-26 the NHL's minimum was 20.9 times the PWHL's. Every player's salary is on the PWHL salaries page.

The KHL salary floor and cap

The KHL sets no minimum for a player. It sets the least and the most a club may spend on salaries across its whole roster, in roubles

season set, not yet played

The KHL salary floor and cap by season, in roubles.
SEASON FLOOR CAP
2025-26RUB 475,000,000RUB 900,000,000
2026-27RUB 525,000,000RUB 950,000,000
2027-28RUB 600,000,000RUB 1,000,000,000

In 2026-27 a club must spend at least RUB 525,000,000 ($6,198,237) on its players' salaries, and may spend no more than RUB 950,000,000. Both rise in 2027-28, to RUB 600,000,000 and RUB 1,000,000,000. What each player is paid is on the KHL salaries page.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NHL minimum salary for 2026-27?

The NHL minimum salary for 2026-27 is $850,000. It rises to $900,000 in 2027-28, $950,000 in 2028-29 and $1,000,000 in 2029-30.

What is the AHL minimum salary?

The AHL minimum salary was $52,725 in 2024-25. We hold no minimum under the agreement the players ratified on 21 January 2026.

How much are ECHL players paid a week?

An ECHL rookie is paid at least $610 a week in 2026-27, and a returning player at least $660.

What is the PWHL minimum salary?

The PWHL minimum salary is $37,131.50 for 2025-26, and the maximum is $126,090. Both rise 3% a season.

Is there a KHL minimum salary?

The KHL sets a floor and a cap on what a club spends across its whole roster, rather than a minimum for each player. In 2026-27 a club must spend at least RUB 525,000,000 and no more than RUB 950,000,000.

Where to next

The same question in the other sports, and the rest of what ice hockey players are paid