Top 10 Biggest NHL Center Contracts

Centers are the core of a hockey team, anchoring every offensive line. Without good centermen, an offensive corps is doomed. What’s more, most of the all-time best hockey players have been centers: Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, etc. This piece features the top ten biggest contracts signed by NHL centers.

What Are the Biggest NHL Center Contracts of All Time?

1. Sidney Crosby - $104.4 Million
2. Nathan MacKinnon - $100.8 Million
3. Connor McDavid - $100 Million
4. Jonathan Toews - $84 Million
5. Anže Kopitar - $80 Million
6. Jack Eichel - $80 Million
7. Aleksander Barkov - $80 Million
8. Tyler Seguin - $78.8 Million
9. John Tavares - $77 Million
10. Evgeni Malkin - $76 Million

1. Sidney Crosby - $104.4 Million

Sidney Crosby has earned the largest NHL contract ever by a centerman, signing a 12-year, $104.4 million deal in 2012. Crosby, who was the number one overall pick in 2005, has spent his whole career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby won the Stanley Cup in his fourth year in the NHL, in 2008-2009. Crosby won the Cup two more times, in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. Crosby was honored with the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP in both 2016 and 2017. 

2. Nathan MacKinnon - $100.8 Million

Nathan MacKinnon’s eight-year, $100.8 million contract carries the highest cap hit in NHL history: $12,600,000. Prior to this signing, Connor McDavid had the highest-ever cap hit at $12.5 million. MacKinnon signed his deal on September 20th, 2022. This was months after MacKinnon and the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup, defeating the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning. MacKinnon was a number-one overall pick, drafted in 2013 by Colorado. At just 27 years old, MacKinnon has a lot of hockey ahead of him. 

3. Connor McDavid - $100 Million

Connor McDavid signed his $100 million contract on July 5th, 2017. The signing came after McDavid led the Oilers to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, eventually losing 2-1 in Game 7 against the Anaheim Ducks. McDavid became the player with the highest cap hit when he signed this deal, at $12,500,000. However, he was recently one-upped by rival Nathan MacKinnon, whose new contract pays just a hair more than McDavid’s does. MacKinnon also beat McDavid in the 2022 Western Conference finals. 

4. Jonathan Toews - $84 Million

Jonathan Toews, whose $84 million contract puts him in fourth on this list, has spent his entire career with the Chicago Blackhawks, who drafted him third overall in 2006. Toews has won three Stanley Cup titles with the Blackhawks, in 2010, 2013, and 2015. His latest contract was signed in 2014. At the time, both Toews and his superstar teammate, Patrick Kane, were up for new contracts. The organization awarded their dynamic duo with matching contracts, each worth $10.5 million AAV over eight years. 

5. Anže Kopitar - $80 Million

Anže Kopitar, whose $80 million deal comes in just below Jonathan Toews’, has been with L.A. ever since they drafted him 11th overall in 2005. The Slovenian centerman was signed to his current deal in January of 2016, while he was in the midst of a 74-point season. Kopitar was named captain of the Kings during the following offseason, following some team struggles under previous captain Dustin Brown. The Kings won Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014, the franchise’s only championship titles. 

6. Jack Eichel - $80 Million

Jack Eichel is sixth on our list, with a contract of $80 million over eight years. Eichel has often lived in the shadow of Connor McDavid ever since they were drafted one after another in 2015. McDavid was selected first by the Edmonton Oilers, while Eichel was drafted second by the Buffalo Sabers. Both players signed long-term deals, but only one stayed with their original organization. Eichel’s contract was signed on October 3rd, 2017. The deal was eight years long, carrying a cap hit of $10 million per year. Unfortunately, Eichel and the Sabers struggled over the years to come. Eventually, the captain wanted out of town, and Eichel was traded to Las Vegas on November 4th, 2021. 

7. Aleksander Barkov - $80 Million

Aleksander Barkov is the third and final center on this list who has a contract totaling $80 million. Barkov signed his deal in October of 2021. He was drafted second overall in 2013, and has spent his entire career with the Florida Panthers. Barkov’s best offensive season was 2018-2019, when he scored 96 points. Barkov is known as a lockdown defensive center, winning the Selke Award for best defensive forward in 2020-2021. 

8. Tyler Seguin - $78.8 Million

Tyler Seguin, whose $78 million contract with the Dallas Stars places him eighth on our list, was drafted second overall by the Boston Bruins in 2010. Ironically, the player drafted before Seguin, Taylor Hall, is now on the Bruins, while Seguin is not. Seguin was traded to Dallas during the 2013 offseason in a massive six-player trade. The trade surprised many, as Boston had just made the Stanley Cup finals in 2012-2013, and Seguin had played a decent role in getting there. Seguin signed his big deal with Dallas in 2018, locking him up for eight years at an annual average of $9.85 million. 

9. John Tavares - $77 Million

John Tavares is ninth on our list, with a $77 million contract spanning seven years. He was selected number-one overall in 2009 by the New York Islanders, and he stayed with them for a long time, helping them break their playoff series win drought in 2016. Tavares departed the Islanders via free agency in 2018, polarizing the hockey world. Many Islanders fans were angry at Tavares for leaving, with others pointing out that Tavares had been a Maple Leafs fan (the team he chose to go to) from a young age. Either way, Tavares signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with Toronto in July of 2018. The deal seemed like a blessing for the Maple Leafs, but it has turned out to be a mixed bag. Tavares has struggled to live up to his large price tag, and some say he holds the Leafs back from being able to afford defensive talent. 

10. Evgeni Malkin - $76 Million

There are actually two players that could be ranked 10th on this list, both having signed eight-year, $76 million contracts, but the one we will focus on is Evgeni Malkin. The other player is Brayden Point, who signed his large deal in 2021. Malkin was included on this list, rather than Point, because he signed his deal all the way back in 2013. At the time, the salary cap was lower, and thus, contracts were generally cheaper, making Malkin’s a bit more impressive than Point’s, as he was impressive enough to earn a high payout in the days when contracts of this scale were less common. Malkin was drafted second overall in 2004, with only Alex Ovechkin being drafted before him. Malkin has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, winning Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017. He also won a Conn Smythe Trophy in 2009. 

Honorable Mentions

• Brayden Point
• Mathew Barzal
• Mike Richards
• Steven Stamkos
• Filip Forsberg
• Mika Zibanejad
• Leon Draisaitl
• Nicklas Backstrom
• Tim Stutzle
• Claude Giroux

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