Big NHL contracts are nothing new, but the numbers being thrown around lately are getting harder to believe. Some of the league’s biggest stars are now commanding salaries that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.
Leo Carlsson recently signed a five-year deal worth $90 million with the Anaheim Ducks, giving him an average annual value of $18 million. Kirill Kaprizov is right behind him at $17 million per season, while Connor Bedard’s new deal comes in at $15 million annually.
Then there is Cale Makar, who just took things to another level. The Colorado Avalanche defenceman signed an eight-year, $163.2 million extension that will pay him $20.4 million per season, making it the biggest annual salary in NHL history.
And the spending spree is not slowing down. Macklin Celebrini’s new contract, which kicks in for the 2027-28 season, carries an $18.8 million AAV. With some of the league’s biggest names approaching their next payday, several other NHL stars could soon have a record-breaking contract on the table.
Who Will Get the Next Big Payday?
With the salary cap climbing to $104 million for the 2026-27 season, there is more room for teams to spend on their biggest stars. So who could be next to cash in with a mega deal? There are several candidates, but a few players stand out from the rest.
Quinn Hughes
Age: 26
Position: Defenceman
Contract: UFA after 2026-27
If anyone looks ready for a massive payday, it’s Quinn Hughes. The 26-year-old defenceman is entering the final year of his six-year, $47.1 million contract. He can become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
Hughes spent the first seven-plus seasons of his career with Vancouver before the Canucks traded their captain to Minnesota last December. The Wild gave up Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a 2026 first-round pick to get him, so the organization has plenty of incentive to keep him in Minnesota long term.
Hughes finished the season with 76 points, including 53 in 48 games after the trade. The Wild have made re-signing him their top priority, and with Cale Makar now setting the bar at $20.4 million per year, Hughes could have plenty of leverage in negotiations.
Jason Robertson
Age: 27
Position: Left Wing
Contract: UFA after 2026-27
Robertson is one of the other elite players whose contract expires at the end of this season, making him one of the biggest names to watch heading into 2027. He just re-signed with Dallas on a one-year, $12 million deal, giving him another chance at breaking the bank next summer.
The First Team All-Star winger is coming off a career-best 96-point season, including 45 goals, and has established himself as one of the league’s most consistent scoring threats. He’s also played all 82 games in four straight seasons, adding remarkable durability to an already impressive résumé.
The Stars have already said their goal is to sign him to a long-term deal, but Robertson’s next contract could put him among the NHL’s highest-paid players.
Connor McDavid
Age: 29
Position: Centre
Contract: UFA after 2027-28
McDavid may not be next in line, but it would be hard to leave him off any list of future mega deals. The Oilers superstar signed a two-year, $25 million extension last October, keeping his AAV at a team-friendly $12.5 million so that Edmonton had some room to build around him. The deal runs through the 2027-28 season, when he can become a UFA.
While McDavid has shown a willingness to leave money on the table to chase a Stanley Cup, that could change when he becomes a UFA in 2028. With the salary cap expected to keep climbing, McDavid will be in position to set a new NHL salary record of his own in the near future. If anyone is going to blow the NHL’s salary ceiling wide open, it should be him.
Zach Werenski
Age: 29
Position: Defenceman
Contract: UFA after 2027-28
Werenski just put together the kind of season that can change a player’s price tag, winning the Norris Trophy after recording 81 points in 75 games. The award capped a season in which he established himself as one of the NHL’s most impactful defencemen and put himself in position for a significant raise from his $9.58 million AAV when his current deal expires.
He still has two years left on his current contract, but Werenski is eligible to sign an extension with Columbus after this season. That gives the Blue Jackets an opportunity to secure their franchise player before he gets closer to unrestricted free agency.
Regardless of when he signs his next contract, Werenski has a strong case for a major pay raise. If he does end up reaching free agency in 2028, he could become the next defenceman to challenge the $20 million salary mark.
Auston Matthews
Age: 28
Position: Centre
Contract: UFA after 2027-28
Matthews is another superstar who could be in line for a massive contract in 2028. The Maple Leafs captain signed a four-year, $53 million extension in 2023, keeping him in Toronto through the 2027-28 season. Matthews opted for a four-year deal so he could hit free agency again at age 30, giving himself another shot at a massive payday.
That decision could pay off in a big way if the Maple Leafs captain continues to produce at an elite level. A two-time 60-goal scorer, Matthews still has one of the game’s quickest releases and is a threat to score from just about anywhere on the ice. He could be in line for a big raise from his current $13.25 million AAV if he signs another mega deal in 2028.
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