List of team payrolls in the NHL

Here are several tables of National Hockey League team payrolls for each team in the NHL. For simplicity, players traded mid-season are considered to be on the payroll of the team acquiring that player.

League
After the 2004–05 season was cancelled, a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was agreed upon between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association. This CBA included a salary cap for team salaries (formally defined in the CBA as the "Upper Limit"), which would potentially increase from one season to the next depending on league revenues, and a cap for player salaries, set at 20 percent of the team salary cap. The teams also have a minimum payroll requirement (formally defined as the "Lower Limit"), which was $21.5 million in 2005–06, but fixed from 2006–07 onward at $16 million below the salary cap.

From the 2003–04 season to the 2005–06 season, the implementation of the salary cap caused a marked normalization of team payrolls, and a decrease in the payroll disparity from team to team. Ten teams (of thirty) decreased their payrolls by more than $15 million, with four decreasing their payrolls by more than $30 million; only seven teams increased their payrolls, with four increasing their payrolls by more than $5 million. The standard deviation of the payrolls decreased from $15,898,399 to $6,371,263 after the salary cap was introduced.

Between the 1998–99 and 2007–08 seasons, the total players' payroll was $9,990,698,194, which is an average of $37,700,748 per team per season. The division with the highest total payroll over this nine year period is the Atlantic Division, paying out $1,912,252,452 ($42,494,499 per team per season). The division with the lowest total payroll over this period is the Southeast Division—considered perhaps the weakest hockey market in the league —with total payrolls of $1,180,291,667 ($32,377,083 per team per season).

The team that spent the most on players' salaries over these nine seasons are the New York Rangers, who spent a total of $517,076,928 for players, averaging $57,452,992 per season. The Detroit Red Wings have the second highest total payroll over this period, with $483,801,165, for an average of $53,755,685 per season.

The Nashville Predators have the lowest payroll per season over the same period, totalling $218,136,880 ($24,237,431 per season), followed by the Atlanta Thrashers with a total of $212,616,075 ($26,577,009 per season). The absolute lowest payroll belongs to the Minnesota Wild, who joined the league in 2000–01. In the seven seasons since the Wild joined the league, they have the lowest total payroll, at $187,278,126 ($26,754,018 per season). Nashville's payroll over this period was slightly higher, at $187,936,880 ($26,848,126 per season).

The Calgary Flames hold the unique distinction of being the only team to have increased their payroll every year between the 1998–99 season and the 2007–08 season.

Sergei Fedorov, Paul Kariya and Jaromir Jagr have each had the highest salary on three different teams between 2000–01 and 2007–08:
 * Sergei Fedorov: Anaheim Ducks (2003–04), Columbus Blue Jackets (2005–06, 2006–07), Washington Capitals (2007–08)
 * Paul Kariya: Anaheim Ducks (2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03), Nashville Predators (2005–06), St. Louis Blues (2007–08)
 * Jaromir Jagr: Pittsburgh Penguins (2000–01), Washington Capitals (2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04), New York Rangers (2005–06, 2006–07)

Atlantic Division
The Atlantic Division had the highest total player payrolls of any division between 1998–99 and 2007–08, paying out $1,912,252,452 to its players ($42,494,499 per team per season). The New York Rangers are the highest paying team in the Atlantic Division (and in the entire league) over this period, with a player payroll of $517,076,928 ($57,452,992 per season), while the Pittsburgh Penguins are the lowest paying team in the division over these nine seasons, with total payrolls of $260,515,726 ($28,946,192 per season).

New Jersey Devils
These are the salaries for the New Jersey Devils.

New York Islanders
These are the salaries for the New York Islanders.

New York Rangers
These are the salaries for the New York Rangers.

Philadelphia Flyers
These are the salaries for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Pittsburgh Penguins
These are the salaries for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Northeast Division
Between 1998–99 and 2007–08, the Northeast Division had total player payrolls of $1,694,667,213 ($37,659,271 per team per season). The Toronto Maple Leafs paid their players the most in the Northeast Division over these nine seasons, with total payrolls of $414,581,865 ($46,064,652 per season), while the Buffalo Sabres paid the least in the division over the same time, with total payrolls of $300,251,418 ($33,361,269 per season).

Boston Bruins
These are the salaries for the Boston Bruins.

Buffalo Sabres
These are the salaries for the Buffalo Sabres.

Montreal Canadiens
These are the salaries for the Montreal Canadiens.

Ottawa Senators
These are the salaries for the Ottawa Senators.

Toronto Maple Leafs
These are the salaries for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Southeast Division
The Southeast Division had the lowest player payroll of any division between 1998–99 and 2007–08, totalling $1,424,591,667 during this time ($32,377,083 per team per season). This market is considered one of the weakest in the league. The Washington Capitals are the highest paying team in the Southeast Division, with total payrolls of $343,231,500 ($38,136,833 per season); the Atlanta Thrashers, who joined the league in 1999–2000, are the lowest paying team in the division (and in the Eastern Conference), with total payrolls of $212,616,075 ($26,577,009 per season).

Atlanta Thrashers
These are the salaries for the Atlanta Thrashers. The team's first season was 1999–2000.

Carolina Hurricanes
These are the salaries for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Florida Panthers
These are the salaries for the Florida Panthers.

Tampa Bay Lightning
These are the salaries for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Washington Capitals
These are the salaries for the Washington Capitals.

Central Division
The Central Division had player payrolls of $1,604,944,295 between 1998–99 and 2007–08 ($37,324,286 per team per season). The highest paying team in the Central Division (and in the Western Conference) in this time are the Detroit Red Wings, with total payrolls of $483,801,165 ($53,755,685 per season), while the lowest paying team in the division (and the entire league) are the Nashville Predators, with total payrolls of $218,136,880 ($24,237,431 per season).

Chicago Blackhawks
These are the salaries for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Columbus Blue Jackets
These are the salaries for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team's first season was 2000–01.

Detroit Red Wings
These are the salaries for the Detroit Red Wings.

Nashville Predators
These are the salaries for the Nashville Predators.

St. Louis Blues
These are the salaries for the St. Louis Blues.

Northwest Division
The Northwest Division has paid out $1,544,681,647 to its players between 1998–99 and 2007–08 ($35,922,829 per team per season). The Colorado Avalanche had the highest player payrolls in the Northwest Division in this time, totalling $450,095,084 ($50,010,565 per season); the Minnesota Wild are the lowest paying team in the division (and in the league, for the seven years since they have been a part of it), with total payrolls of $187,278,126 ($26,754,018 per season).

Calgary Flames
These are the salaries for the Calgary Flames. The Calgary Flames hold the unique distinction of being the only team to have increased their payroll every year between the 1998–99 season and the 2007–08 season.

Colorado Avalanche
These are the salaries for the Colorado Avalanche.

Edmonton Oilers
These are the salaries for the Edmonton Oilers.

Minnesota Wild
These are the salaries for the Minnesota Wild. The team's first season was 2000–01.

Vancouver Canucks
These are the salaries for the Vancouver Canucks.

Pacific Division
The Pacific Division had payrolls of $1,809,560,920 ($40,212,465 per team per season) in the seasons between 1998–99 and 2007–08. The Dallas Stars paid the most in the Pacific Division over these nine seasons, with players receiving $452,957,886 ($50,328,654 per season), and the Phoenix Coyotes paid the least in the division over that time, with total payrolls of $303,728,146 ($33,747,572 per season).

Anaheim Ducks
These are the salaries for the Anaheim Ducks.

Dallas Stars
These are the salaries for the Dallas Stars.

Los Angeles Kings
These are the salaries for the Los Angeles Kings.

Phoenix Coyotes
These are the salaries for the Phoenix Coyotes.

San Jose Sharks
These are the salaries for the San Jose Sharks.