The r nhl post turned a simple chart into a real talk thread about value, highlighting the topic of NHL salaries vs other sports. People lined up McDavidās 12.5 million average next to NBA and MLB stars and asked what drives the gap. One voice set the tone. āOwners are always going to pay as little as possible regardless of talent.ā A fan said it and the room pushed for reasons. The number is real. So are the mechanics. The cap sits at 88 million this season and is projected to rise. McDavid just signed a two year extension at 12.5 million per season that starts in 2026. Now the question is how the leagueās rules shape what the very top can take.
The cap, the roster, and the media pie
Start with the ceiling. The NHL hard cap is 88 million today and the league signaled a path toward 95.5 million in 2025 to 2026, 104 million in 2026 to 2027, and 113.5 million in 2027 to 2028. Split that across a 23 player roster and the star slice can only be so large. The NBA runs a soft cap with luxury tax and far smaller rosters, which lets elite salaries clear 60 million and more. The NFL carries 53 players, which spreads pay even when quarterbacks set records. MLB has no hard cap, only a tax system, so a few clubs can spend well past levels hockey can reach today. Context explains the graphic better than outrage.
Media money shapes the pie too. The NHL United States package with ESPN and TNT is worth about 4.5 billion over seven years. That is real growth for the sport, yet it trails the giant checks that flow to the NFL and the NBA. Fans connected this to reach and visibility. A fan said, āThey need clearer TV access if they want leverage.ā That kind of comment lands because it ties dollars to habit. If more casual viewers can find the game easily, the next round of rights can grow and the top pay can follow.
āOwners are always going to pay as little as possible.ā ā A fan said, calling for stronger leverage through better media reach.
Choice, timing, and why McDavidās number looks modest
McDavidās new two year, 25 million extension keeps the average at 12.5 million and pushes the real decision to a cap environment that is rising hard. Reports show a projected cap of 95.5 million next season, then 104 million, then 113.5 million. If those steps hold, the next market window will let the best player test a larger pie without a roster squeeze as sharp as today. That is how a short deal now can set up a bigger bite later.
There is also structure. NHL deals are guaranteed, which is very different from the NFL where non stars rarely see full guarantees. The NBA also uses guaranteed money and a soft cap, so the top end can soar far beyond a hard ceiling. MLB sits on its own rails with no cap. When you stack these systems, McDavidās number looks small only next to outliers that come from very different rules. Inside hockey, the choice to hold at 12.5 million can help a team spend around the edges now and still lets the star cash in later if the cap climbs as projected. That point came through in the thread when a fan said, āHe gave them 2 years and if they do not spend it he is gone and makes over 20 when the cap rises.ā The internet left with a fair summary. The paycheck is about talent and about how a sport divides money.
Front row energy everywhere I go. Chasing championships and good times. ššāØ
