New Contract: Cale Makar Would Be the 91st-Highest-Paid Player in the NBA

Mathis Therrien
New Contract: Cale Makar Would Be the 91st-Highest-Paid Player in the NBA
Credit: X @TrendingSportsP

Not so long ago—just a few years back—contracts in the eight-figure range, or worth more than $10 million, were still fairly rare in the National Hockey League.

Carey Price was still among the highest-paid players even though he was no longer playing, and salaries weren't skyrocketing.

Well, over the past season or two, with the increase in the salary cap, NHL player salaries have skyrocketed, as we saw this summer with Leo Carlsson, Macklin Celebrini, and more recently, Cale Makar.

In Makar's case, he became the first player in NHL history to sign a contract worth more than $20 million a year, which also makes him the highest-paid player in the NHL.

This is a huge step forward for professional hockey, but ultimately, compared to other professional sports, we're still a long way off in terms of salaries.

To give you an idea, Makar's salary would rank as the 91st highest in the entire NBA—the professional basketball league.

You read that right: Makar's $20.4 million per season would rank very low on the list of the NBA's highest-paid players—alongside role players rather than superstars.

It's as if Makar were paid the same salary as Jonas Brodin or Adam Larsson.

Of course, we've known for a long time that the NBA generates more revenue and has fewer players overall, making each one far more valuable.

With only five players on the court at any given time, the impact can be much greater than that of an NHL player who takes the ice for about 90 seconds per shift.

In short, the NHL has seen a significant rise in salaries and contract values, but it's still not on par with the other top professional leagues.

If we look at the NFL, Makar wouldn't even make the top 100 highest-paid players; in soccer, about 30 players would earn more; and in Major League Baseball, Makar's salary would rank 73rd.

Hockey is less popular—that's just the way it is.


In a Nutshell

– He's just too good. Montreal got crushed.

– Wow.

– For those interested.

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