When a hockey participant wins the Stanley Cup and will get to hoist the best trophy in all of sports activities, their thoughts is flooded with so many ideas. Recollections of skating on frozen ponds once they have been youngsters. Goals they needed to win all of it once they have been rising up. The numerous variety of occasions their mother and father schlepped them to the rink in any respect hours. All of their household, coaches and teammates that believed in them and inspired them.
It’s euphoria. An entire rush of feelings. And when the mud settles, it’s additionally an additional paycheck.
NHL Playoff Pay
Come the playoffs, gamers are not paid their salaries although contracts are paid from July 1 to June 30.
NHL gamers don’t receives a commission a separate wage for enjoying within the postseason. League guidelines really prohibit NHL groups from paying their gamers bonuses for making the playoffs and successful the Stanley Cup. Solely gamers on entry-level contracts and people over the age of 35 are permitted to have bonuses for playoff performances.
That stated, gamers nonetheless obtain compensation for a playoff look. The NHL and NHL Gamers’ Affiliation (NHLPA) comply with put aside a playoff bonus pool to be distributed to every playoff staff based mostly on how far they advance. It’s referred to in Article 28 of the NHL Collective Bargaining Settlement (CBA) because the Participant Fund.
The Pot
of Playoff Cash
The scale of the playoff prize pool usually will increase each third season. In 2012-13 and 2013-14, the playoff bonus pool was $13 million, or twice the quantity put aside within the earlier CBA. Right here’s how the pool was divided in 2013:
The Presidents’ Trophy, awarded to the membership that accumulates probably the most factors within the standings throughout the league’s 82-game common season, will get a small piece of the pie.
Presidents’ Trophy winner — $500,000
First spherical losers — $2 million ($250,000 every to eight groups)
Second spherical losers — $2 million ($500,000 every to 4 groups)
Third spherical losers — $2.5 million ($1.25 million every to 2 groups)
Stanley Cup Finalist — $2.25 million
Stanley Cup Champion — $3.75 million
Rising Income
As league revenues have elevated, the bonus pool has additionally risen. Right here’s how the playoff prize pool has risen over the past decade from $13 million in 2012-13 to $16 million in 2018-19. Probably the most CBA extension, which went into impact for the 2020-21 season has allotted the next quantities for the Playoff Fund:
- 2020-21: $20 million
- 2021-22: $20 million
- 2022-23: $21 million
- 2023-24: $22 million
- 2024-25: $23 million
- 2025-26: $24 million
Divvying up the {Dollars}
The NHLPA, with league approval, determines how the pool is distributed among the many playoff-participating groups annually.
Every staff votes on the variety of shares it ought to give out. Gamers who costume for only a few playoff video games usually don’t obtain a full share, however regulars principally all obtain an equal quantity. In different phrases, every participant doesn’t essentially obtain an equal share of the pool allotted to their respective staff. Typically there are some changes made based mostly on roster dimension, wholesome scratches, and different distinctive conditions.
- In 2024, the eight playoff groups that misplaced within the first spherical acquired roughly $3.4 million ($429,687 to every staff). With every staff having a roster of 23 gamers, every participant acquired roughly $18.600.
- The 4 playoff groups that misplaced within the second spherical additionally acquired $3.4 million ($859,375 to every staff); every of the 23 gamers acquired roughly $37,000.
- The 2 groups that misplaced within the convention finals every acquired $2,062,500; every of the 23 gamers acquired practically $90,000.
- The Stanley Cup Ultimate losers acquired $3,781,250; every of the 23 gamers acquired roughly $164,000.
- The Stanley Cup Champions acquired $6,539,375; every of the 23 gamers acquired roughly $284,000.
Evaluating Championship Prize Cash with different Leagues
Of the main sports activities – baseball, soccer, basketball and hockey – NHL Champions earn the smallest payout.
Main League Baseball – In 2023, the 12 postseason groups earned a file $107.8 million in bonuses. The Gamers’ Pool modifications annually based mostly on ticket gross sales: It’s made up of 60% of the gate receipts from the assured playoff video games.
Every share for the 2023 World Sequence Champions Texas Rangers acquired $506,263.
Nationwide Soccer League – Along with bringing residence the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy, the gamers from the 2023 Kansas Metropolis Chiefs every earned a six-figure bonus test: $164,000 only for successful the ultimate recreation. That’s in response to the 2020 collective bargaining settlement the NFL signed with the NFL Gamers’ Affiliation, which will probably be in impact till the 2030 season. All informed, they made a further $338,000 every for his or her playoff run. The San Francisco 49ers, the Tremendous Bowl losers, took residence $212,500 to go along with plenty of remorse.
Nationwide Basketball Affiliation – NBA prize cash is put right into a pool, and each staff receives part of it based mostly on their efficiency. Final yr, the overall cash within the pot was practically $27 million. Each staff taking part will get a share from it as a payout and the bonus is split equally amongst all staff members.
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Warmth in 2023. As per the calculations, the staff’s cash was roughly $7.8 million. That cash is then break up unequally among the many gamers.
Chump Change for Champs
Stanley Cup Champions are winners on many ranges. Apart from attending to hoist the Cup for a victory lap and getting a bling’d out Stanley Cup Champion ring, they usually parlay their playoff performances into extra profitable contracts.
So although they could not get a bonus immediately, they will have further leverage for a better contract down the street. Star gamers from Cup-winning groups additionally stand to profit financially much more after the victory although endorsements.
For superstars, the quantity of playoff prize cash they earn is comparatively minimal when in comparison with their multi-million greenback salaries. However for children or these with worth contracts, the playoff payout is usually a sizable chunk of their whole wages.
Ask any participant they usually’ll let you know cash isn’t the rationale they play. Their final objective is to have their title engraved on the Stanley Cup and to earn a Stanley Cup ring. And that’s priceless.
