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The 20 Richest NHL Players of All-Time

The NHL, or National Hockey League, is the professional ice hockey league that is made up of 30 teams, 23 of which are located in the US and 7 are based in Canada. The headquarters are based in New York City and the league is recognized as the premier professional ice hockey league of the world.

The league was organized and began in 1917 and all vie for the oldest professional sports trophy, the Stanley Cup. The players are some of the toughest in any sport, being that it is a very high-contact sport, and some of the best players have earned quite a net worth playing the sport.

If you follow the sport, then you are probably familiar with some of the key players and which ones are on top of the game. If you are wondering who has made it to the top as far as their wealth from the sport, here is a list of the 20 richest NHL players of all-time.

20. Tim Thomas Net Worth - $20 million

Tim Thomas is a former pro hockey player who spent most of his years playing for the Boston Bruins. At 32 years of age, he began playing as the Bruin's goaltender and has earned a number of awards throughout his career, including being a two-time winner of he Vezina Trophy, in 2009 and in 2011.

He has also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He was the oldest player, at 37, to have won the Conn Smythe as well as the second, of only four players, to have won it.  Tim Thomas has earned a net worth of $20 million dollars during his career as a pro hockey player.

19. Owen Nolan Net Worth - $20 million

Owen Nolan was bdorn din 1958 and is a former NHL player who played the left winger position for the Buffalo Sabres as well as he played for the Lativa men's national ice hockey team. He has also been a part of the Detroit Redf Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Other positions he's held include being a coach for the Buffalo Sanbres and New York Islanders, which he did after acting as assistant coach for the Hartford Whalers for one season. He loved hockey as a kid, but being able to play the sport was tough as a kid due to growing up in a poverty-stricken home.

He has earned a number of achievements throughout his career, including being chosen as a role model in the national native alcohol drug abuse program, back in 1986. He was also chosen for the Kiwanis Citizen of the year in 1991, and won the Jack Adams Award in 1996-1997 and the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1994. Ted Nolan has a net worth of $20 million dollars.

18. Scott Niedermayer Net Worth - $30 million

Scott Niedermayer is a Canadian NHL player who was born in 1973. He is a former defenceman and current Special Assignment Coach for the Anaheim Ducks. During his 18 season career, Niedermayer played over 1,000 games in the NHL and is a four-time Stanley Cup winner.

He has also played in five NHL All-Star Games. Other achievements made by the player is winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy in both 2003 and 2004 for being the top defenceman. He also took home the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2007, and was voted the MVP of the 1992 Memorial Cup, which he lead the Blazers to the Canadian Hockey League championship.

He has earned a wide variety of accolades throughout his impressive hockey career and when he retired, he had a net worth of $30 million dollars. Since retiring, his jersey number has been retired.

17. Eric Lindros Net Worth - $30 million

Eric Lidros was born in 1973 and is a Canadian born pro ice hockey player that played fin the Ontario Hockey League for the Oshawa Generals before he became the number one pick for the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. He was chosen by the Quebec Nordiques and refused to play for them.

He was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. He played for the team during the 1992-1993 season and was an amazing power forward for the team, averaging more than a point per game. He was an aggressive player, to the point that he missed a significant amount of time playing due to injuries.

He had many problems with concussions during his time on the ice. His accomplishments include winning gold medals in 1990 and 1991, being Canada's all-time points leader at the World Junior Championship, scoring 31 points. He is one of only four players to be inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame. He has a net worth of $30 million.

16. Alexander Ovechkin Net Worth - $30 million

Alex Ovechkin was born in September of 1985 and is a Russian born, pro hockey player. He played as a winger and was the captain of the Washington Capital in the NHL. Prior to entering the NHL, Ovechkin played for the HC Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague for a four-season run, from 2001 to 2005.

He was selected first for the Capitals in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft in 2004 but didn't join the team until the 2005-2006 season. His accomplishments, include winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the year, winning a total of 106 points. Ovechkin has held the lead in NHL goal scoring and is considered to be one of the greatest goal scorers in the NHL. His net worth is $30 million dollars.

15. Sergei Fedorov Net Worth - $30 million

Sergei Fedorov is a Russian-born pro hockey player with the NHL. He played the center position and occasionally winger or defenceman. He was born in 1969 and gained his fame while playing for the Detroit Red Wings for his very unique style of playing. He has won the Stanley Cup three separate times, along with the Hart Memorial Trophy.

He was also designated as the MVP in 1994 and finally retired in 2009. During his career, Fedorov played in over 1,200 games and scored 483 goals in the NHL. He has a net worth of $30 million dollars.

14. Bobby Orr Net Worth - $35 million

Bobby Orr is a former Canadian pro ice hockey player for the NHL. He has been revered as one of the greatest hockey players ever, and his skating abilities have been hard to follow. He had incredible speed, scoring, and play-execution abilities while playing the position of defenceman.

During his career, he played for 12 seasons, 10 of which were with the Boston Bruins, and two were with the Chicago Black Hawks. He was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history during the NHL All-Star Ceremony weekend in Los Angeles, CA in 2017 and inducted into the NHL Hall of fame. He has a net worth of $35 million dollars and now spends time talking to, and mentoring young skaters.

13. Roberto Luongo Net Worth - $36 million

Born in April of 1979 in Canada, Roberto Luongo was an ice hockey goaltender who played for the Florida Panthers. He also spent time playing fot eh Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders and uses the butterfly style of goaltending.

He has won several awards during his career, including the William M. Jennings Trophy and is a twice-winning NHL Second All-Star, for 2004 and 2007.

He has also been a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, has taken home the Hart Memorial Trophy, and won the Lester B. Pearson Award. He has a net worth of $36 million dollars.

12. Henrik Sedin Net Worth - $40 million

Henrik Sedin is a Swedish pro hockey player who was born in 1980. He plays centre and serves as captain of the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL. He has an identical twin brother who also plays for the Canucks and they played together most of their career.

Both are well-known for their efficiency in playing together and while Daniel (brother) is known for his goal-scoring ability, Henrik is known for his skills in passing and skilled playmaking abilities. He became a leader in scoring for the Canucks and was awarded as the all-time score leader in 2013.

He earned his 1,000 point score in January of 2017. He was the team's MVP in 2010 and has won the Hart Memorial Trophy, among many others, and has a net worth of $40 million dollars and is one of the richest NHL players.

11. Teemu Selanne Net Worth - $40 million

Teemu Selanne is also known as "The Finnish Flash" and was born in July of 1970. He is a former pro hockey player and began his career during the 1989-90 season, playing for Jokerit of the SM-liiga. His career with the NHL spanned 21 seasons and he played for the Winnipeg Jets, the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche.

He played in 10 NHL All-Star games and was named to four post-seasons of the All-Star Teams and played in five World Championships. He has also broke the NHL record for scoring, scoring 76 goals during the 1992-93 season. He is worth $40 million dollars and is listed as one of the richest NHL players of all time.

10. Nicklas Backstrom Net Worth - $40 million

Niklas Backstrom was born in 1978 and is a Finnish professional hockey player with the NHL. He played for 10 seasons with the Minnesota Wild as well as the Calgary Flames. He has won several awards, including the William M. Jennings Trophy as well as the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award.

Backstrom made his NHL debut in October of 2006 and made his first career win, with a 6-5 win over the Nashville Predators and since then, has made impressive finishes, including a shutout game against the Phoenix Coyotes with a 4-0 game in November of 2006. Speaking of shutouts, he has set a team record with five shutouts in just 36 starts that he played. He has carved out an amazing career with the NHL and has created a net worth of $40 million.

9. Steve Yzerman Net Worth - $40 million

Steve Yzerman is a Canadian born, former pro hockey player. He was born in 1965 and played hockey for the Detroit Red Wings his whole career.

He is currently the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightening and is now a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. On January 27, 2017, Yzerman was a part of a group of players that was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history, at an All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, CA.

During his career, he led his team to five, first-place season finishes and to 3 Stanley Cup championships. He has also been recognize as the MVP of the Stanley Cup in 1998 and has won countless awards for his skills and leadership, and continues to play a big role in the sport. He has a hefty net worth of $40 million dollars, making him one of the sport's wealthiest players.

8. Jaromir Jagr Net Worth - $40 million

Jaromir Jagr is a Czech pro hockey player born in 1972. He plays for the Florida Panthers in the NHL and formerly played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Washington Capitals, the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, and New Jersey Devils. He serves as captain for the Penguins and the Rangers. 

Jagr holds the leading point-scorer position among the active NHL players and is the second in point scoring in the NHL's history. He has been considered as one of the best hockey players in history and at the current age of 45, he is the oldest player to-date, to record a hat-trick.

He was included in a group of players on January 27, 2017, in Los Angeles, CA, at the All-Star Weekend, to be named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players. His net worth is $40 million and he is currently one of the richest NHL players of all-time.

7. Vincent Lacavalier Net Worth - $45 million

Vincent Lacavalier was born in 1980 and is a former pro hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings as the last team he was with before retiring. He also acted as captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2000-2001 season. He moved to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2013 and was a member of the Stanley Cup championship team in 2004.

Lacavalier won the Maurice, "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2007 as the leding goal scorer for the NHL. He has a net worth of $45 million due to his phenomenal plays and skills in hockey, and is one of the richest NHL players, ever.

6. Mark Messier Net Worth - $55 million

The Canadian born and raised, former pro NHL hockey player, Mark Messier, was born in 1961 and played for many years with the Edmonton Oilers, the New York Rangers, and the Vancouver Canucks. He is currently the president and general manager of the New York Rangers.

Messier is regarded as one of the greatest NHL players of all-time. He is currently still holds a record holder for being the second on the all-time list for his playoff points, of 295, and during the regular season games, played a total of 1,756 games. He is also a six-time Stanley Cup champ, five of which were won against the Oilers and one with the Rangers.

He also has many trophies and awards to his name, including the Hart Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy, and has been entered into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. He has a $55 million dollar net worth and is the fifth richest NHL player.

5. Niklas Lidstrom Net Worth - $60 million

Niklas Lidstrom is a former pro Hockey player who hails from Sweden. He played a total of 20 seasons in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings and he captained the team for the last six seasons before he retired. He is very much regarded as one of the greatest defencemen in the NHL to this day.

His NHL accomplishments include, 12 NHL All-Star Games, being awarded as the top defenceman in the NHL, seven James Norris Memorial Trophies, one Conn Smythe Trophy and the playoff MVP. He was also one of the players named as one of the top '100 Greatest NHL Players' at the All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles and is now, in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He has earned a net worth of $60 million dollars during his career.

4. Jerome Iginla Net Worth - $60 million

The Canadian pro hockey player, Jerome Iginla is one of the best players to ever grace the ice. He made his NHL debut in 1995 when he started with the Calgary team.

He was a longtime member and former captain of the Calgary Flames, but has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and the Los Angeles Kings. He has led the league in goal scores for his second time and led the Flames to the Stanley Cup finals.

He has also won the Lester B. Pearson Award, as part of his phenomenal hockey playing abilities. During his long tenure with the NHL, Iginla has earned a net worth of $60 million dollars. He is the fourth richest NHL player, ever.

3. Pavel Bure Net Worth - $68 million

Born and raised in Russia, Pave Bure is also known as "The Russian Rocket" for his speed on the ice. He was born on March 31, 1971 and played for 12 seasons in the NHL as a right winger. He trained in the Soviet Union with the Central red Army team before starting his NHL career here, which began during the 1992-93 season.

He helped the Canucks reach the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals before moving to the Panthers. Bure has also won back-toback Rocket Richard Trophies for being the lead goal-scorer.

His accomplishments throughout his NHL career have been phenomenal, and he played hard, but his hard play was part of his downfall, it was responsible for creating many knee problems and was ultimately the reason for his retirement in 2005. He is now in the Hockey Hall of Fame and has an impressive net worth of $68 million dollars. He is the third richest NHL player of all-time.

2. Mario Lemieux Net Worth - $150 million

Mario Lemieux is Canadian, and a former pro hockey player with the NHL. He was born in 1965 and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, whom he is now the owner of.

He was nicknamed "The Magnificent One" as well as he also referred to as "Super Mario." Lemieux is the only player to score one goal in each possible situation to score, all in one game. He is known to be very gifted with playmaking and an exceptionally fast skater, although he is a large-built player.

He was known to defeat many defencemen with his "fakes and dekes." He has won many awards and trophies during his career, including the Art Ross Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy, Hart Trophy and the Lester B Pearson Award. He has won an Olympic gold medal, which he got in 2002. Lemieux has a net worth of $150 million, and he falls at number 2 on the list of the richest NHL players.

1. Wayne Gretzky Net Worth - $200 million

Born Wayne Douglas Gretzky, Wayne Gretzky is the ultimate NHL player with an unbelievable net worth of $200 million dollars. He was born in 1961 and is a former Canadian pro hockey player. He was nicknamed "The Great One" and has been labeled as the greatest hockey player to ever live.

He holds the record for lead scorer in the NHL and has garnered more assists for scores, than any other player. He is also the only player to ever have scored over 200 points in one season alone.

When he retired in 1999, Gretzky held 61 NHL records and as of 20215, he had retained 60 of them. He has many awards and trophies to his name and he has been a big advocate against fighting in hockey. With a $200 million dollar net worth, Wayne Gretzky is the richest NHL player of all-time.

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Maria McCutchen

Written by Maria McCutchen

Maria McCutchen is an author and freelance writer living in Chattanooga, TN. She is the published author of her memoir, “It’s all in Your Head,” and a children’s book. She has been writing for over 15 years; writing articles, whitepapers, product write-ups and more for multiple online media sites, blogs, company websites and individuals. She is also an advocate for brain malformations, including Chiari Malformation, and works closely with the non-profit organization, The Chiari Project, writing for their quarterly newsletters.

Read more posts by Maria McCutchen

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