Who Will Be The NHL’s First $30 Million Player: Connor McDavid Or Auston Matthews?

The NHL salary cap is expected to rise from $104 million to $127.5 million by the 2028-29 season. That $23.5 million increase could have a major impact on future NHL contracts. Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Zach Werenski are all set to become unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2028. Cale Makar recently became the first NHL player to sign a contract with a $20 million annual average value. With the salary cap expected to keep growing, attention is already turning to which player could become the NHL's first $30 million-per-year star.

Rising Salary Cap Could Change NHL Contracts

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the NHL salary cap is expected to increase by $23.5 million over the next two years. That comes after a summer when Cale Makar became the first NHL player to sign a contract with a $20 million annual average value.

Makar's eight-year, $163.2 million extension will pay him $20.4 million per season. Macklin Celebrini had already reached $18.8 million per year, passing Leo Carlsson's $18 million AAV before Makar signed his record deal.

The jump in salaries has already made long-term contracts look different. Celebrini said players and agents were looking at salary-cap projections when negotiating his deal.

Could McDavid Or Matthews Get The NHL's First $30 Million Contract?

McDavid and Matthews are both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2028. Zach Werenski is also set to reach free agency that year, giving the league several major names who could be in line for huge contracts.

McDavid previously took less money on his current contract with Edmonton. His $12.5 million AAV was considered a discount when compared with his value, and the rising cap could give him room for a much larger number on his next deal.

Matthews will also enter free agency in 2028, although his age could affect the value of his next contract. He will be 31 when that deal begins.

NHL Has Come A Long Way On Player Salaries

The NHL salary cap was $39 million when Sidney Crosby entered the league in 2005-06. Jaromir Jagr had the highest cap hit at $8.36 million that season. Crosby's cap hit has remained at $8.7 million for the past 18 seasons.

The league's highest-paid player has since moved from $15 million to more than $20 million in less than two years. With the cap projected to reach $127.5 million in 2028-29, the gap between today's record contracts and a potential $30 million AAV is getting smaller.