10 Highest Paid NHL Coaches in 2023

Publish date: 2024-05-19

Highest paid NHL Coaches include Todd McLellan, Bruce Cassidy, John Tortorella, Paul Maurice, Rick Tocchet, John Tortorella and Craig Berube.

There is no compulsion for NHL coaches to reveal their salaries as they do not have any union, unlike the NHL players. Their earnings normally rely upon their experience and the number of wins in their careers.

NHL coaches salary ranges from $1 million to $5 million on average under many terms and conditions in their contracts. Many coaches have kept their million-figure salaries undisclosed, while some have openly given insight into their dealings.

New York Rangers stands atop as the Richest NHL Team at $2.2 billion, while Arizona Coyotes stands last for its value at 0.45 billion among 32 teams in the league.

With many provisions and the state of teams, the coaches have survived any ordeal though their earnings do not come close to the players. 

These are 10 of the highest-paid coaches in the NHL right now:

10. Rick Bowness - Winnipeg Jets

Rick Bowness has a $2,500,000 salary provision from the Jets. He joined the team on 3rd July 2022 as their head coach till the 2024-25 season.

The Canadian ice hockey coach is subjected to the $2.5 million deal till 2024 and will take home a whopping $3 million for the 2024-25 season.

Bowness was a right-wing during his playing career and was a part of the Atlanta Flames, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets from 1975 to 1984.

Rick started his coaching career in 1984 as an assistant for the Winnipeg Jets. He was named the team's head coach four years later.

In his four decades-long coaching career, Bowness has looked after New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Dallas Stars all this time. 

Rick replaced Dave Lowry for the role last year and currently mentors his son, Adam Lowry, the team's ice hockey center and alternate captain.

The 68-year-old Bowness boasts a record of 212 victories, 351 losses, and 48 ties from the 639 games in the league to date.

9. Rick Tocchet - Vancouver Canucks

Rick Tocchet is contracted at a salary of $2,750,000 for the 2023-24 season. He has been guaranteed the same amount for next season as well.

He took on the position of the Canucks' head coach on January 22, 2023. The two parties have signed a two-year deal worth $5 million.

Coming into 2023, Tocchet's record stands at 474 games coached with 198 victories and 212 losses. 

He was previously in charge of the Arizona Coyotes from 2017 to 2021. Furthermore, the former right winger played in the league from 1983 to 2002 with the Phoenix Coyotes being his last team.

He had the sixth lowest known salaries as an NHL coach after Rick Bowness, Jay Woodcroft, Jared Bednar, Luke Richardson, and Jim Montgomery.

8. Martin St. Louis - Montreal Canadiens

Martin St. Louis receives a salary amount of $3,000,000 from the Montreal Canadiens management. He signed to the team as their head coach on June 1, 2022, as a part of their three-year extension deal.

He had been serving as the Canadiens' interim head coach since February 9 of the same year. Martin has coached 119 games so far and knabbed 45 wins but grabbed 64 losses.

The Habs is the first team that Martin is coaching, and he has extensive playing experience. He played in NHL from 1998 to 2015 and won Stanley Cup in 2004 with Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Canadiens finished in the 8th position in the Atlantic under his leadership during the 2022 season. St. Louis has been guaranteed the same $3 million payment in his remaining two years.

7. Craig Berube - St. Louis Blues

Craig Berube will receive $3,500,000 in salary through the 2024–25 season from St. Louis Blues. He received the exact figures in 2022, the year he signed a three-year contract extension deal with the team.

Berube started as an assistant head coach for the Blues in 2017 and gradually climbed the ladder of success. He became the Blus' interim head coach the following season and led them to their first Stanley Cup title in the 2018-19 season.

Berube officially became the franchise's 26th head coach as he signed a three-year contract following the historic triumph. The former NHL player has coached a total of 515 games and won 268 while losing 176 in his coaching career since 2006.

Given his accomplishments and stronghold in the league, he falls on the list of highest-paid coaches in the NHL.

6. Gerard Gallant - New York Rangers

The NY Rangers head coach is tied to a $3,500,000 salary. Gallant will receive the $3.5 million salary cap till the 2024-25 season.

The 59-year-old veteran Gerard ranks 46th amongst the NHL coaches with the most wins at 369 victories from 705 games.

He has been coaching since 1998 and took over the Rangers' leadership in June 2021. Prior to the Rangers, the "Turk" has been the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights.

Regarding his devotion to the Rangers, he is the first head coach to record a back-to-back 100-point season in his first two years in the franchise's history.

5. Paul Maurice - Florida Panthers

Paul Maurice bags a salary of $3,900,000 each season till 2025. He and the Panthers agreed on the deal in June 2022 when he replaced the interim head coach Andrew Brunette.

Maurice is best known for his time with the Winnipeg Jets as their head coach from 2014 to 2021. Besides the Jets and Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs is the only NHL team that Paul has coached so far.

He was a player for OHL and mainly coached OHL and Tier I teams in his more than three-decades-long ice coaching career.

Paul boasts the highest number of NHL victories at 817 in a total of 1766 games he coached. He currently stands in sixth place in terms of win numbers of all time behind Lindy Ruff, the only active NHL coach as of 2023.

4. John Tortorella - Philadelphia Flyers

John Tortorella takes home $4,000,000 salary figures from the Flyers. John is contracted at the same amount till the 2025-26 NHL season.

The veteran NHL coach Tortorella has 704 victories in 1465 games to date, standing at 11th position in the list of most wins as a coach.

He signed with Philadelphia in June 2022. John previously led Tampa Bay Lightning, NY Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Tortorella guided Tampa Bay to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship. Furthermore, he is the first American-born NHL coach to reach 500 wins.

3. Peter DeBoer - Dallas Stars

Peter DeBoer receives an impressive $4,250,000 salary from the Dallas Stars each season until 2026. He replaced Rick Bowness in June 2022.

The likes of Jason Robertson, Jamie Benn and Jake Oettinger will be looking forward to winning the trophy under his tutelage.

The Canadian legend boasts a whooping 560 victories in the NHL in a total of 1097 games, per NHL Records. DeBoer stands behind Lindy Ruff, Paul Maurice, Darryl Sutter, John Tortorella, and Tod McLellan as NHL coaches with the most wins.

Peter started his NHL career with the Maple Leafs in 1988 but did not play with them. Instead, he actively played as a center for OHL and IHL teams.

The same goes for his coaching career, as he did not coach in NHL until 2008 though he had ventured as a coach during the 1994–95 season.

 Peter led Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, and Vegas Golden Knights before his time with the Stars.

2. Bruce Cassidy - Vegas Golden Knights

Bruce Cassidy receives a salary of $4,500,000 from the Golden Knights per season. The two parties signed a multiple-year contract on June 2022.

Nicknamed "Butch," Cassidy replaced Peter DeBoer and became the third head coach in the franchise's history. Meanwhile, he had knabbed the deal only eight days after being fired by Boston Bruins.

Bruce Cassidy has 343 victories on his name out of the 591 games he coached, making him one of the few NHL coaches with the most wins. 

He started his coaching career in 1997 and has been a part of many teams, including four IHL teams, Washington Capitals, the Blackhawks, and the Bruins.

Moreover, he also has experience in leading the Providence Bruins of AHL from 2008 to 2016 as their assistant coach and later head coach.

1. Todd McLellan - Los Angeles Kings

Todd McLellan is the highest-paid coach in NHL with a salary of  $5,000,000. Todd signed with the Kings on April 16, 2019.

The 55-year-old veteran received the exact amount at the end of the 2022 NHL season, and the same goes for the ongoing season.

Todd has been leading teams as a head coach since 1993, while he had a brief stint as a pro player. He played as a center from 1987 to 1989 and 1990 to 1992 though recurring health problems pushed him back. 

His impressive record of 575 victories in 1096 games makes McLellan one of the most sought-after head coaches in the NHL.

Furthermore, he also remains the San Jose Sharks' winningest coach in history, with 207 victories alone out of 434 games from 2008 to 2014.

McLellan also guided Tyson Barrie and the Canadian national team to win the 2015 World Championship with a perfect 10–0 record.

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