The average pay of an American Hockey League (AHL) player varies substantially based on the player’s age, experience, and notoriety. Beginner players often earn between $50,000 and $65,000 per year, whilst the biggest stars routinely earn over $150,000 and may even surpass $1 million per year.
With such a significant gap between the earnings of AHL’s best players and those of the league’s youngest players, a mathematical average of the entire league yields deceptive results.
During the 2009-2010 season, Chicago and Rochester had payrolls in excess of $3 million due to the enormous contracts of players such as Micheal Nylander and Patrick Rissmiller. Nylander, with an annual contract of $3 million, was the highest-paid player during the 2009-10 season.
A player’s wage is not significantly affected by whether he is a defence, a forward, or a goaltender, as notoriety and name appear to be the most influential factors.
Most teams have at least one younger player earning less than $40,000 per year, and the average wage for journeymen players, excluding the biggest names, is approximately $68,000 per year.
