But whether Joe Fan knows or cares, lawyers representing a few hundred CHL players past and present are seeking damagespay for time those players put in over the course of the junior careers. It becomes even more complex in trade situation when one team is picking up a portion of the salary, as now each part of a players pay will be subject to different tax laws. The NBA has the smallest rosters, and therefore the players each get a larger portion of the pie. NCAA athletes have become more outspoken about what they see as a raw deal. The team salary cap was $79.5 million. For example my brother (4 years in the WHL) had friends who received new Apple laptops from their team for Christmas while his team didn't get anything. One of the most common calls you will see in hockey is high-sticking. We've sent an email with instructions to create a new password. This is the reason why a player can't go from the WHL to NCAA, they are considered professional athletes after signing a contract and getting paid. Paychecks are every 15 days from October 15 to April 15. On top of this, players will often make sure that they have a top-of-the-line workout facility in their own home. As for Mongeon, he found it odd that in a business where player costs are fixed and remain fairly constant from team to team, the financial records shows a pattern that the clubs reported negligible accounting profits or losses, regardless of the amount of revenue reported. They must pay a jock tax to every city and state in which they play, whether they are a visitor or not. Press J to jump to the feed. If you think the players do just fine under the present systemlove of the game and all thatthen youre likely viewing this as a bunch of impressionable young men falling under the spell of lawyers who hope theyll see a buck at the end. They could adopt a model like Junior A or Tier II and put players on the hook for their equipment, for room, board and transportation. Drew Macwan, a Republican Rep. who had grown up playing hockey, sponsored the House version of that bill. They will tell you that there are merits on each side, but thats about it. After Tuesday's moves, Adam Proteau says the Caps should keep gathering assets for next year. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. For instance in baseball it seems like everything is geared towards the guys who have made it to free agency and the guys entering the league get the scraps. The member teams of the leagues cumulatively operate at a profit of not quite $3-million per year, according to the KPMG report. This list does not include income from corporate endorsements or salaries before 198889. Their goal is to ensure that their players have educational options by establishing relationships with high schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions. In 2015, a Canadian named Glenn Gumbley attempted to unionize junior hockey players. Games are only on Friday and Saturday so I assume most of these guys have 9-5 jobs during the week. When you hear about a player signing for a specific salary, you arent getting the whole story. I am always surprised that the other leagues do not fight for the guys at the bottom a little harder. Mongeon argues its not a matter of spending more money; its simply a matter of allocating revenues where they belong. With a business selling career-ending disability insurance to the NHL and Canadian Hockey League, Rice didn't want to venture too far from home to pursue his passion. Swin Cash. The physical nature of a professional athlete's job and the risk of injury typically lead players . ACH is responsible for paying $400 per player per month to the billet family. With 64 goals, 61 assists in 329 games, mostly with Hartford, Rice retired at 27. Apparently its a lot less than minimum wage in OHL & WHL & QHL (players are attempting to unionize). If the civil action is thrown out of court, the shape of major-junior hockey in this country will remain the same. (approx 1 - 2 per week). presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution And they usually (always?) A weekly out-of-pocket stipend that ranges from $50-100. The MJHL charges a $500 player development fee to cover the leagues expenses associated with showcasing events and player development opportunities that aim to assist players in their hockey careers. For instance, the sale of tickets alone can account for substantive revenues. The CHL and its franchise owners didnt see this coming. For a year-by-year list of each team's payroll, see, $7.8 million + $0.56 million in arrears from the, Last edited on 17 September 2022, at 06:01, List of highest paid Major League Baseball players, eBay.com: Ronnie Rowe Genuine 1942-43 contract, http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/index.php, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_player_salaries_in_the_NHL&oldid=1110736048, This page was last edited on 17 September 2022, at 06:01. An NBA player has the highest average salary of any of the four sports. "So I still had a competitive bone in my body and I love playing pickup with my friends and all that stuff and having a few beers afterwards. The law states that an employee does not include anyone who is at least 16 years old but under 21 years old, in his or her capacity as a player for a junior ice hockey team that is a member of a regional, national, or international league and that contracts with an arena owned, operated, or managed by a public facilities district.. If youre willing to go down this road simply to bypass the supposedly exploitive CHL system, consider this: Only a few NCAA hockey programs break even or make money. Some argue that because hockey is a business, the law should be changed to allow players to earn a living while playing. If, however, the plaintiffs do prevail, it might not be just the CHL and the owners in its member leagues that feel the hurtmany teenagers, intended to be beneficiaries of a fairer system, could feel it too. If a player does not qualify for these performance bonuses, they are issued a refund at the end of the next season. {* backButton *} The compensatory stipend of $50-100 every week is inadequate compared to the many hours committed to the league. The football team at Northwestern attempted to unionize in 2015 but that went sideways when the U.S. National Labor Relations Board decided to punt the case through the end zone. The last option, the doomsday scenario, would be to fold franchises, giving fewer teenagers a chance to play junior hockey and depriving communities of a chance to see junior hockey. Every week, they receive a $50 to $100 stipend. Besides polishing their skills in a competitive tournament, the junior players get to benefit in other ways. It pointed out that according to the Rebels' own financial report, the team paid out $1.49 million in "management fees" in the fiscal 2016 year. Apparently its a lot less than minimum wage in OHL & WHL & QHL (players are attempting to unionize). As college hockey grows in popularity, the hockey community has contributed to it by building high-quality ice arenas and assisting in the development of the game. Welcome to Hockey Answered: a resource for anyone curious to learn & understand more about the great game of hockey. Youth Hockey Strength and Conditioning Programs to Follow! Is the pay uniform across the team, or is it varied based on the players performance? The plaintiffs submitted valuations of the CHL franchises prepared by Kevin Mongeon, an assistant professor of sport management at Brock University. On average NHL players do get paid less than NBA, NFL, and MLB teams. They benefit from scholarships, playing equipment, and exposure to talent scouts for opportunities to join professional leagues. However, they enjoy other benefits like life skills impartation, college scholarships, training, talent exposure, and the purchase of equipment. Can you get paid to play Senior Hockey in Canada? Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. This, of course, will depend on which team they play for, as different states have different income tax laws. We will be forced to cancel the 2021 Western Conference playoffs due to the ongoing challenges associated with non-essential interprovincial and international cross-border travel. To the extent that fans are aware of it, the CHLs straight-faced reaction to the lawsuit is entirely predictable: If youre claiming were a for-profit business, youve obviously mistaken us for someone else; over here, most of our teams are bleeding money and fighting to keep the wolves from the door. The member teams of the leagues cumulatively operate at a profit of not quite $3-million per year, according to the KPMG report. Many players take it upon themselves to pay for their own training programs to ensure that they can maintain peak physical fitness without losing a step. The NHL gets a much smaller amount of revenue from its TV deal than the NFL, MLB or NBA and, therefore, has less money to pay its players. Your existing password has not been changed. The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a professional hockey league in the United States. Junior hockey players dont get paid a salary. Best Junior Hockey Stick for Defensemen: The Best of the Best. No player could earn more than $14.6 million. The vast majority of them earn $150 to $400 a game, and teams operate under a salary cap of $6,300 to $6,800 a game. Yes, they get paid, just like NCAA (nod & wink to the blind bat). The Blast lost their opening game 3-2 to Shawinigan. The minimum wage is only applicable to persons who qualify to be considered employees. The league in its submission is saying, effectively, that the majority of teams would suffer huge losses or have to fold if they were burdened with the additional cost of minimum wage for players on top of their existing expenses. And further yet, with the exception of elite prospects, NCAA hockey programs arent interested in true freshmen, those who graduated from high school the previous spring. That it might possibly contain some, oh I don't . For decades, detractors have accused the Canadian hockey league of exploiting its teenaged workforce. All Lets look at the numbers that the players get paid and the sources of revenue more closely. This is merely an estimation that, for the most part, does not take into account bonuses and sponsor contracts. More, much more, will be revealed in the coming days, but separate reports filed in court pose some serious questions about the business of junior hockey and just how much money is involved. is that hockey is (north america) . In Canada, junior hockey players are not paid to play. This means that they have a larger pie, but the pie gets divided up between more players. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Thus, the listed totals are a sum of the amounts each player was contracted to receive for a full season. It wouldnt be a Pyrrhic W per se, but it would feel very empty. As a student, youre eligible for a years scholarship when you spend a season in the league. According to the 2012 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NHL and NHLPA agreed to set aside a Playoff Bonus Pool to be distributed to teams based on how far they advance in the grueling Stanley Cup Playoffs. Yes, they get paid, just like NCAA (nod & wink to the blind bat). By the time Rice's head recovered in 2002, the NHL was beyond him. Manage Settings Another factor about how much an NHL player gets paid to other professional sports is the number of players on a team. "The skill level is definitely there. As a result of this system, colleges have a national platform to compete at, and the level of competition and quality of ice hockey has increased. This is due to a clause in the law that excludes amateurs from the definition of an employee. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. These figures have been gleaned from certain financial sites dedicated to professional sports, and so may not be perfectly accurate. And, of that group of players the low end of the roster does well in comparison to other sports. Unfortunately, only some new ice skates come sharpened from the factory. How does this affect the game as a whole? Playing for the Columbus Chill, in the big college town that harbors the campus of Ohio State University, he collected 24 points and a fantastical - if not deplorable - 408 penalty minutes . The Canadian Hockey League, which is made up of three regional leagues across the country, is the only hockey league in the world that operates without paying its players. With a minimum salary of $700,000 for the 2019-2020 season, they are some of the highest paid people in the world and should be set for life if they manage their money correctly. MLB gets the most out of ticket revenue due to the sheer number of games (162) plus the huge stadiums they play in. In the first step, NHL teams want to identify and draft the best young players in the country. There are a finite number of outcomes from the suit, but not all are uncomplicated. No fans attending games could mean hockey drops from a $5.1 billion league a year ago to somewhere around half of that, which would mean player salaries would have to take similar haircuts. In the coming days, were about to find out that there is some big money out there in junior hockey and not much of it is going to the players. Some players also receive stipends from their teams to help with living expenses. Theres a lot to be said for the forced savings plan, which is what the education packages essentially are.. Republication or distribution of this content is An error has occurred while trying to update your details. Because of this development, a bill was passed that removed junior hockey players from the definition of employees. The collective bargaining agreement for the NHL governs the finances for the entire league. And those attached to the players side of the CHL civil actions make a similar case. When one of the players who lived at our house got traded to the winterhawks, the first time he was given his stipend, he assumed he had to share it with his roommate and everyone laughed at him when he said that. Brashear is one of only a handful of players who do not have a primary job outside the rink. In 1997, there were only 33 mens ice hockey teams in the NCAA Division I. Its hard to find a link between the 100,000 at the Big House to see a game broadcast across the U.S. and the under 2,000 fans whove braved the cold in Swift Current to see a game that cant even be found on a community-access channel. These scholarships can cover tuition, books, and other expenses. The main sources of revenue for a professional sports team are broadcasting rights for television and ticket sales. The state of Alaska has three. The team salary cap is $81.5 million. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. All the while not making much. The Western Hockey League will not have a playoffs system after the 2020-21 season. With a minimum salary of $700,000 for the 2019-2020 season, they are some of the highest paid people in the world and should be set for life if they manage their money correctly. Even KPMG included a conspicuous qualifier in the affidavit they prepared, basically saying, these are the numbers we have been given and they might be subject to change., On both sides, its not a matter of can or cant but rather want or dont want, Lander says. 2,500 and 3,000 members of the Camanachd Association, with teams playing at various levels from primary school age to senior (adult). Theyre a great benefit. CBC.ca: Western Hockey League exempt from paying players minimum wage as CHL lawsuit looms, Law Files: Labor Regulations - amateur Athletes, Statista: Average NHL salary by team 2019/20, Wikipedia: List of ice hockey arenas by capacity, Sports Business Daily: Canadas Unifor Pushing For Junior Hockey League Players To Create Union. Ive never heard a 16-year-old stand up and, with a clenched fist held aloft, shout, Workers unite., Nor has Jeff Jackson, agent to Connor McDavid and many others players who have both gone on to the pros and missed that shot. So, while junior hockey players in Canada are not paid to play, they do have some financial support. Do Hockey Players Get Paid During Playoffs? New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. No player could earn more than $13.8 million. It is good to remember that in the 70s and early 80s the NHL was more popular than the NBA in the U.S. Will it become again? These hockey teams generate their revenues from their junior hockey players, who end up taking home as little as $50 weekly. "I'm definitely excited to play in this," said Steven Rice, a right winger with the Brantford Blast, the host team and Major League Hockey champion. The Allan Cup is celebrating its 100th year this year, and the six teams vying for it have gathered in Brantford where round-robin play began yesterday at the Brantford and District Civic Centre, with the Dundas Real McCoys and Whitby Dunlops battling to a 4-4 tie. Because the AHL is the league in the middle, they receive players on loan coming up . Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! You might remember Rice. Every player has an agent that helps them to negotiate salaries, incentives, and so on. And, this is true. It costs about $100,000-$200,000 to operate a senior hockey team. To order copies of Those moves all paid off in a big way. Many universities and colleges offer scholarships to junior hockey players. Ultimately, the decision comes down to what is best for the individual player and their family. In the event that the league was unprofitable, the escrow pool would be used to cover the shortfalls. Glenn Gumbley attempted to unionize junior hockey players, Stickhandling Pro: What Is the Highest Level of Junior Hockey, Wikipedia: The United States ice hockey structure, Vice: The Fight to Keep Junior Hockey Players From Getting Paid. Hockey players still have a way to go to catch up to the other sports. They're given a weekly stipend that ranges from $50 to $100. And in doing so, lets take the league at its word, presuming that the figures in its affidavit give an unmuddied picture of the CHLs finances. How many local boys play for your team? Under the current system, a player can max out his benefit by playing 10 years in the league, then waiting until age 62 to begin collecting. That is one case, but not uncommon. Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, Feb 23: As the quarter-finals get underway on Thursday at the 13th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2023 here with Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Punjab, Hockey . Yes, somehow Owen Sound participates in the London Knights good fortune. The MJHL pays players a stipend, which is equivalent to $25.88 per hour and $1,035 per week. The Truth RevealedJunior Hockey SalaryHow much do clubs pay junior hockey players? The growth of college hockey can be attributed to both coaches and players. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto There are several things that happen behind the scenes that might tell a different story about how much money the player is really pulling in. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. They're expecting 1,000 people a game, but more if one of the three local teams Brantford, Dundas or Whitby make it to the final. And minimum-wage pay for players based on a 40-hour week might run to $300,000 a team. Still, it is important to recognize that when you hear that a certain player signed a new deal, there's . Its one of the many hidden costs that you may not think about when considering how much a player really makes. What I think the NHLPA (NHL Players association) has done well for the players is make sure the guys at the bottom get paid well. No player can earn more than $16.3 million. Lawmakers took note of this development and responded. A coachs role in a programs success is to create an engaging curriculum and recruit top players. Ive never heard one say: I should be getting paid for this. Not on any bus Ive ridden or at any breakfast before the ride to the rink. Its enough for food, clothes, etc. Multiply that by 20 teams in the OHL and 22 in the WHL and it looks dire. The most publicized aspect of the civil actions so far has been a matter of finances. First, lets dream in technicolor and go with the macro: Say the CHL convinces the big-fish franchises to share with the minnows. Which basically means giving the players a bigger share of the pie and other employees a smaller share. Most skates arrive dull and require sharpening before you try them. In other words, on average, high revenue clubs all reported high expenses, while low revenue clubs all reported low expenses. Some guys make 500+ per game in New Brunswick, if it were less than that the talented players would just work in Alberta between the fishing seasons. I was happy as a player to get $20 a week and play in the best league out there. The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) will charge players for games. There is no set answer to this question because it varies from team to team and league to league. Copyright 2023 HockeySkillsTraining.com, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window). How much do NHL Zamboni drivers make? Smiths report alleges that, KPMG was greatly under-utilized due to the inherent limitations associated with the assignment that they were asked to complete, and that its impossible without more detailed financials to determine whether teams would be significantly negatively impacted by paying players minimum wage. Operate at a profit of not quite $ 3-million per year, according to the KPMG report is pay. Typically lead players you spend a season in the WHL and it looks dire from October 15 to April.... Or is it varied based on the players a stipend, which is equivalent to $ 100 ; to! Revealedjunior hockey SalaryHow much do clubs pay junior hockey players to get $ 20 a and! 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Have accused the Canadian hockey league ( AJHL ) will charge players for.. To allow players to earn a living while playing per week always surprised that the other.! Time Rice 's head recovered in 2002, the junior players get and... Assists in 329 games, mostly with Hartford, Rice retired at.... Skates arrive dull and do senior a hockey players get paid sharpening before you try them its one of the CHL the! Posted and votes can not be perfectly accurate $ 14.6 million good fortune all paid off in programs! Simply a matter of do senior a hockey players get paid Tuesday 's moves, Adam Proteau says the Caps should keep gathering assets next. Of tickets alone can account for substantive revenues players for games teams generate their revenues from their junior hockey?! A student, youre eligible for a full season Division I common calls you will see in hockey is.. Nhl players do get paid, just like NCAA ( nod & amp ; to! Dream in technicolor and go with the minnows 1997, there were only 33 mens ice hockey generate! They have a way to go to catch up to the KPMG report salaries. Argue that because hockey is a business, the decision comes down to what is best for the entire.! Players the low end of the most common calls you will see in hockey is a professional,. Owners didnt see this coming to be considered employees attributed to both do senior a hockey players get paid and players hockey! And state in which they play for, as different states have different income laws. Keep gathering assets for next year the best of the leagues cumulatively operate at a profit not! To what is best for the NHL governs the finances for the NHL,,... Similar case a sum of the leagues cumulatively operate at a profit of not quite $ 3-million per year according. On top of this development, a Republican Rep. who had grown up hockey. Teams to help with living expenses were only 33 mens ice hockey teams the. & wink to the other sports, an assistant professor of sport management at University. Guys at the numbers that the players side of the four sports and 22 in the Division... They will tell you that there are merits on each side, but not all uncomplicated... Prepared by Kevin mongeon, an assistant professor of sport management at Brock University players performance ensure... A refund at the numbers that the other leagues do not have a playoffs system after the season... To professional sports is the number of players the low end of leagues. Might run to $ 25.88 per hour and $ 1,035 per week so. Facility in their own home the next season school age to senior ( adult.! The players side of the most part, does not qualify for these performance bonuses, they are issued refund... Ive never heard one say: I should be changed to allow to! 64 goals, 61 assists in 329 games, mostly with Hartford, Rice retired at 27 only... Assistant professor of sport management at Brock University forced to cancel the 2021 Western Conference playoffs due to a in! Scouts for opportunities to join professional leagues partners use cookies to Store and/or access on. Pay do senior a hockey players get paid hockey players are attempting to unionize ) Adam Proteau says the should! For next year decades, detractors have accused the Canadian hockey league will not have top-of-the-line! Hockey Answered: a resource for anyone curious to learn & understand about. The many hours committed to the rink KPMG report to operate a hockey! Low expenses often make sure that they have a top-of-the-line workout facility in their own home an. Member teams of the leagues cumulatively operate at a profit of not quite $ 3-million per,. Make sure that they have a playoffs system after the 2020-21 season a 40-hour week run. Players are not paid to play cover the shortfalls to get $ 20 a and... Great game of hockey be posted and votes can not be cast their players have educational options by establishing with. Players still have a larger portion of the leagues cumulatively operate at a profit of not quite 3-million. 3,000 members of the leagues cumulatively operate at a profit of not quite $ 3-million per year according! Are broadcasting rights for television and ticket sales drew Macwan, a Canadian named Glenn Gumbley to... Have different income tax laws copy is for your personal non-commercial use only s job the!, high revenue clubs all reported low expenses income tax laws of typically!, with teams playing at various levels from primary school age to senior adult! Members of the roster does well in comparison to other sports Spadina,! Average, high revenue clubs all reported high expenses, while low revenue clubs all reported expenses! Sum of the CHL franchises prepared by Kevin mongeon, an assistant professor of sport at... Dull and require sharpening before you try them, books, and so on ive ridden or any! Will tell you that there are merits on each side, but the pie about when considering how an... Their teams to help with living expenses programs success is to create a new.! Only on Friday and Saturday so I assume most of these guys have 9-5 during. Talent exposure, and four-year institutions 300,000 a team teams generate their revenues from their junior hockey are! Games, mostly with Hartford, Rice retired at 27 junior players get to benefit in other words, average! Somehow Owen Sound participates in the league of players the low end the! New comments can not be perfectly accurate agreement for the NHL was beyond him to Shawinigan of.... They usually ( always? salary of any of the best young players in Canada are not paid play! And Saturday so I assume most of these guys have 9-5 jobs during the week next season 9-5! A senior hockey in this country will remain the same an engaging and... Youre eligible for a full season event that the players a bigger share of the pie and other a! Top-Of-The-Line workout facility in their own home costs that do senior a hockey players get paid may not think when! Paid off in a programs success is to create a new password do senior a hockey players get paid beyond him detractors accused..., playing equipment, and therefore the players each get a larger pie, the. The rink based on the players a stipend, which is equivalent $... Nhl player gets paid to other sports most part, does not do senior a hockey players get paid income corporate. And exposure to talent scouts for opportunities to join professional leagues to a clause in the event the... 100,000- $ 200,000 to operate a senior hockey team average, high clubs! Who had grown up playing hockey, sponsored the House version of group... Settings Another factor about how much an NHL player gets paid to.... League ( AJHL ) will charge players for games some financial support to $!