The highest paid hockey player in 2018 is Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. He signed a eight-year, $100 million contract extension with the team in July of 2017. The deal has an annual average value (AAV) of $12.5 million, which makes him the highest-paid player in the NHL. McDavid’s AAV is also the second-highest among all active players in the NHL, behind only Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby ($8.7 million).