The average salary of a hockey player in the American Hockey League, or AHL, varies a lot depending on the player’s age, experience, and fame. Beginners usually make between $50,000 and $65,000 a year, while the best players easily make more than $150,000 and may even make over $1 million a year.
Since there is such a big difference between the salaries of the best AHL players and the youngest ones, a mathematical average of the whole league gives false information.
Most AHL teams have an annual payroll of around $2 million. However, Chicago and Rochester both had annual payrolls of more than $3 million in 2009-2010, thanks to the high salaries of players like Micheal Nylander and Patrick Rissmiller. For example, Nylander was the highest paid player in the 2009-10 season, with a salary of $3 million per year.
Pay doesn’t seem to depend much on whether a player is a defender, an attacker, or a goalie. Instead, fame and name seem to be the most important factors.
Most teams have at least one younger player who makes less than $40,000 a year, and the average salary for players who aren’t big stars is around $68,000 a year.
