The 2021–22 NHL season saw the Colorado Avalanche finally break through, winning their first Stanley Cup since 2001. Led by Cale Makar, who won the Norris and Conn Smythe, Colorado’s elite speed and skill overwhelmed the defending champion Lightning in six games. Auston Matthews became the first player in a decade to score 60 goals, winning the Hart Trophy. The Seattle Kraken played their inaugural season, and the league returned to its traditional 82-game schedule and divisional alignment, with arenas worldwide returning to full capacity.
| vs previous season | ||||||
| Rank | Player | NHL Salary ($US) | In today's $ | +/- ($) | +/- (%) | |
| 1 | Erik Karlsson | $14,500,000 | $16,206,827 | $2,500,000 | 21% | |
| 2 | Artemi Panarin | $13,000,000 | $14,530,258 | |||
| 2 | Carey Price | $13,000,000 | $14,530,258 | $3,250,000 | 33% | |
| 2 | Connor McDavid | $13,000,000 | $14,530,258 | -$1,000,000 | -7% | |
| 2 | Tyler Seguin | $13,000,000 | $14,530,258 | $4,000,000 | 44% | |
| 6 | Nikita Kucherov | $12,000,000 | $13,412,546 | $3,000,000 | 33% | |
| 6 | Sergei Bobrovsky | $12,000,000 | $13,412,546 | |||
| 8 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | $11,000,000 | $12,294,834 | -$1,000,000 | -8% | |
| 8 | Drew Doughty | $11,000,000 | $12,294,834 | $1,000,000 | 10% | |
| 10 | Roman Josi | $10,750,000 | $12,015,406 | -$1,000,000 | -9% | |
| 11 | Oliver Ekman-Larsson | $10,500,000 | $11,735,978 | $2,500,000 | 31% | |
| 12 | Auston Matthews | $10,470,000 | $11,702,446 | -$5,430,000 | -34% | |
| 13 | Mitch Marner | $10,358,000 | $11,577,263 | -$4,642,000 | -31% | |
| 14 | Blake Wheeler | $10,000,000 | $11,177,122 | $3,500,000 | 54% | |
| 14 | Jack Eichel | $10,000,000 | $11,177,122 | |||
| 14 | Jeff Skinner | $10,000,000 | $11,177,122 | |||
| 14 | Matt Duchene | $10,000,000 | $11,177,122 | $2,000,000 | 25% | |
| 14 | Mikko Rantanen | $10,000,000 | $11,177,122 | -$2,000,000 | -17% | |
| 14 | Nicklas Backstrom | $10,000,000 | $11,177,122 | -$2,000,000 | -17% | |
| 20 | Gary Bettman | $9,600,000 | $10,730,037 | |||
| 21 | Chris Kreider | $9,500,000 | $10,618,266 | -$500,000 | -5% | |
| 21 | Evgeni Malkin | $9,500,000 | $10,618,266 | |||
| 21 | Vladimir Tarasenko | $9,500,000 | $10,618,266 | $4,000,000 | 73% | |
| 24 | John Tavares | $9,350,000 | $10,450,609 | -$2,650,000 | -22% | |
| 25 | Aaron Ekblad | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | $3,000,000 | 50% | |
| 25 | Anders Lee | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | $3,150,000 | 54% | |
| 25 | Brayden Point | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | $3,000,000 | 50% | |
| 25 | Jared Spurgeon | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | |||
| 25 | Justin Faulk | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | |||
| 25 | Kevin Hayes | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | $1,500,000 | 20% | |
| 25 | Logan Couture | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | |||
| 25 | Matthew Tkachuk | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | $2,000,000 | 29% | |
| 25 | Sidney Crosby | $9,000,000 | $10,059,410 | -$600,000 | -6% | |