Hockey is one of the most active and fast-paced sports in the world today. It is engaging, entertaining, and very rewarding for both fans and players alike. Even though most hockey players retire early, due to the risk of suffering from mental health problems, sprains, and bruises.
Despite the dangers inherent in playing this game, it is surprising that the money flow in the game isn’t as much as football, soccer, or even basketball in terms of salary and endorsement deals. Although in recent times, there has been some positive improvement with NHL’s increase in salary cap which has seen several beloved players earning more. Moreover, there is still money to be made from endorsement and several other opportunities.
There are some individuals that have made a staggering amount of money playing hockey. Here is a list of five of them and their net worth.
Richest Hockey Players
1. Wayne Gretzky
Net worth: $250 million
‘The Great One’ as he is fondly called has been described as the greatest hockey player ever. He is a renowned pacesetter in the game of hockey setting many precedents that have been hard to meet or break over the years. He began his playing career in 1978 and retired in 1999. Wayne had intelligence and knack for reading the game which was unrivaled. This made him make the right move at the right time which informed his success.
Till today, he remains the highest goal scorer in the NHL with more goals and assists than any other player. He is the only NHL player to have more than 200 points four times in a season. By the time he retired in 1999, he held a total of sixty-one NHL records.
Due to his many successes, he had a great appeal as a product endorser compared to other hockey players in his time. By 1995, he was on the list of the top 5 list of the highest-paid athletes in North America. He had endorsement deals with Domino’s Pizza, Coca-Cola, Upper Deck Company, Sharp Corporation amongst others.
Asides what he has made from playing and his several endorsement deals, he has made several good investments that have yielded enough profit to add to his net worth. He has owned and partnered in the ownership of more than three sports teams, he owns a winery and distillery business, restaurants and has written several books. All his endeavours have contributed to his $250 million net worth.
2. Mario Lemieux
Net Worth: $150 million
Mario is widely known and acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time. This naturally means he should also be one of the Richest hockey players
Despite his large size and several health challenges, he had an outstanding career playing between 1984- 1997 and 2000 to 2006. Even with his numerous absences from the game, he played on a high level whenever he returned to the ice.
All his career on ice, he played for Pittsburgh Penguins before assuming ownership of the club in 1999 after it went bankrupt. He is presently the chairman and principal owner of the club.
3. Pavel Bure
Net Worth: $70 million
While in active play, he was nicknamed “The Russian Rocket” due to his speed. He played in the right-wing position from 1987 to 2003. He struggled with knee injuries throughout his career and finally retired in 2005.
Coming from a family of athletics really influenced Bure career. Their family also made precious watches for Russian tsars between 1815 and 1917. Bure attempted resuscitating the business in 1995. With his rumoured mafia connection due to his continued business and personal relationship with Anzor Kikalishvili (the alleged mafia boss). The extent of his wealth and net worth might never be truly revealed.
4. Chris Pronger
Net Worth: $65 million
Chris played hockey actively between 1993 and 2011. He is presently the senior advisor of hockey operations for Florida Panthers.
Chris suffered several career-changing accidents during his time on the ice. Despite his undeniable skill on the ice, he was suspended 8 times during his NHL career and was considered one of the ‘dirtier’ players on the league. He is presently the senior advisor of hockey operations for Florida Panthers.
See Also: 10 Most Expensive Divorce in Sports History
5. Alexander Ovechkin
Net Worth: $60 million
The last among the richest hockey players in the world is ‘Alexander the Great’ as he is often called is the only player still in active play on this list. He has had an impressive career so far with several wins and is considered one of the greatest goal scorers in the NHL having reached 700 goals in 2020. He also has the potential to grow his net worth exponentially as he has not yet retired from the game. He began playing in 2001 and he is already considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time.
Known for his height and ‘killer looks’, he has covered several sports magazines, appeared in a handful of films, and owns a line of designer streetwear. All this has contributed to his present net worth.
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