Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen and Boston’s David Pastrnak lead the line among hockey’s highest-scoring forwards dollar-for-dollar by salary compensation.
Which NHL franchises are getting the most value on the ice this season without breaking the bank?
Maintaining a stable of scorers that is both productive and financially sustainable is fundamental to any hockey team’s success, particularly in a league with an $82.5 million salary cap. So, if we were to rate NHL forwards by return on investment based on combined goals and assists as a function of their salary numbers, who ends up reigning supreme in 2022-23?
Accordingly, right winger Mikko Rantanen of the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche presents the NHL’s best ROI point-for-point this season, barely edging out Bruins RW David Pastrnak as of the end of March. With an average annual salary of $6 million, each Rantanen point costs the Avalanche just over $128,000. By comparison, Florida Panthers RW Patric Hornqvist has cost his team $7.9 million per point for his single goal and two assists.
Simply put, Rantanen and Pastrnak — the latter of whom begins a lucrative contract extension next year — are enviable value-generators compared to many of the rest of the NHL’s highest-paid players this season.
So, who’s joining these two models of efficinecy on this elite NHL honor roll? Check into our master list of the most cost-effective forwards this season as compiled by Canada Sports Betting.
(And check out Boardroom’s salary roundups for the highest-paid NBA, NFL, and MLB players, too.)
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Most Cost-effective NHL Forwards of 2022-23
All salary figures and stats via Spotrac and aggregated by CanadaSportsBetting.ca as of March 29, 2023.
1. Avalanche RW Mikko Rantanen: $6,000,000
- Goals/Assists thru March 29: 88
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $128,125
2. Bruins RW David Pastrnak: $6,400,000
- Goals/Assists: 97
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $128,218
3. Kraken LW Jared McCann: $5,000,000
- Goals/Assists: 59
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $148,809
4. Jets C Mark Scheifele: $5,500,000
- Goals/Assists: 61
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $151,030
5. Kings LW Adrian Kempe: $5,250,000
- Goals/Assists: 58
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $152,462
6. Oilers C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: $5,250,000
- Goals/Assists: 91
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $157,121
7. Oilers C Zach Hyman: $5,100,000
- Goals/Assists: 77
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $162,917
8. Islanders C Brock Nelson: $5,200,000
- Goals/Assists: 68
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $167,014
9. Flames RW Tyler Toffoli: $5,125,000
- Goals/Assists: 67
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $169,915
10. Maple Leafs C William Nylander: $6,000,000
- Goals/Assists: 81
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $170,371
11. Oilers C Leon Draisaitl: $8,000,000
- Goals/Assists: 114
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $176,471
12. Devils LW Jesper Bratt: $5,450,000
- Goals/Assists: 66
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $180,829
13. Hurricanes LW Sebastian Aho: $6,000,000
- Goals/Assists: 62
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $188,088
14. Senators LW Brady Tkachuk: $6,500,000
- Goals/Assists: 77
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $195,622
15. Rangers LW Chris Kreider: $6,000,000
- Goals/Assists: 49
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $198,529
16. Oilers C Connor McDavid: $12,000,000
- Goals/Assists: 140
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $202,500
17. Lightning C Brayden Point: $9,000,000
- Goals/Assists: 83
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $205,263
18. Red Wings C Dylan Larkin: $5,250,000
- Goals/Assists: 68
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $206,731
19. Stars LW Jamie Benn: $6,500,000
- Goals/Assists: 71
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $214,919
20. Avalanche C Nathan MacKinnon: $6,850,000
- Goals/Assists: 95
- Paid Per Goal + Assist: $217,460
