At the age of 23, Bobby Orr earned what was referred to as the National Hockey League’s first million-dollar contract in 1971. When he agrees to a new contract with the Boston Bruins, he becomes the league’s first million-dollar player.
Orr, who recently received, is already the highest-paid player in the League. But he makes history by agreeing to a deal with the Bruins that will pay him $200,000 for each of the following five seasons, or $1 million in total.
Who was the 1st million-dollar hockey player?
Boston won the Stanley Cup again the next year thanks to Orr.
Orr’s contract was for $200,000 per year over five years, including sponsorships, rather than $1 million per year. Bobby Hull, who received $1 million upfront in 1972 for a 10-year contract worth $2.75 million in the World Hockey Association, the NHL’s short-lived professional rival, is arguably the first actual million-dollar hockey player.
NHL salaries today are much, much greater than they were during the time of Orr. According to Forbes, Sidney Crosby, who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins, will earn $15.4 million this season, $4.5 million of which will come from endorsement deals.
