HIGHLIGHTS
- We’re taking a look at the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL
- Several big names are on the list, including Seth Jones, Noah Dobson, and Erik Karlsson
- Read below to see the full list
Offensive superstars tend to get a lot of the spotlight in the National Hockey League, but there’s no question that NHL defensemen are arguably just as important as any. In fact, in this day and age, many defensemen are actually elite playmakers offensively as well, bringing toughness and production on a nightly basis. In this piece, we’re looking at the top-10 highest-paid defensemen in the NHL heading into the 2026-27 season.
There is no shortage of notable players on the list, but interestingly enough, Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar just missed the cut, as his $9 million AAV fell just short of the top-10.
All contract numbers courtesy of Spotrac.
#10 Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins — $9.5 Million
Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins comes in at No. 10. The veteran has played his entire NHL career in Beantown, solidifying himself as a key figure on the Bruins’ blue line. McAvoy is heading into the fifth year of an eight-year, $76 million contract extension that he signed in 2021.
McAvoy has registered 30+ assists in four of his last five seasons, and he remains important in Boston on both ends of the ice. The 28-year-old will hit free agency in 2030.
#9 Seth Jones, Florida Panthers — $9.5 Million
The Florida Panthers decided to trade for Seth Jones at the deadline of the 2024-25 season, and he’s been a major part of their success ever since, helping the franchise win a Stanley Cup that year. Jones has jumped around a decent amount in his career, starting with the Nashville Predators before stints with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks.
Jones has earned $9.5 million per season for four straight years now, and he inked a carbon-copy extension as McAvoy did in ’21. Jones hits free agency the same time as the Bruins standout. While he’s not a huge points producer, Jones makes up for it with his defensive abilities and toughness.
#8 Adam Fox, New York Rangers — $9.5 Million
Coming in at No. 8, also at $9.5 million annually, is New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox. The 28-year-old is one of the best offensive-minded defensemen in the NHL, notching 50+ assists in five of his last six seasons.
The Rangers rewarded Fox for his importance to the franchise in ’21 when he put pen to paper on a seven-year, $66.5 million extension. Fox becomes a free agent in 2029, and he’ll make $9.5 million each season until then.
#7 Noah Dobson, Montreal Canadiens — $9.5 Million
Dobson was a hot commodity before the Montreal Canadiens snatched him up in a trade last summer, and it’s understandable why. He’s one of the best defensemen around, and Dobson is paid like one as well.
He is the fourth player on the list to earn $9.5 million annually, and he was handed a lucrative 8-year, $76 million extension after the Habs traded for him. Dobson’s deal doesn’t expire until 2033. In his first full season with Montreal, the PEI native finished with 12 goals and 35 helpers.
#6 Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets — $9.58 Million
Zach Werenski is coming off a career 2025-26 season where he ultimately won his very first Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the top defenseman in the NHL. Werenski also helped Team USA win gold at the Olympics.
He’s not the highest-paid defenseman in the league, but the 28-year-old is still sixth on our list at $9.58 million per season. Werenski signed a six-year, $57.5 million extension in ’21. The veteran was electrifying this past season, finishing with 22 goals and 59 assists. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2028.
#5 Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers — $10.5 Million
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl steal a lot of the spotlight on the Edmonton Oilers, but when your franchise star lobbies to keep a player, you know he’s important. Last offseason, McDavid made it clear the Oilers must keep Evan Bouchard, and they listened.
He signed a four-year, $42 million extension with Edmonton, giving Bouchard a massive pay raise from just $3.9 million to $10.5 million. He delivered, ranking third in the NHL this past season with 74 assists. Not bad for a defenseman.
#4 Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars — $10.58 Million
Thomas Harley is also one of the players on this list to have received a very recent extension. The Dallas Stars defenseman’s AAV went from $4 million last season to $10.58 million in the upcoming ’26-27 campaign.
Last October, he inked an eight-year, $84.6 million deal to stay in Dallas for the long term. The 24-year-old is a physical presence on the blue line, and he’s finished with a minimum of 30 helpers in each of the last three seasons.
#3 Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings — $11 Million
Even after all of these years, Drew Doughty is still one of the highest-paid defensemen in the NHL. Doughty comes in at No. 3 on the list, earning an AAV of $11 million. That’s not far behind some of the highest-paid players in the league in general.
The veteran has been making this same amount since the 2019-20 season, and he’ll become a free agent in 2027. Retirement likely calls after such a lengthy career, but who knows. Doughty is known for toughness and offensive production, although injuries have taken their toll on him over the last couple of seasons.
#2 Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres — $11 Million
There’s always been a lot of hype around Rasmus Dahlin as a first overall pick, and he’s more or less always lived up to expectations. It wasn’t until ’25-26 where his contributions truly did something for the Buffalo Sabres, who made a Cinderella run to the playoffs.
Dahlin earned a major pay raise in 2024-25 when he signed a deal worth $88 million across eight years, taking him from $6 million AAV to $11 million AAV. Dahlin finished with a career-best 74 points this past season.
#1 Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins — $11.5 Million
One of the oldest players on this list also happens to be the highest-paid NHL defensemen. Erik Karlsson tops the list at $11.5 million per season, and he officially becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
The 36-year-old plays on a Pittsburgh Penguins roster with several other legends like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and Karlsson is still producing. He finished with 66 points last season. Karlsson has also played for the Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks in his career.
Full List of Highest-Paid NHL Defensemen by Cap Hit (2026-27)
| Rank | Player | Team | Position | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erik Karlsson | PIT | D | $11,500,000 |
| 2 | Rasmus Dahlin | BUF | D | $11,000,000 |
| 2 | Drew Doughty | LAK | D | $11,000,000 |
| 4 | Thomas Harley | DAL | D | $10,587,500 |
| 5 | Evan Bouchard | EDM | D | $10,500,000 |
| 6 | Zachary Werenski | CBJ | D | $9,583,333 |
| 7 | Noah Dobson | MTL | D | $9,500,000 |
| 7 | Adam Fox | NYR | D | $9,500,000 |
| 7 | Seth Jones | FLA | D | $9,500,000 |
| 7 | Charlie McAvoy | BOS | D | $9,500,000 |
| 11 | Darnell Nurse | EDM | D | $9,250,000 |
| 12 | Roman Josi | NSH | D | $9,059,000 |
| 13 | Jakob Chychrun | WAS | D | $9,000,000 |
| 13 | Dougie Hamilton | NJD | D | $9,000,000 |
| 13 | Luke Hughes | NJD | D | $9,000,000 |
| 13 | Jackson Lacombe | ANA | D | $9,000,000 |
| 13 | Cale Makar | COL | D | $9,000,000 |
| 18 | Lane Hutson | MTL | D | $8,850,000 |
| 19 | Alex Pietrangelo | VGK | D | $8,800,000 |
| 20 | Moritz Seider | DET | D | $8,550,000 |
| 21 | Brock Faber | MIN | D | $8,500,000 |
| 21 | Ivan Provorov | CBJ | D | $8,500,000 |
| 21 | Mikhail Sergachev | UTA | D | $8,500,000 |
| 24 | Miro Heiskanen | DAL | D | $8,450,000 |
| 25 | Owen Power | BUF | D | $8,350,000 |
| 26 | Philip Broberg | STL | D | $8,000,000 |
| 26 | Thomas Chabot | OTT | D | $8,000,000 |
| 26 | Victor Hedman | TBL | D | $8,000,000 |
| 26 | Jake Sanderson | OTT | D | $8,000,000 |
| 30 | Quinn Hughes | MIN | D | $7,850,000 |
| 31 | Jared Spurgeon | MIN | D | $7,575,000 |
| 32 | K'Andre Miller | CAR | D | $7,500,000 |
| 32 | Morgan Rielly | TOR | D | $7,500,000 |
| 34 | Shea Theodore | VGK | D | $7,425,000 |
| 35 | Vince Dunn | SEA | D | $7,350,000 |
| 35 | Noah Hanifin | VGK | D | $7,350,000 |
| 37 | Filip Hronek | VAN | D | $7,250,000 |
| 37 | Devon Toews | COL | D | $7,250,000 |
| 39 | Brandon Montour | SEA | D | $7,142,857 |
| 40 | Vladislav Gavrikov | NYR | D | $7,000,000 |
| 40 | Neal Pionk | WPG | D | $7,000,000 |
| 40 | Brady Skjei | NSH | D | $7,000,000 |
| 40 | Jake Walman | EDM | D | $7,000,000 |
| 44 | Janis Moser | TBL | D | $6,750,000 |
| 45 | Justin Faulk | DET | D | $6,500,000 |
| 45 | Torey Krug | STL | D | $6,500,000 |
| 45 | Hampus Lindholm | BOS | D | $6,500,000 |
| 45 | Dmitry Orlov | SJS | D | $6,500,000 |
| 45 | Colton Parayko | STL | D | $6,500,000 |
| 50 | Jaccob Slavin | CAR | D | $6,461,250 |
The table above shows the top 50 highest-paid NHL defensemen by AAV heading into the 2026-27 season. Karlsson sits alone at the top, with Dahlin and Doughty tied for second at $11 million. The $9.5 million tier is crowded with a four-way tie, with McAvoy, Jones, Fox, and Dobson all carrying matching AAVs.
