Stanley Cup Bonus – What Do Stanley Cup Winners Get?
If you’ve heard the rumor that NHL players don’t get paid during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, you heard right—sort of.
While NHL players don’t earn their regular salaries during the postseason, they can still receive bonuses through the league’s playoff pool system, depending on how far their team advances.
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How much do NHL players get paid in the playoffs?
During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, NHL players do not receive a salary. Their regular season pay ends at the conclusion of the 82-game season.
Instead, playoff participants earn money from the NHL playoff bonus pool, a fund set aside each year in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This pool is distributed among the 16 playoff teams, with higher payouts for teams that advance further and, ultimately, the Stanley Cup champions.
For the 2024–25 season, the total playoff pool is approximately $23 million, split across teams based on how far they progressed in the postseason.
How Much Is the Stanley Cup Bonus?
The actual payout varies each year, but in recent years:
- Stanley Cup-winning team: ~$3.75 million to split among players
- Stanley Cup runner-up: ~$2.25 million
- Bonuses scale down for teams eliminated in earlier rounds
While these payouts are relatively small for the league’s top earners—many of whom make $5M–$10M+ annually—the bonus is significant for players earning the NHL league minimum, which is around $775,000. For these players, a deep playoff run could mean a bonus worth 25–30% of their total annual income.
Is there a salary cap in the NHL playoffs?
No, there is no salary cap in effect during the NHL playoffs. This is because players are not paid their standard salaries during the postseason, and therefore, the NHL’s salary cap restrictions do not apply.
The lack of a postseason salary cap has sparked ongoing controversy, especially in cases where injured high-salary players return during the playoffs—after being placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) during the regular season.
Under LTIR rules, teams are allowed to exceed the regular-season salary cap by a player’s salary if that player is placed on LTIR. This gives teams extra cap flexibility—but only during the regular season.
Once the playoffs begin, the cap no longer applies. This means a team can reinstate an expensive player without needing to move salary elsewhere.
A high-profile example of this situation occurred during the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup run in 2021. Star forward Nikita Kucherov was placed on LTIR for the entire regular season due to a hip injury, freeing up significant cap space.
He returned just in time for the playoffs—where the Lightning, now including Kucherov, were reportedly $18 million over the regular season salary cap. While completely within the league’s rules, it drew criticism from fans, analysts, and rival teams who saw it as a potential loophole exploitation.
So far, the NHL has not moved to change the rule, but the debate continues. Some suggest implementing a modified salary cap for the playoffs to prevent similar situations in the future, while others argue that playoff hockey is a different beast and teams should be rewarded for savvy cap management and roster depth.
What are the NHL playoff bonuses?
The amount of playoff bonus money each season is ultimately decided by the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association and is written into their collective bargaining agreement.
Each team typically gets $250,000 (USD) in the first round, $500,000 in the second round, and the losers of the conference final (third round) will get $1.25M, as broken down here:
- First round losers — $2 million ($250,000 each to eight teams)
- Second round losers — $2 million ($500,000 each to four teams)
- Third round losers — $2.5 million ($1.25 million each to two teams)
From there, as mentioned above, if you get to the NHL Stanley Cup Final, you will get $2.25M, while the winning team of the Stanley Cup gets $3.75M.
Playoffs aside, the Presidents’ Trophy winner, the team with the best record in the league at the end of regular season, is awarded $500,000.
Recent total playoff pool prize amounts
According to the collective bargaining agreement, the size of the playoff prize pool generally increases every third season, but can vary.
Below is a list of past, present and future playoff prize money amounts (in USD) that are shared by the 16 playoff teams.
- 2014-15 – $14 million
- 2015-16 – $14 million
- 2016-17 – $15 million
- 2017-18 – $15 million
- 2018-19 – $16 million
- 2019-20 – $16 million
- 2020-21 – $20 million
- 2021-22 – $20 million
- 2022-23- $21 million
- 2023-24 – $22 million
- 2024-25 – $23 million
- 2025-26 – $24 million
As you can see over the last 10 years that have been a slight increase year on year.
How much does a player receive?
The amount of prize money awarded to NHL playoff participants and Stanley Cup champions varies and is determined by a vote within the team. Each team that makes the playoffs is allocated a portion of the NHL’s playoff bonus pool, and they vote internally on how many “shares” to divide that prize money into.
How Are the Shares Distributed?
Not all players receive an equal share. Typically:
- Full-time roster players during the playoffs receive a full share.
- Players who only dress for a few playoff games, or non-playing personnel, may receive partial shares or bonuses, depending on the team’s vote.
Each franchise customizes the share distribution to reflect the contributions of players, coaches, and staff.
In 2017, the Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly earned $4.325 million in playoff bonus money for winning the Stanley Cup. Their opponents, the Nashville Predators, as runners-up, received $2.6 million.
If the Penguins voted to divide their prize pool into 25 equal shares, each player would have received approximately $173,000 in bonus money.
Keep in mind that these bonuses are not part of a player’s contract or salary and are considered playoff performance incentives, funded through the NHL’s playoff pool as negotiated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
How Do NHL Playoff Bonuses Compare to Other Major Sports Leagues?
When it comes to postseason financial rewards, the NHL allocates the smallest playoff bonus pool among the major North American sports leagues. In 2024, the NHL’s playoff pool was approximately $23 million, a figure that pales in comparison to the MLB and NBA.
Major League Baseball (MLB)
- Total Postseason Pool: A record $129.1 million in 2024.
- World Series Champions: The Los Angeles Dodgers distributed $46.47 million, with each full share valued at $477,441.
National Basketball Association (NBA)
- Total Playoff Pool: Approximately $33.7 million in 2024.
- NBA Champions: The Boston Celtics received a total of $12.06 million, the highest ever for a team, with individual player bonuses varying based on team decisions.
The disparity in playoff bonuses is largely due to the differences in league revenues. The MLB and NBA generate higher revenues through larger audiences, more lucrative broadcasting deals, and greater global market penetration. Additionally, the MLB’s larger active rosters contribute to the distribution of higher total bonuses.
Does the minimal money change the desire to win?
Although NHL players are not paid salaries during the playoffs, and the Stanley Cup prize money is relatively modest compared to regular-season earnings, this does not diminish the drive to win the most prestigious trophy in professional hockey.
Common Misconceptions About Player Motivation
There has long been a perception among some fans that non-North American players might not be as motivated to win the Stanley Cup as their Canadian and American teammates. This belief often stems from cultural differences in how the sport is celebrated.
- North American players often grow up watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs and view hoisting the Cup as the ultimate career achievement.
- In contrast, some European players may have been raised in hockey systems where international tournaments like the IIHF World Championship or Olympic gold medals carry equal or greater prestige.
The Global Significance of the Stanley Cup
However, the idea that international players care less about the Stanley Cup is largely outdated. Today, players from all over the world dream of winning the Stanley Cup, and many have proven their dedication through hard-fought playoff performances.
The Cup’s global prestige has grown significantly, and its status as the most iconic trophy in professional hockey is recognized worldwide.
Does the NHL give out championship rings?
Yes, Stanley Cup championship rings are typically issued by the winning team after securing hockey’s most coveted prize. However, unlike the strict NHL rules governing whose name can be engraved on the Stanley Cup, the distribution and design of championship rings are entirely up to the team.
Who Gets a Stanley Cup Ring?
Most Stanley Cup-winning organizations present rings to:
- All players on the playoff roster
- Coaches and training staff
- Front office executives
- Often, even team personnel like scouts, medical staff, and arena staff receive versions of the ring, sometimes in tiered formats based on role and seniority.
The tradition of awarding championship rings in hockey dates back to the 1890s, though the early designs were modest. Over time, as teams grew in wealth and the NHL’s popularity soared, these rings evolved into jewel-encrusted, highly detailed symbols of victory.
In recent years, some teams have released commemorative Stanley Cup rings for fans — typically less expensive replicas that celebrate the team’s victory and create an additional revenue and branding opportunity.
For more on the surprising history of the Stanley Cup ring, make sure to check out my more detailed article: Do Stanley Cup Winners Get a Ring?
Additional Stanley Cup Bonuses: How NHL Players Benefit Beyond the Ice
Winning the Stanley Cup is the ultimate achievement in professional hockey—and while it comes with engraved names, championship rings, and playoff prize money, the financial perks often go far beyond those formal rewards.
Endorsements, Contract Leverage & Personal Bonuses
Many Stanley Cup-winning players, especially star performers, can benefit from:
- Lucrative endorsement deals following their playoff success.
- Increased marketability, which can lead to commercial partnerships and personal sponsorships.
- Contract leverage: Players entering free agency or in negotiations for extensions may command higher salaries or longer terms based on their championship performance.
- Milestone bonuses: Some players have clauses built into their existing contracts, including cash bonuses for winning awards like the Conn Smythe Trophy (awarded to the most valuable player of the playoffs).
Are Playoff Bonuses Allowed by the NHL?
Under the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA):
- Teams are not permitted to pay players additional bonuses for qualifying for or winning the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
- The only postseason financial rewards are distributed via the NHL playoff pool, which is funded by the league and divided among participating teams.
Bottom Line
While Stanley Cup prize money is a nice addition—especially for players earning near the league minimum—most NHL athletes don’t play for the cash. For many, legacy, pride, and the chance to lift the Stanley Cup far outweigh the financial gain.
That said, winning a Cup often sets up players for long-term financial success, both on and off the ice. Just ask Wayne.
