A comparison of NHL Contracts that are front-loaded

After the Kovalchuk contract rejection by the NHL for circumventing the cap, we’ve put together a chart showing the salary numbers for contracts that have been called in to question for being front-loaded, but were allowed to go through.

    Johan Franzen, Red Wings, 11 years, $43.5M ($3.9M cap hit), Signed April 2009
    Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings, 12 years, $73M ($6M cap hit), Signed January 2009
    Marian Hossa, Blackhawks, 12 years, $62.8M ($5.23M cap hit), Signed July 2009
    Roberto Luongo, Canucks, 12 years, $64M ($5.3M cap hit), Signed September 2009
    Chris Pronger, Flyers, 7-year extension, $34.9M ($5M cap hit), Signed July 2009
    Marc Savard, Bruins, 7-year extension, $28.05M ($4M cap hit), Signed Dec. 2009

Players current age is in brackets.

Season
Kovalchuk (27)
Pronger (35)
Savard (32)
Hossa (31)
Luongo (31)
Franzen (30)
Zetterberg (29)
2010-11
$6 mill
$7.6 mill
$7 mill
$7.9 mill
$10 mill
$5 mill
$7.75 mill
2011-12
$6 mill
$7.6 mill
$7 mill
$7.9 mill
$6.716 mill
$5.25 mill
$7.75 mill
2012-13
$11.5 mill
$7.2 mill
$6.5 mill
$7.9 mill
$6.714 mill
$5.25 mill
$7.75 mill
2013-14
$11.5 mill
$7 mill
$5 mill
$7.9 mill
$6.714 mill
$5 mill
$7.5 mill
2014-15
$11.5 mill
$4 mill
$1.5 mill
$7.9 mill
$6.714 mill
$5 mill
$7.5 mill
2015-16
$11.5 mill
$525,000
$525,000
$7.9 mill
$6.714 mill
$5 mill
$7.5 mill
2016-17
$11.5 mill
$525,000
$525,000
$4 mill
$6.714 mill
$3.5 mill
$7 mill
2017-18
$10.5 mill
$1 mill
$6.714 mill
$2 mill
$3.5 mill
2018-19
$8.5 mill
$1 mill
$3.382 mill
$1 mill
$1 mill
2019-20
$6.5 mill
$750,000
$1.618 mill
$1 mill
$1 mill
2020-21
$3.5 mill
$750,000
$1 mill
2021-22
$750,000
$1 mill
2022-23
$550,000
2023-24
$550,000
2024-25
$550,000
2025-26
$550,000
2026-27
$550,000

Salaries from NHLnumbers.com