NHL Salary Cap Topics > Entry Level Performance Bonuses

Entry Level Performance Bonuses

Entry Level Contracts are eligible for Performance Bonuses.  There are two categories of Performance Bonuses:

"A" Level Bonuses

"A" Bonuses are worth $212,500 each, to a maximum of $850,000 (maximum 4 achieved).  For players drafted starting in 2022, "A" bonuses are worth $250,000 each, to a maximum of $1,000,000 (maximum 4 achieved). They are achieved by each of:

Forwards

-20 goals

-35 assists

-60 points

-Top six in Time on Ice among forwards (in total and/or per game) on team (minimum 42 games)

-Top three in +/- among forwards on team (minimum 42 games)

-0.73 points per game (minimum 42 games)

-End-of Season All Rookie Team

-All Star Selection

-All Star MVP

Defensemen

-10 goals

-25 assists

-40 points

-Top four in Time on Ice among Defensemen (in total and/or per game) on team (minimum 42 games)

-Top three in +/- among defensemen on team (minimum 42 games)

-0.49 points per game (minimum 42 games)

-Top two among defensemen on team in blocked shocks

-End-of Season All Rookie Team

-All Star Selection

-All Star MVP

Goalies

-1,800 minutes played

-GAA < median GAA of all goalies with 25+ GP

-SV % > median save % of all goalies who played 25+ GP

-20 Wins (30+ mins in a game to qualify)

-Shutouts > median number of shutouts of all goalies who played 25+ GP

-End-of Season All Rookie Team

-All Star Selection

-All Star MVP

"B" Level Bonuses

"B" Bonuses are worth a maximum of $2 Million (up to $2.5M for players drafted in 2022 and later), and the full amount of the bonus is awarded if any of the following is achieved:

-Forwards: Top Ten in NHL Forward Goals, Assists, points, or points per game (min 42 GP)

-Defensemen: Top Ten in NHL Defensemen Goals, Assists, points, ice time or points per game (min 42 GP) for Defensemen

-Win any of the following trophies: Hart, Selke, Richard, Conn Smythe, Norris

-1st or 2nd team All-Star

Contract structure

If an entry-level contract has performance bonuses, the first $850K (up to $1M for players drafted in 2022) are "A" bonuses, and the remainder (to a maximum of another $2M or $2.5M for players drafted in 2022 or later) are "B" Bonuses.  For example:

-If a contract has $1.1M in bonuses, the first $850K are "A" bonuses, and the remaining $250K are "B"

-If a contract has $500K in bonuses, they are all "A" bonuses.  The player would get $212,500 each for the first 2 items achieved, and then $75,000 if a 3rd item is achieved.

 

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