NHL Salary Cap Questions > Signing Bonuses
Signing Bonuses
Asked Dec 30, 2024 by Tony B.
What is the maximum signing bonus $ a player can make, when signing a new contract. And when is the team obligated to pay that bonus. Also, can the team break it up over the life of the contract?
Answer
Jan 10, 2025
A player's base salary must be at least the league minimum, and the maximum total compensation in a season is 20% of the salary cap. So that means this year, with an $88M Cap and a league minimum salary of $775K, the maximum signing bonus is $16,825,000.
The payment date of signing bonuses is negotiated between the player and the team and can be any date during any (or all) seasons. The most common date is for signing bonuses to be paid out on July 1.
