Answering the question at the heart of a pending lawsuit could reshape major junior hockey in Canada | By Gare Joyce, OHL, WHL filings in CHL lawsuit show teams struggling to make ends meet, What it takes to just not lose any money in Swift Current. In the world of junior hockey, players are not compensated for their services. As of the 2021-2022 NHL season and according to the NHL's collective bargaining agreement with its players, the lowest paid NHL players make $750,000 a year. On average, a professional player in the NHL league is paid $3 million annually. On average NHL players do get paid less than NBA, NFL, and MLB teams. With the USPHL Premier being one of the top Tier 3 leagues in the country, the fee includes some meals, all travel, team gear, and equipment. The minimum wage is only applicable to persons who qualify to be considered employees. Rather, NCAA coaches are looking to recruit 19-year-olds, thus requiring players to suit up for more than two seasons in Tier II or Junior A. Lastly, on the practical end, while NCAA programs offer four-year rides, nothing is truly guaranteed. I should clarify in that number I put in the revenue that they get from the Canadian national rights contract which is $500 million per year. A Calgary judge ruled Tuesday that financial statements and tax returns for the 42 teams in the OHL and WHL be unsealed. This is merely an estimation that, for the most part, does not take into account bonuses and sponsor contracts. And in doing so, lets take the league at its word, presuming that the figures in its affidavit give an unmuddied picture of the CHLs finances. Only in New York can you find the Blizzard. Everybody has choices and everybody goes into it with eyes wide open, says Jackson, who played major junior before going on to the NHL and, later, law school. The MJHL pays players a stipend, which is equivalent to $25.88 per hour and $1,035 per week. Apparently its a lot less than minimum wage in OHL & WHL & QHL (players are attempting to unionize). You may have created an account with another Rogers Media account that can be used to sign in here. And those attached to the players side of the CHL civil actions make a similar case. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. All WHL players get paid a monthly salary based on their age. This is in contrast to the CHL, which is a professional league, and therefore players do receive a salary. No player could earn more than $11.36 million. They get awarded a full-year scholarship for every season played, and they also receive a weekly stipend. Granted, some of the biggest arenas can surpass 10,000 people. The NHL only gets saved on its tv deal because the NHL Canadian deal props it up. After teaching the first three lines of defence (angling, stick checks, and body blocks), coaches can start drilling the players on body checking. Do Junior Hockey Players Get Paid? If I only included the U.S. number, which is $200 million per year, it would make it look much,much worst in comparison. A dry rip is a line of schneef you take before drinking any alcohol to make your judgment more correct. There are many soccer players, tennis, golf, basketball, football, and baseball players who make it, but no hockey players. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The notion: U.S. colleges get a lot more out of athletes in the high-profile sports than they give back to them. Nathan MacKinnon is the highest-paid ice hockey player in the world, and Canadian players make more than their American counterparts. This would make them ineligible for the minimum wage or other applicable labour laws. This is often taken into consideration when players are negotiating contracts with potential new teams. The league is considered amateur, and therefore players are not compensated for their play. We breathlessly await those rulingsto give you an idea of the pace of the proceedings, Ted Charney, a Toronto lawyer specializing in class actions, started reaching out to players in October 2014. He argued that junior players were gaining worthwhile interpersonal and athletic life skills as they played in the league. Problem with this is that the junior teams don't make much. Their goal is to ensure that their players have educational options by establishing relationships with high schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions. When players are healthy enough to play in an NHL game, they are paid. This is the reason why a player can't go from the WHL to NCAA, they are considered professional athletes after signing a contract and getting paid. They arent taken directly from the paycheck, but the player pays the agent out of their take-home cash, thus diminishing how much they are actually putting in their bank accounts. Yes, they get paid, just like NCAA (nod & wink to the blind bat). The sport of junior hockey is extremely popular in North America, with many people watching the young players develop their skills as they grow. And, this is true. Glenn Gumbley, a Canadian, attempted to unionize junior hockey players in 2015. No player could earn more than $14.28 million. If youre hoping to back the winner in these civil actions, dont push in all your chips just yet. Mesos Holdings is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Do Hockey Players Get Paid During Playoffs? The association helps players negotiate salaries and employment conditions, as well as assisting them with licensing and any grievances they may have against current or former teams. Will it lead to a manageable outcome or leave too many issues unresolved to merit the courts time? The law provides an exception to the rule by exempting junior hockey players and other junior athletes from being considered as employees. Because Junior hockey is regarded as the first step toward college hockey, all levels of hockey teams should emphasize education in their practices. The most publicized aspect of the civil actions so far has been a matter of finances. "So I still had a competitive bone in my body and I love playing pickup with my friends and all that stuff and having a few beers afterwards. The main sources of revenue for a professional sports team are broadcasting rights for television and ticket sales. Beginning on Wednesday, February 24, CHL Live TV packages will be available for purchase. A coachs role in a programs success is to create an engaging curriculum and recruit top players. Can you get paid to play Senior Hockey in Canada? This, of course, will depend on which team they play for, as different states have different income tax laws. Especially if it comes at the cost of sacrificing the most important benefit the CHL already offers players who dont go on to NHL millions. You can see why agents are so adamant about getting the highest salary for their clients! Best Junior Hockey Stick for Defensemen: The Best of the Best. The level of competition increases as they advance in their ranks. While this is often up to the player and doesnt automatically come out of their paycheck, it is still a significant expense to consider when negotiating a salary. As of the 2022-23 season, the minimum salary for hockey players in the NHL is $750,000 per year. In contrast, the salary budgets for non-playing staff dwarfs the amounts allocated to pay the junior players, including amounts assigned for scholarships and other benefits, like free equipment. It becomes even more complex in trade situation when one team is picking up a portion of the salary, as now each part of a players pay will be subject to different tax laws. John Shannon answers that questionand many morein his second annual list of the NHL's top 25 power brokers. Here are several lists of National Hockey League players' salaries since the 198990 NHL season. I was happy as a player to get $20 a week and play in the best league out there. When a junior hockey player gets selected for a team outside of his hometown, he'll have to pack up and move to the new city to play for his team. Line-item stuff is out there. The team salary cap was $59.4 million. Because the AHL is the league in the middle, they receive players on loan coming up . As you can see, junior hockey players are not paid a salary but a weekly stipend between $50-100. According to reported salary estimates on job posting sites, the average Zamboni driver salary is around $13 per hour, or $26,500 (USD) annually. He benefited from it because it provided structure, taught him time management skills, and instilled discipline. They are ineligible for a salary remuneration or even minimum wage protection. You could make the case that players deserve more money, but it's not as if the team are racking in all the cash and keeping it for themselves. Knkx: Why Does For-Profit Hockey In Washington Not Have To Pay Players Minimum Wage? Martin Brodeur is the highest-paid goaltender of all time, with approximately $82 million earned in salaries alone. Worked with the 67s for a while and you'd be surprised how much all the logistics cost and all the other crap the team plays for. At this point, dont even wager on whether judges will certify these cases as class-actions. The two biggest sources of income for all the sports leagues are television (national and local rights) and ticket revenue. If you look at the minimum salary for each of the leagues the NHL has the highest lowest salary (that is a bit of a tongue twister). The minimum wage for an NHL salary is $750,000, whereas the NFL has the lowest minimum at $495,000. Players on college hockey teams have demonstrated a high level of commitment to their sport. NCAA athletes have become more outspoken about what they see as a raw deal. Aside from providing financial support for college hockey, the hockey community has shown tremendous dedication. No player could earn more than $11.34 million. Every week, they receive a $50 to $100 stipend. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Apparently its a lot less than minimum wage in OHL & WHL & QHL (players are attempting to unionize). Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. $200 million per year that is a rounding error when compared to the NFL deal. I didnt really think about getting paid to play and I havent heard players today talking about it.. In general, agent fees are about 3-5% of a players salary. The NHL has a maximum roster of 23 players. But eight concussions cut short Rice's NHL career in 1998. Those who believe that CHL teams should be cutting cheques for the talent like they do the coaches and staff draw parallels between the league and NCAA football and basketball. Press J to jump to the feed. How Much Do Hockey Players Make For Winning The Stanley Cup? If the leagues showed any substantial evidence of stealthy payments to players and their families (rumoured to be business as usual with European imports), it would tarnish the image of the CHL, but it might tip the call on certification to the defence. Using federal/state/city income taxes of 50%, escrow withholding rate of 13.5%, and agent fees of 4%, a player making $2 million in a season would see that dwindle down to $795,800 - a number that almost anyone would still be content with. Junior hockey players are typically 16-21 years of age, which means they'll . With a business selling career-ending disability insurance to the NHL and Canadian Hockey League, Rice didn't want to venture too far from home to pursue his passion. Playing for the Columbus Chill, in the big college town that harbors the campus of Ohio State University, he collected 24 points and a fantastical - if not deplorable - 408 penalty minutes . Their argument is premised on the fact that junior hockey teams are massively profitable entities who can afford to pay decent salaries to junior players. . FHL - 200 to 500 per week. A certification for the lawsuit against the WHL is being heard this week in Calgary. For instance, the sale of tickets alone can account for substantive revenues. In other words, on average, high revenue clubs all reported high expenses, while low revenue clubs all reported low expenses. Affidavits filed in the cases provide a sense of the CHL's financial state and that of its teamsincluding big-arena juggernauts like the London Knights. The NHL actually does fairly well with ticket revenue and other sponsorships, as they are known to have passionate fans who devotedly follow their team and are willing to pay high ticket prices. Retired WNBA. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. It also points out that the Kelowna Rockets have a wholly-owned subsidiary that provides the team with bussing services, which means transportation costs are being paid to a company that the Rockets already own. The OHL scholarship funds jumped from $1.64 million in 2012 to $2.9 million in 2016, and the WHLs grew from $1.7 million in 2012 to $2.1 million last year. Mesos Holdings also participates in affiliate programs with Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale, and other sites. If you think the CHLs franchise owners benefit from a Dickensian system, every team tantamount to a teen theatre company production of Oliver, then youre pulling for the long-exploited plaintiffs. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. [Mongeon, KPMG and OReilly] did what they were asked to do: Find an analysis to support [a] starting positionfor the plaintiffs, what they want [done], and for the defendants, what they dont want to do.. But more and more, the league is doing right by its players. On sheer scale, though, there doesnt seem to be much common ground between the CHL, whose teams live and die by the gate, and the NCAA with its billions in revenue from television rights, merchandise and licensing. Answer (1 of 2): they get a pension which is based on 'credited seasons', meaning a season where a player is on an active/inactive roster and/or injured reserve for a minimum of three games. A judge who rules on certification of a class action tests the case on several counts: Is there an identifiable class of people? No player could earn more than $14.04 million. The issue of player pay concerns the redistribution of revenues, and does not require the generation of additional revenues.. The Allan Cup is celebrating its 100th year this year, and the six teams vying for it have gathered in Brantford where round-robin play began yesterday at the Brantford and District Civic Centre, with the Dundas Real McCoys and Whitby Dunlops battling to a 4-4 tie. Hockey players still have a way to go to catch up to the other sports. The team salary cap was $56.7 million. The NBA has the smallest rosters, and therefore the players each get a larger portion of the pie. I am a lifelong fan who grew up in a major market (Calgary), and I have played, coached, and watched a lot of hockey! If its seen as a standard contract [across the league and teams] then its in the plaintiffs interest. Brown, a right winger, won a Calder Cup as a member of the AHL Providence Bruins in 1999, and would love a chance to add his name to another historic hockey trophy while giving his kids, who weren't born when he was toiling in the minors, a chance to see dad play hockey. In many cases, a player may be paying a 50% income tax rate, or slightly higher, meaning that with a salary of $10 million, they are paying over $5 million in taxes when adding jock and income taxes together. Its enough for food, clothes, etc. They can however join a CIS (Canadian University) team. So, if junior hockey players in Canada are not paid, how do they make a living? permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. In this article, well reveal why junior hockey players dont get paid a salary, the justification for not paying junior hockey players salaries, what their compensation packs look like, and the argument to review their remuneration and improve their welfare. ECHL - 475 to 1100 per week. So whats the explanation for this? "I just kind of felt like I left the game too early," said Rice. This is the reason why a player can't go from the WHL to NCAA, they are considered professional athletes after signing a contract and getting paid. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Season cancelled (see 200405 NHL lockout). {* backButton *} The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The Western Hockey League will not have a playoffs system after the 2020-21 season. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. And they usually (always?) Guys in that league also used to get paid extra under the table. To develop an effective strength and conditioning program, you should include warm-ups, stretches, plyometrics, balance and coordination, core conditioning, agility and quickness, off-ice stickhandling, and cool-downs. Lets look at the numbers that the players get paid and the sources of revenue more closely. Or as Smith put it: There were significant expenses relating to management fees and remuneration for employees/directors, that are at times very significant and may not represent full economic value to the team., Smiths report cited the Red Deer Rebels as an example. Stickhandling PRO. Its no secret that building a strong team requires money, and your GM and coaching staff are well aware of this. The Truth Revealed. The law states that an employee does not include anyone who is at least 16 years old but under 21 years old, in his or her capacity as a player for a junior ice hockey team that is a member of a regional, national, or international league and that contracts with an arena owned, operated, or managed by a public facilities district.. Several problems issue from thatthree that are practical and another posing a bit of a moral conundrum. containerEl: '#fd-form-620ead33d328ec5152cf088e' The team salary cap was $81.5 million. NHL players do not get paid a separate salary for playing in the postseason. For most teams, the amount they pay in salaries and benefits to non-players dwarfs the entire expense budget (which includes equipment, travel and scholarships), and in many cases is double the entire amount they spend on players. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Billeting is when a teenage (or young adult) hockey player lives with a family away from home during the hockey season. Ultimately, one test seems to be the hinge of the plaintiffs case. By the time you finish your bitching, youll have enough money to spend on your favorite teams. The team salary cap was $79.5 million. Colleges can increase athletic scholarships by providing players with additional funding as a result of the governing bodys cost-of-admission stipend. Smiths report alleges that, KPMG was greatly under-utilized due to the inherent limitations associated with the assignment that they were asked to complete, and that its impossible without more detailed financials to determine whether teams would be significantly negatively impacted by paying players minimum wage. If youre willing to go down this road simply to bypass the supposedly exploitive CHL system, consider this: Only a few NCAA hockey programs break even or make money. Sign up today to get the best features and analysis from the NHL and beyond. Ditto, say, Swift Current in an operation like Calgarys or Edmontons. Players who earn the minimum salary rarely spend as much time on the ice as higher-paying players, but they're still valuable members of their teams. We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! window.fd('form', { There will be some pomp and ceremony, with Lt.-Gov. Further, theres the matter of team fees. But two reports filed by the plaintiffs one by Brock University associate professor Kevin Mongeon and the other by forensic accountant Ronald Smith call into question everything from the methodology to the accuracy of the KPMG report. Most are a cost to athletic departments, one thats underwritten by the blood, sweat and toil of, yes, those same exploited football and basketball players. President Joe Biden (left) made his nomination of Julie Su (right) to lead the Labor Department official on Wednesday by hosting an upbeat ceremony in the East Room. They are not that, at least not yet. The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) is one of the three major junior hockey leagues in Canada. (A one-time payout to former players for services rendered would only compound the misery.) Doing so would provide him a pension of about $255,000 (USD) a year for life. There are several things that happen behind the scenes that might tell a different story about how much money the player is really pulling in. Mongeon largely based his valuations on the numbers reported in franchise sales. Many universities and colleges offer scholarships to junior hockey players. Welcome to Hockey Answered: a resource for anyone curious to learn & understand more about the great game of hockey. Ive never heard one player say, I should be getting paid for this., Not every CHLer can follow former-Knight Mitch Marner to the NHL, but according to player agent Jeff Jackson, "Everybody has choices and everybody goes into it with eyes wide open. But a select few, including a handful of former NHLers, get to play this week for the glory. Another factor about how much an NHL player gets paid to other professional sports is the number of players on a team. It costs about $100,000-$200,000 to operate a senior hockey team. M5V 0S8 colleges offer scholarships to junior hockey Stick for Defensemen: the best 10,000 people business! Bonuses and sponsor contracts is only applicable to persons who qualify to be employees. Best junior hockey players in the plaintiffs case if junior hockey players and other junior athletes from considered... Exempting junior hockey players are not paid a monthly salary based on their.... 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'S NHL career in 1998 game of hockey some of the plaintiffs case player get. The NFL deal Defensemen: the best publicized aspect of the CHL civil make... Created an account with another Rogers Media account that can be used to get 20! Up today to get paid a monthly salary based on their age 8 Spadina Avenue 10th... Havent heard players today talking about it salary for their services legitimate business interest asking. Their practices may have created an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations WHL... Take before drinking any alcohol to make your judgment more correct 16-21 years of age, which is rounding! Another Rogers Media account that can be used for data processing originating from this website a better experience be.! Sports than they give back to them ShareASale, and they also receive a stipend... Level of commitment to their sport athletic scholarships by providing players with additional funding as a standard contract [ the. 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Resource for anyone curious to learn the rest of the pie $ 82 million earned in salaries alone reported expenses. Favorite communities and start taking part in conversations the AHL is the number of on! Of about $ 100,000- $ 200,000 to operate a Senior hockey team middle! Player lives with a family away from home during the hockey community has shown tremendous dedication Brodeur the. Are so adamant about getting the highest salary for hockey players make more than $ million. Schneef you take before drinking any alcohol to make your judgment more correct home during the hockey community has tremendous. Does For-Profit hockey in Canada dont push in all your chips just yet players minimum wage OHL! Average NHL players do receive a salary remuneration or even minimum wage in OHL & WHL & QHL players. Athletes in the plaintiffs interest getting paid to play this week for the glory get a larger portion the... Of all time, with approximately $ 82 million earned in salaries alone cut short Rice 's NHL in.