Carey Price signed an $84 million NHL contract: How the Montreal Canadiens legend built his fortune through a remarkable career, record-breaking seasons and historic legacy

As Price’s wealth grew, so did his reputation as one of the NHL’s top goalies. Drafted fifth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2005 NHL Draft, Price immediately became the team’s long-term building block and one of the highest paid players in the sport. His biggest financial milestone arrived in July 2017, when Montreal committed $84 million to him over eight years.The contract gave Price an average annual value of $10.5 million and featured a heavily front-loaded salary structure with substantial signing bonuses. Those terms became particularly important during the final years of his career, when recurring knee problems prevented him from returning to NHL action. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Price has an estimated net worth of $40 million, although career salary databases put his NHL earnings substantially higher.Carey Price built an NHL fortune through one historic contractThe foundation of Price's fortune was the eight-year, $84 million extension signed with the Montreal Canadiens on July 2, 2017. The agreement began with the 2018-19 season and carried a $10.5 million annual average value, placing Price among the NHL's highest-paid players and making him the league's highest-paid goaltender at the time.The contract was structured differently from a simple $10.5 million annual salary. A large portion of the money was delivered through signing bonuses, including $13 million in each of the first two seasons. The deal then included additional bonuses of $8.75 million, $11 million, $6.75 million, $6.5 million and $5.5 million in subsequent seasons.Contract detailCarey PriceTeamMontreal CanadiensContract length8 yearsTotal value84millionAverageannualvalue10.5 millionSigning dateJuly 2, 2017Contract period2018-19 to 2025-26That structure meant Price's actual yearly compensation varied considerably despite the consistent $10.5 million cap hit. His first two seasons under the agreement each carried $15 million in total salary, including the $13 million signing bonus. The 2021-22 season also reached $13 million in total compensation.Carey Price's career earnings extended beyond $120 millionPrice's $84 million extension represented only one major chapter of his NHL earnings. Before signing it, the Canadiens had already committed $39 million to him through a six-year contract signed in 2012. His earlier deals, entry-level compensation and subsequent payments pushed his career salary total far beyond the headline value of his 2017 extension.Different salary databases produce slightly different totals depending on methodology and whether figures are adjusted or categorized differently. HockeyZonePlus lists Price's career NHL earnings at approximately $128.77 million, while PuckPedia estimates career earnings at around $131.01 million. Celebrity Net Worth, meanwhile, lists his current net worth at $40 million.The difference between career earnings and net worth is important, and career earnings represent money generated through playing contracts, while net worth reflects assets, investments, taxes, spending and other financial considerations. As a result, the two figures should not be treated as interchangeable.Carey Price career success strengthened his NHL legacyPrice's financial value was closely connected to what he accomplished on the ice. The 2014-15 season represented the high point of his individual career and helped establish the reputation that ultimately supported his landmark contract.That season, Price won the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL's most valuable player, and the Vezina Trophy, given to the league's top goaltender, and he also received the Ted Lindsay Award and William M. Jennings Trophy, completing an extraordinary collection of individual honors.The Canadiens goaltender posted a 1.96 goals-against average and .933 save percentage that season. It figures that placed him firmly among the NHL's elite. His performances also helped Montreal remain competitive during an era when Price had become the team's most important defensive presence.Carey Price became a defining Montreal Canadiens figurePrice's relationship with Montreal also played a major role in his earning power, rather than moving between several NHL franchises, he spent his entire NHL career with the Canadiens, becoming one of the most recognizable faces of the organisation.His franchise statistics underline that influence. Price finished his Montreal career with 361 wins and 712 games played, both all-time Canadiens records for a goaltender. He also recorded 49 shutouts for the franchise.His six NHL All-Star selections and First-Team All-Star recognition in 2014-15 further demonstrate how consistently he was regarded among the league's best goaltenders, and his performance also helped Montreal reach the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, giving Price one of the most memorable playoff runs of his career.Carey Price earnings continued through long-term injury tenureThe final stage of Price's career was defined less by games played and more by the security of the contract he had negotiated years earlier. After his April 2022 appearance, continuing knee problems prevented him from returning to NHL competition. Montreal nevertheless remained responsible for the guaranteed financial commitments within his contract.The annual structure illustrates how substantial those commitments remained. Price's contract called for $7.75 million in 2022-23, $8.5 million in 2023-24 and $7.5 million in each of the final two seasons. Much of those amounts came through signing bonuses rather than traditional base salary.The contract's final years also became part of a salary-cap management decision for Montreal. In September 2025, the Canadiens traded Price and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman prospect Gannon Laroque. Price had not played since 2022 and was entering the final season of his eight-year agreement.Price’s financial legacy is more than his headline-grabbing contract, with his NHL earnings a product of a series of deals over nearly two decades and endorsement opportunities providing another stream of income. Celebrity Net Worth identifies brand partnerships as part of his broader financial profile, alongside his playing contracts.More importantly, Price's career demonstrates how elite performance can translate into long-term financial security. The $84 million extension was awarded when Montreal believed its franchise goaltender remained one of the most valuable players at his position. His subsequent injuries changed the final chapter of his playing career, but they did not diminish the financial significance of the deal.For Montreal, Price remains the franchise's all-time leader in wins and games played by a goaltender. For the NHL, his career represents the combination of elite performance, long-term contract security and unprecedented compensation for a goaltender during his prime.And for Carey Price, the $84 million deal that was a reward for years of elite goaltending is the financial legacy most tied to his name. On the ice, his Hart and Vezina-winning 2014-15 campaign and Montreal records established his status as a franchise icon. Together, those achievements explain why his career remains one of the defining financial and sporting stories of the modern Canadiens era.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.