NFL agent cap 3%NBA agent cap 4%MLB agent cap 5%Top federal rate 2026 37%Bonus withholding over $1M 37%Texas state tax on wages 0%Florida state tax on wages 0%California top rate 13.3%NBA escrow 10% of each check held backNIL money 1099 income, add 15.3% self-employment taxAgent fees for team salary not deductible on your federal returnNFL players file taxes in about 10 to 14 states a year
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NHL | Buffalo, NY

What a Buffalo Sabres contract really pays

Real 2026 take-home numbers for Buffalo Sabres players, from the NHL minimum up. Federal tax, New York tax, the jock tax, and the agent, all in.

At a glance

Home games taxed by
New York
Top rate there
10.90%
Rank for take-home
19 of 32
NHL agent cap
No union cap
Road duty days (est.)
31%
Taxing places visited
22

Take-home by salary

SalaryTaxesFeesKeeps
$850,000min$362,604$67,500$419,896 (49%)
$2,000,000$966,050$125,000$908,950 (45%)
$5,000,000$2,472,011$275,000$2,252,989 (45%)
$10,000,000$5,046,895$525,000$4,428,105 (44%)

Single, living in New York, max agent fee, 1% advisor fee, and $25K a year for a CPA and lawyer. Estimates for education.

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Statement of earnings

$5M with the Buffalo Sabres

One season. Lives in New York. Single.

Keeps 45%
Gross pay$5,000,000
TaxFederal income tax($1,674,000)

Top federal rate is 37% on taxable income over $640,600. Reduced by a credit for tax paid to Canada.

TaxMedicare($115,700)

1.45% on every dollar, plus 0.9% on pay over $200,000. No cap.

TaxSocial Security($11,439)

6.2% on the first $184,500 only.

TaxNew York state tax (where you live)($430,677)

Your home state taxes all of your pay, minus a credit for tax you paid other states.

TaxJock tax (road games)($240,195)

About 31% of your duty days are on the road. Road states and cities with an income tax each take a cut. Estimated across 22 taxing places your league visits.

FeeAgent (4%)($200,000)

Taken from the gross, before taxes. For team salary it is not deductible on your federal return.

FeeManagers and advisors (1%)($50,000)

Business manager, financial advisor, and similar percentage fees.

FeeCPA and lawyer($25,000)

Multi-state returns, contract review, estate documents.

What you actually keep

$2,252,989

You keep

45%

Buffalo Sabres pay questions

Do Buffalo Sabres players pay state income tax?+

Yes. New York taxes the pay earned on duty days in the state, even for players who live somewhere else. The top rate is 10.90%.

How much does a NHL minimum salary player on the Buffalo Sabres take home?+

On the NHL minimum of $850,000, a single player living in New York keeps about $419,896 after taxes and a 4% agent fee, or about 49%.

How does the Buffalo Sabres rank for take-home pay?+

At $5,000,000 a season, the Buffalo Sabres rank 19 of 32 NHL teams for what a player keeps, assuming he or she lives in the team's state. The top team on that list is the Dallas Stars.

KeepMyCheck is not affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres, the NHL, or its players association. Team names only describe where games are played.