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

NHL | Raleigh, NC

What a Carolina Hurricanes contract really pays

Real 2026 take-home numbers for Carolina Hurricanes players, from the NHL minimum up. Federal tax, North Carolina tax, the jock tax, and the agent, all in.

At a glance

Home games taxed by
North Carolina
Top rate there
3.99%
Rank for take-home
8 of 32
NHL agent cap
No union cap
Road duty days (est.)
31%
Taxing places visited
22

Take-home by salary

SalaryTaxesFeesKeeps
$850,000min$341,145$67,500$441,355 (52%)
$2,000,000$853,859$125,000$1,021,141 (51%)
$5,000,000$2,191,144$275,000$2,533,856 (51%)
$10,000,000$4,423,321$525,000$5,051,679 (51%)

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

Statement of earnings

$5M with the Carolina Hurricanes

One season. Lives in North Carolina. Single.

Keeps 51%
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.

TaxNorth Carolina state tax (where you live)($137,348)

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

TaxJock tax (road games)($252,657)

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

$2,533,856

You keep

51%

Carolina Hurricanes pay questions

Do Carolina Hurricanes players pay state income tax?+

Yes. North Carolina taxes the pay earned on duty days in the state, even for players who live somewhere else. The top rate is 3.99%.

How much does a NHL minimum salary player on the Carolina Hurricanes take home?+

On the NHL minimum of $850,000, a single player living in North Carolina keeps about $441,355 after taxes and a 4% agent fee, or about 52%.

How does the Carolina Hurricanes rank for take-home pay?+

At $5,000,000 a season, the Carolina Hurricanes rank 8 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 Carolina Hurricanes, the NHL, or its players association. Team names only describe where games are played.