Clark revealed as highest-paid PWHL player following salary disclosures

For the first time ever, the top women’s hockey league in the world has publicly disclosed players’ salaries.

It was revealed that the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players’ Association posted players’ salaries for the 2025-26 season on its website. It’s the first time that the general public has been allowed to see officially what each of their favorite players make over the course of the season.

Last year, players’ salaries were allowed to be disclosed to both players, agents and teams through the Players’ Association, but were not made available to be viewed by fans and media members alike.

Surprisingly, the highest-paid player in the league last season was Ottawa Charge forward Emily Clark, making $126,090 after signing a two-year contract extension last summer. Clark was one of Ottawa’s top players during the 2024-25 season, playing a key role in the team’s first-ever appearance in the Walter Cup Final. However, this past year, she struggled offensively. Scoring just three goals and nine points during the regular season, far from the 19 points she registered a year ago. In fact, she did not even score a point in eight postseason games, though Ottawa still made it back to the Walter Cup Final, where it fell to the Montreal Victoire in four games.

Clark made more money than Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin. One might think that the greatest women’s hockey player of all time would be paid the most, but Poulin only made $110,216, sixth-highest in the league. There were certainly a few other players who had a big pay stub at the end of the day. Ahead of Poulin are New York Sirens forward and reigning PWHL Rookie of the Year winner Sarah Fillier ($125,000), Charge captain Brianne Jenner ($122,003) and Victoire teammate Abby Roque ($116,699).

Toronto Sceptres defender Renata Fast ($106,090), Seattle Torrent captain Hilary Knight ($106,090), Charge forward Gabbie Hughes ($105,000) and Boston Fleet captain Megan Keller ($105,000) round out the top 10 highest-paid players in the league.

There were a few players who, to some, might be viewed as underpaid. During the 2024 offseason, Daryl Watts was considered to be the biggest free agent in the game. She ended up signing a two-year contract with the Toronto Scepters, but it has been revealed that she only made $59,000. It’s a far cry from what she signed on for with the Toronto Six of the Premier Hockey Federation a few years ago.

Minnesota Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme was only paid $51,000 last season. Despite being one of the most controversial figures of the young league, she had been one of the Frost’s top stars in her first two seasons of the league, helping Minnesota win a second straight Walter Cup last year, before being one of the spark plugs on a Frost offense that set a league record for goals in a single season (91). She did sign a two-year contract extension, starting next season, though that cap hit has yet to be disclosed.