Gary Bettman’s latest salary revealed

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman received nearly $8 million in salary and benefits during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, according to the league’s most recent tax filing, reported Sports Business Daily on Monday.

Bettman’s wages are up from a total compensation of $7.5 million the previous year.

At more than $7.98 million, Bettman’s salary has more than doubled since the 2004-05 lockout which saw the entire hockey season cancelled. In that year, Bettman made $3.7 million.

The NHL’s total annual revenue, including its 30 clubs and other business operations, has increased over that same period from $2.1 billion to $2.9 billion for the 2010-11 season, seeing 38 per cent growth. The total jumped further in the 2011-12 season, to $3.2 billion.

Bettman’s base salary for the 2010-11 season was $6,090,173. Other compensation totaled $1,711,930. The commissioner also received $155,782 in deferred compensation and $25,868 in benefits, according to the report.

By comparison, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is believed to make more than $20 million annually, and National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell inked a five-year contract extension earlier this year that should double his annual salary to about $20 million. The salary of NBA commissioner David Stern has never been made public.

The NHL declined comment on the tax filing to Sports Business Daily.

Here is where Bettman’s salary would rank him among the NHL’s top salary cap hits:

1. Alex Ovechkin: $9,538,462

2. Evgeni Malkin: $8,700,000

3. Sidney Crosby: $8,700,000

4. Eric Staal: $8,250,000

5. Gary Bettman: $7,980,000

6. Shea Weber: $7,857,143

7. Rick Nash: $7,800,000

8. Vincent Lecavalier: $7,727,273

9. Zach Parise: $7,538,462

10. Ryan Suter: $7,538,462

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