Sheldon Souray Net Worth

What is Sheldon Souray's net worth, salary and career earnings?

Sheldon Souray is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who has a net worth of $16 million. In his NHL career from 1997 to 2013, Sheldon Souray played for the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Anaheim Ducks. He also played for the Canada national team, winning the silver medal in the 2005 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

Contracts, Salaries & Career Earnings

Sheldon Souray played 14 seasons in the NHL, building a long and lucrative career as a hard-shooting defenceman for the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Anaheim Ducks. While exact salary figures from the earliest portion of his career are not as thoroughly documented as his later contracts, Souray's total NHL earnings from salaries, signing bonuses, and buyout payments are estimated to be in the range of $36.5 million to $40 million.

Souray's financial peak came after the 2006-07 season with the Montreal Canadiens. That year, he set an NHL record for power-play goals by a defenceman with 19, using his booming slapshot to become one of the league's most dangerous offensive threats from the blue line. The breakout season arrived at the perfect time. Souray entered free agency as one of the most sought-after defencemen on the market and cashed in with the Edmonton Oilers.

In 2007, Souray signed a five-year, $27 million contract with Edmonton. The deal carried an average annual value of $5.4 million, making him one of the highest-paid defencemen in the NHL at the time. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Oilers did not play out as hoped. Injuries limited his effectiveness, and his relationship with team management deteriorated. At one point, he was loaned to the AHL's Hershey Bears while still earning a $4.5 million NHL base salary. In 2011, Edmonton bought out the final year of his contract, agreeing to pay him $3 million over two years not to play for the team.

After the buyout, Souray rebuilt his value with the Dallas Stars. In 2011, he signed a one-year, $1.65 million "show me" contract and proved he could still contribute at the NHL level. He appeared in 64 games, recorded 21 points, and re-established himself as a useful veteran defenceman.

That comeback earned him one more significant payday. In 2012, Souray signed a three-year, $11 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks. He played during the 2012-13 season, but a severe wrist injury forced him to miss the remainder of the deal and effectively ended his playing career. Souray officially retired in 2015 when the contract expired.

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Early Life and Education

Sheldon Souray was born on July 13, 1976 in Elk Point, Alberta, Canada to Lillian and Richard. He has one older sister, and is of Métis ancestry. Souray was educated at Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School in Edmonton.

Junior Ice Hockey

Souray began his junior career in the 1992-93 season, playing in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Fort Saskatchewan Traders. He finished the season in the Western Hockey League with the Tri-City Americans. Souray remained with the Americans for the 1993-94 season and the start of the 1994-95 season. He then went to the WHL's Prince George Cougars for a spell before concluding the 1994-95 season with the American Hockey League's Albany River Rats. Souray returned to the WHL for the 1995-96 season, playing stints with the Cougars and the Kelowna Rockets. He finished that season back in the AHL with the Rats. Souray played with the Rats for his final three junior seasons before making his NHL debut in the 1997-98 season.

NHL Career, 1997-2007

In the 1994 NHL entry draft, Souray was chosen by the New Jersey Devils with the 71st overall pick. He continued his junior career over the subsequent seasons before making his NHL debut with the Devils in the 1997-98 season. Souray finished his rookie season with three goals and ten points in 60 games. In his second NHL season, he recorded one goal and eight points in 70 games. Souray remained with the Devils until midway through the 1999-2000 season, when he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. In Montreal, Souray built on his burgeoning reputation as a formidable physical defender with a heavy slapshot. He performed well in his first full season with the Canadiens in 2000-01, recording three goals and 11 points in 52 games.

In his second full season in Montreal, Souray tallied three goals and eight points in 34 games as he struggled with a wrist injury. His injury was so bad he was unable to play at all in the 2002-03 season. Souray returned in top form for the 2003-04 season, recording new career bests of 15 goals and 35 points. Due to the subsequent 2004-05 NHL lockout, Souray played for the Swedish Hockey League team Färjestads Bollklubb. With that team, he recorded nine goals and 17 points in 39 games. Souray returned to Montreal to have a terrific 2005-06 season, with 12 goals and 39 points in 75 games. He was even more dominant in the 2006-07 season, putting up career bests of 26 goals and 64 points in 81 games.

NHL Career, 2007-2013

As an unrestricted free agent, Souray signed a five-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers in the summer of 2007. Despite high expectations, he had a disappointing first season with the team due to injuries that limited him to just 26 games. Souray finished the season with three goals and ten points, his lowest numbers in five seasons. After recovering, he came roaring back in the 2008-09 season to record 23 goals and 53 points in 81 games. Moreover, during the Oilers' 2009 Skills Competition, Souray broke the unofficial NHL record for the hardest slapshot, at 106.7 mph. Following his successful 2008-09 season, Souray was brought down by injuries in the 2009-10 season. Just three games in, he suffered a concussion at the hands of Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla that caused him to miss the subsequent 16 games. Later, at the end of January in 2010, Souray suffered a boxer's fracture after he brawled with Iginla in a rematch with the Flames. This injury required surgery that ended Souray's season after just 37 games. Amid tensions with Oilers management, Souray was sent to the AHL for the 2010-11 season, where he played with the Hershey Bears.

In the summer of 2011, the Oilers bought out the fifth and final year of Souray's contract, allowing him to become a free agent. He subsequently returned to the NHL and signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Stars. Souray made a significant career comeback during his season with the Stars, tallying six goals and 21 points in 64 games. It was also during the season that he scored his 100th career NHL goal, a power play scored with a slapshot in a 7-6 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. In the summer of 2012, Souray signed a three-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. He remained in strong form in Anaheim, posting seven goals and 17 points in 44 games of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Notably, Souray's final point of the regular season was also his 300th career NHL point. The Ducks won the Pacific Division and advanced to the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, where they were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in the quarterfinals. Souray became an unrestricted free agent after that season, and in mid-2015 he announced his retirement.

Canada National Team

During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Souray played for the Canada men's national ice hockey team in the 2005 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. He scored one goal and two points in nine games to help Canada claim the silver medal behind the champions, Czech Republic.

Personal Life

Souray married his first wife, actress and model Angelica Bridges, in 2002. They had two daughters, Valentina and Scarlett, before divorcing in 2007. In 2011, Souray began a relationship with model and professional wrestler Barbie Blank, also known by her WWE ring name Kelly Kelly. They married in 2016 and divorced the next year. Souray wed his third wife, model Tess Annique, in 2021. Together, they have a son named Oliver and live in Las Vegas.

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