The placing of NHL players into categories such as stars, average journeyman forwards, defensive forward, etc., is a popular pastime of fans and professional sports commentators. This is usually done in an ad hoc manner, sometimes contentiously, and without reference to any detailed analysis of...

The placing of NHL players into categories such as stars, average journeyman forwards, defensive forward, etc., is a popular pastime of fans and professional sports commentators. This is usually done in an ad hoc manner, sometimes contentiously, and without reference to any detailed analysis of...

Using data from the pre-2004-2005 lockout period, we use quantile regression to estimate the earnings function of forwards and defensemen in the National Hockey League (NHL). We find that the explanatory power of Mincer's earnings equation is smaller for low-paid players than for high-paid...