When it comes to teams paying for performance and players earning their keep, the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears and forwards Keith Aucoin and Chris Bourque are all holding up their ends of the bargain.

Line mates Bourque (72 points) and Aucoin (70 points) are one and two in AHL scoring, despite the latter’s recall to the parent Washington Capitals for most of February.

The list of the AHL’s top earners comes courtesy of website CapGeek.com; each of the players is on a two-way contract, meaning that he earns a lesser amount while playing in the AHL than he does if he is in the NHL.

We went a step further and tallied the scoring totals for each of the players, some of whom, such as Aucoin, have played at both levels this season.

One player – another former Bear, Steve Pinizzotto – hurt his shoulder in preseason and has not played at all during the regular season.

Other names on the list that will be familiar to Pennsylvania hockey fans: former Bear Alexandre Giroux and former Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguin Chris Minard.

Of course, injuries, call-ups and playing time all affect a player’s stat line. Aucoin seemed a lock to break the AHL’s single-season assist record until Washington came calling, for instance.

That said, here’s how the AHL’s top-paid players have performed so far this season:

Alexandre Giroux

$325,000/Springfield; ($825,000/Columbus)

• AHL: 43 GP; 18 goals, 22 assists, 40 points
• NHL: 9 GP; 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point

Keith Aucoin

$300,000/Hershey; ($525,000/Washington)

• AHL: 43 GP; 11 goals, 59 assists, 70 points
• NHL: 5 GP; no points

Chris Minard

$300,000/Grand Rapids; ($525,000/Detroit)

• AHL: 14 GP; 9 goals, 4 assists, 13 points

Clay Wilson

$300,000/Abbottsford; ($525,000/Calgary)

• AHL: 43 GP; 9 goals, 18 assists, 27 points
• NHL: 2 GP, no points

Chris Bourque

$300,000/Hershey; ($525,000/Washington)

• AHL: 52 GP; 24 goals, 48 assists, 72 points

Mike Zigomanis

$300,000/Toronto Marlies; ($650,000/Toronto Maple Leafs)

• AHL: 51 GP; 15 goals, 33 assists, 48 points

Ben Walter

$275,000/Abbottsford; ($525,000/Calgary)

• AHL: 51 GP; 9 goals, 24 assists, 33 points

Steve Pinizzotto

$275,000/Chicago Wolves; ($625,000/Vancouver)

• Out for season after preseason shoulder surgery

Martin St. Pierre

$275,000/Springfield; ($600,000 Columbus)

• AHL: 51 GP; 10 goals, 38 assists, 48 points

Derek MacKenzie

$260,000/Springfield; ($600,000 Columbus)

• NHL: 59 GP; 5 goals, 6 assists, 11 points