When it comes to future salary caps, the question is not just when will we have clarity, but can we get there beyond 2025-26?
As predicted in the current collective bargaining agreement, the cap number for the 2025-26 season is approximately $92.5 million — although the NHL and NHLPA could agree to raise the cap. At the December Board of Governors meeting, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said those discussions would happen, and for good reason. When the two sides negotiated the COVID-19 collective bargaining agreement in 2020, the cap was “decoupled” from the 50:50 revenue split and put in place safeguards in case the economy failed to recover from the lockdown. Strong post-COVID growth — Bateman expects record revenue of $6.6 billion this quarter — suggests there’s plenty of room for even more growth.
According to multiple sources, the league and union are negotiating not only numbers for the 2025-26 season, but more than that. It depends on who you talk to, but if it works out, we could be sure of up to two more seasons.
“I’m telling you right now, the salary cap cap is going to be $97 million next year,” Allan Walsh said on this week’s Insider podcast, adding that it could reach $97 million by 2027-28 $105 million. Walsh has better sources than I do, so he has a more detailed understanding of the numbers. But that’s consistent with the salary cap set for three seasons. Also, what struck me was his use of the word “smooth.”
The NBA took a big bump in the summer of 2016: $24.1 million, and in retrospect, owners and players alike hate it. Too much confusion and jealousy – In a huge shock, the Golden State Warriors signed Kevin Durant, extending their dynasty. In the new CBA, both parties agreed that the salary cap cannot increase by more than 10% from one season to the next.
There’s a reason the NHL and its players support this approach. Some organizations — even well-run ones — are nervous about the $110 million cap, especially those whose revenue comes from Canadian funds. Currently, two-thirds of the league’s teams are within $2 million of the top players. It will be very interesting to see how much this changes as things develop.
For players, pandemic relief could benefit more than one free agent class. And, it protects them from the word they hate the most: hosting. (When Scott Moore hired me at Sportsnet, he told me that if he heard the word escrow, I would be fired. Thank God he’s not here now.) If the cap gets higher and revenue goes down, their escrow percentage will rise. This is the opposite of what they want. Therefore, it would be wise for them to be a little cautious.
Hopefully this happens before the March 7 trade deadline – so teams and players can make more informed decisions. If this is indeed the case, there is reason to be optimistic about CBA negotiations. If the financial issues are resolved, what exactly could stop the deal?
1. Sheldon Keefe said the bad news for Sweden is that Jacob Markstrom will be “out for a while” after he was injured in Wednesday’s game against Boston. Linus Ullmark is also a concern and there are now fears William Karlsson’s lingering injury could see him miss the Four Nations clash. We should find out soon. Hope everything goes well for him.
2. Markstrom is wished a speedy recovery. One thing to remember: If Jake Allen plays 40 games, the Canadiens will receive a second-round pick in the upcoming draft. If not, it’s the third one. (He is 15 years old.)
3. Fortunately, Connor McDavid poured cold water on the red-hot team after the suspension, saying Wednesday that while he thought it was “probably a little harsh, I understand their decision and it has to be Move on. “I’m a little surprised that some players said they thought McDavid’s previous suspension — two games in 2019 — shouldn’t have been taken into consideration. The reason: They feel it has nothing to do with this game and also think three games is too many. “I just don’t think he’s going to benefit anyone by missing three games,” was a common thought. You don’t hear this reason very often. McDavid also said, “A penalty in Game 1 is a penalty in Game 3, and a penalty in October is a penalty in April.” This was a consistent comment from McDavid when he served on the competition committee. . Call the rulebook.
4. I was talking to another executive and he said the Oilers and their opponents will be very wary of how they play after the game. Will the Oilers get more power plays? Are you biased against them? Teams worry about overcompensating. There’s no comparison, but Calgary went from 30th to 4th penalty in 2016 after Dennis Wideman held the linesman high. So the paranoia exists.
5. Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet had a great thing to say when asked if Connor Garland would face any repercussions during Thursday’s bubble in Edmonton. “Yeah, he was holding a guy. Is that the ‘Wanted’ poster?” That’s why McDavid and Tyler Myers were guaranteed two games. If the league has a chance to turn down the heat in the bubble, it will. Teams may also be warned.
6. Mikko Rantanen and Colorado need a deadline. Deadlines spur action. No more bluffing, there are real cards on the table. The big question is: Do the Avalanche consider March 7 to be the deadline, or are they willing to take a chance if he’s not signed by then? Although Gabriel Landeskog signed in late July 2021, no one thought he would leave. Do you have the same feeling after seeing this?
7. Team to watch: Carolina. They are active and ready to pounce.
8. The Hurricanes and Rangers were the two teams allowed to speak with JT Miller. New York’s offer is believed to be for Filip Chytil, a first-round pick and a promising player. The information I received about New Jersey was very mixed. The Rangers have enough cap space to do that, but the Devils would need roster surgery to make that happen. Yes, they were struggling until Wednesday’s win over Boston, but this is a good team. I don’t believe in Dallas either. But I always think I’m missing something.
9. Elias Pettersson told the Canucks he wants to stay. We’ll see how this all unfolds.
10. Days after depressing remarks in a Slovak newspaper, the atmosphere around Simon Nemec is cooling. The Devils communicated to anyone who asked that they had zero interest in dealing the 2022 second overall pick. If anything, an injury suffered during last August’s Olympic qualifying round hurt his chances of making New Jersey’s team. Everything resets next fall. Let’s see what happens next.
11. Given the buzz surrounding the Penguins, I believe they are interested in some young, NHL-ready prospects in Buffalo. Perfect for what they wanted.
12. Columbus has little interest in its mid-round pick in unrestricted free agency. Everyone supports them and I will support them instead of accepting a low price. Some players called captain Boone Jenner, who was injured before the season, “our deadline acquisition.”
13. Jake Johnson said Wednesday with Columbus in Toronto that he wants to play another season. That would be his 20th year in the NHL, including the five games he played in the 2006-07 season after leaving the University of Michigan.
14. The average salary for a first-time head coach is $1.4 million, an executive said during the David Carle Coaching Speech. I still think someone had a legitimate campaign, but it would be a leap for his peers.
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15. On Monday, just hours after Ohio State won the NCAA football championship, the Blue Jackets were prominently featured on social media. Several players wore Buckeye jerseys when they arrived on Long Island for the game against the Islanders. No one is a Michigan guy on the team. Johnson joked they were “separated” from those players, while Zach Werenski added, “There’s no way I would do that.”
16. Our interview with Werensky will air on Friday’s podcast. He was great and had a story that stood out. In one game this year, a player in blue took an extra step on the blue line, causing a teammate to go offsides. Then the TV pauses. One of the other players was frustrated, and you can see it if you really look for it. Werenski skated up to the player and said something that softened him up and gave the fouling ballhandler an encouraging pat. “There’s a lot of emotion in the game of hockey, right? I just feel like in certain situations, there’s definitely a time and a place for holding teammates accountable. If they see us arguing with each other, arguing with fans or whatever, don’t give that to anybody. Any benefit. Let’s solve this problem ourselves in the room. Question… it’s something I wouldn’t have done two years ago or even last year, but I feel like where we are now, we’re very close to where we want to be and I feel like those are the big moments. It’s all little things, but it’s a big moment in the team. “Don’t let people see you sweat? “Exactly. Don’t give them any advantage.”
17. When Charlie Coyle told me he was the second largest brown bear, I felt really old. I was 21 when he was born.
18. Tom McVeigh died this week at the age of 89. He’s very, very friendly and his voice is one of the most unique in the sport, husky and unmistakable. In one of coach Roger Neilson’s clinics, Dave Barr, who played 614 NHL games, recounted a story about McVay with the 1991-92 New Jersey Devils. (McVie) Great story of effectiveness. Barr was dispossessed with the puck in his own zone, leading to a breakaway. Their goaltender made the save, but Barr fought back as hard as he could to make up for his mistake, knocking the puck into his own net. This is an absolutely catastrophic turn of events. Sitting on the bench, “I could feel (McVay’s) eyes burning into me,” Barr laughed years later. “At the end he yelled, ‘Not only did you score, but you also assisted!'” All I could see around me was my teammates, their bodies shaking as they tried not to laugh. “
