New York (AFP) – The National Hockey League and NHL Players’ Association announced an agreement on Friday on salary cap rises for the next three seasons after record revenues last season. The deal, contingent upon a full collective bargaining agreement being completed, boosts the upper limit of team salary caps by $7.5 million in the 2025-26 season, $8.5 million in the 2026-27 campaign, and $9.5 million for the 2027-28 season.
Those are the biggest jumps since the cap system was inaugurated in 2005 and follow years of low growth in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Team payroll ranges for the next three seasons will be an upper limit of $95.5 million and a minimum level of $70.6 million in the 2025-26 season. That would rise to a top level of $104 million and floor of $76.9 million in 2026-27 and a ceiling of $113.5 million with a lowest level of $83.9 million in 2027-28 — both seasons with possible minor tweaks.
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This season, the NHL salary cap is at $88 million with a minimum of $65 million following a record $6.2 billion in NHL revenue last season. Having salary certainty will help NHL teams plan their future payrolls ahead of a March 7 trade deadline and off-season free agency. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says he hopes to finalize a complete new union deal this year, possibly before the Stanley Cup Final in June. The current agreement expires in September 2026.
© 2024 AFP
