Which teams are best positioned going forward with the salary cap about to explode?

[PenguinSuitedUp]

Laughable Columbus isn’t being consistently named .. it’s ok guys we will keep our head down , work hard until we can’t be ignored

Your franchise has been around for two decades and accomplished nothing.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Detroit

 

[PenguinSuitedUp]

The teams that are best positioned for this are the big market teams. The cap expanding like this is going to be challenging at some point for small to mid market teams, unfortunately.

 

[FinlandPanther]

Because for all the data about what things "could be", what it is, is not a strong hockey market that the owner prefers to use as a loss leader and there's more data to suggest relocating them than keeping them there for the bottom line of the NHL.

We’ll beat your ass the next 10 years still so enjoy the ride! Thanks for paying our bills!

 

[Curufinwe]

I’d start dialing back those expected cap rises which were based on revenue projections that didn’t account for the world’s stupidest ever trade war.

 

[Stephen]

I’d start dialing back those expected cap rises which were based on revenue projections that didn’t account for the world’s stupidest ever trade war.

Yeah I agree with this. There's sports bubble economics and then the real world outside those rosy projections.

 

[Curufinwe]

Hypothetical, of course, but how does the NHL handle a situation where the work visas of all Canadian citizens living in the US are suddenly revoked?

 

[MrHeiskanen]

I’d start dialing back those expected cap rises which were based on revenue projections that didn’t account for the world’s stupidest ever trade war.

Wait these are projections? I thought it was set and agreed by both parties?

 

[Chainshot]

Probably the clubs that traditionally have had the deepest pockets because of being in the largest markets.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Wait these are projections? I thought it was set and agreed by both parties?

Only the 95.5 is locked in, the rest can change, because cap is now based on a 2 year window.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

Only the 95.5 is locked in, the rest can change, because cap is now based on a 2 year window.

Why did they announce it in this fashion then when its always been one season announced only.

 

[Martin Skoula]

It seems like you’re conflating “spend to the cap” with “sign horrible contracts”.

I’m pretty sure any team in the NHL would spend to a $105M cap if they were in a contention window. Sure they might take a step back and not sign a bunch of pointless veterans to bloated contracts during a rebuild, but that’s hardly because they can’t. Chicago for example is holding back some cap flexibility, but not because they can’t afford it.

Yeah but we’re talking about a 20% increase over 3 years, there’s not a lot of teams that can eat 20% increase in ticket, parking, concession prices and still sell out every night. And that’s just the raw cap, not accounting for front loaded bonus payouts for the new 14+ mil contracts that are going to become a norm. I don’t think the change hurts Carolina much if at all and I’m sure ownership would contemplate a season or two of spending at the new upper limit with rentals but the longterm max contracts for impact players are still going to be a top 1/3rd market imo.

If the increase was spread out over 5-10 years it’s a different story but 20mil in additional spending over 3 years, and realistically 30-50mil in actual cash on July 1st spending isn’t going to be absorbed equally across the league.

 

[Three On Zero]

Jersey, Ottawa, Columbus and Carolina come to mind

 

[Dread Clawz]

Florida
Barkov signed for 10M until 2030
Tkachuk for 9.5 until 2030
Reinhart for 8.6 until 2032
Verhaeghe for 7 until 2033
Forsling for 5.75 until 2032
Lundell for 5 until 2030

The rest of the NHL should be petrified of what Zito can do with 100+ M

 

[Dread Clawz]

Completely disagree. Florida and Ottawa are too small of market. They might struggle to spend to the cap. The Panthers made it to the Cup finals and were still 6th last in revenue in 2023. If their revenue doesn’t see a big jump, it might be tough to spend ~113 million on salaries when your total revenue is ~160 million.

Panthers are top 10 in revenues now. They sell out every game and have played the most playoff games of any team the last 2 years.

 

[wintersej]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but suddenly contenders are going to have cap space. One wonders if the offersheet world will unfreeze for a couple of seasons. Or at least attempts.