NHL salary cap could see unusually high rise in 2017-18, per report

With the Vegas Golden Knights joining the league in 2017-18, we knew the NHL salary cap would rise. We just didn’t know by how much.

James Mirtle of The Athletic reports that the salary cap next season will rise by at least $2 million, which would leave the 31 teams with $75 million in cap space to work with.

But his sources also indicate that the cap could rise even more. As Mirtle reports:

But a $75-million cap would mean only about 1.5 per cent of the 5 per cent growth factor was used. And there is another player-side faction that is still arguing for the NHLPA to agree to the full 5 per cent. That remains a possibility.

That would push the cap to at least $77.5 million, which is larger-than-average bump historically.

Usually, the NHLPA votes to use at least part of the five percent growth factor, which gives teams more cap space to spend on players. There had been rumors they could decline to do it this year given how salary cap increases impact escrow, but Mirtle reports the cap is going up to $74 million even in the unlikely scenario that the escalator clause is not used.

Good question. Dunno.

At any rate, we’re probably hearing the official salary cap news on Friday. For now, we can wonder where it lands in that $3 million gap that The Athletic is reporting on.