The NHL salary cap is expected to climb US$25.5 million over the next three seasons, according to figures released Friday by the league and the NHL Players’ Association.
In a joint release, the league and the union say the upper limit a team can spend on its roster will jump $7.5 million next season to $95.5 million, with a floor of $70.6 million.
The cap is expected to rise $8.5 million to $104 million for 2026-27, and another $9.6 million to $113.5 million for 2027-28. The roster minimums are expected to be $76.9 million in 2027-28 and $83.9 million the following season.
The projected cap increases are significant compared to recent years. The cap was locked in at $81.5 million from 2019-20 to 2021-22 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It then increased by one million in each of the next two seasons before a $4.5-million increase brought it to $88 million for this campaign.
The release says minor adjustments might be made to the numbers for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons and the figures are subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA being in effect. The current agreement is scheduled to expire in September 2026.
