National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman estimates that the salary costs of the league’s teams could increase to “between $87 and $88 million” next season.
Bettman said at a news conference Wednesday that “very preliminary” discussions had been initiated regarding the salary cap. This would nevertheless be a significant increase, since the clubs have $83.5 million available this season.
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In 2023-24, the NHL offered an additional $1 million to general managers. This modest increase was justified by the existence of escrows, which mean that players still owe money to teams due to the loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to various sources, including the Sportsnet network, Bettman also indicated that the NHL was not planning any expansion in the short term. However, he would receive interest from several markets.