The NHL salary cap will increase by $1 million to $82.5 million for next season, general managers were told during their annual meeting in Palm Beach County, Fla., on Tuesday.
The league considers $1 million to be a “flat” increase necessitated by the NHLPA still working to repay escrow.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he anticipates the cap to increase by more than $1 million after the escrow is repaid, which he said is projecting to be after the 2024-25 season.
Bettman added that the league revenues were still expected, even given the pandemic challenges and restricted attendance by Canadian teams this season, to be over the $5 billion projected in December.
The cap ceiling rose every season from 2013-14 until the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 campaign.