NHL salary cap could jump $4 million next season

NEW YORK – The NHL’s salary cap could jump by more than $4 million next season if the league meets earnings projections.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said after the league’s board of directors meeting in Manhattan on Tuesday, “We believe escrow is likely to pay off this season, which means flat caps will see a bigger increase.” It means replaced.

The NHL and the NHL Players Association have signed a new collective bargaining agreement for 2020. They agreed to lock his salary cap at his $81.5 million until hockey-related earnings last season exceeded his $3.3 billion. Under the CBA, the salary cap was raised for the first time this season, up $1 million to $82.5 million.

A “flat cap” was needed because the team owes an estimated $1 billion to its owners due to lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When that debt is paid in full, the cap moves to the earnings-linked ‘calculated cap’. Bettmann believes he can pay off his debt this season, with his cap increased from $4 million to $4.5 million for the 2023-24 season, ahead of schedule.

Bettman said revenues were “pretty booming,” with hockey-related revenues for the league last season at about $5.4 billion, about $500 million more than the NHL had projected.

The commissioner said it was “just around the corner” to fully pay off the debt by the end of the season.

world cup russia

The NHL is set to host its next World Cup of Hockey in February 2024, but some of the countries scheduled to participate have protested the involvement of Russian players.

“The conflict in Ukraine makes it difficult to deal with the Russian issue. We are certainly hearing from some participating countries. [in the World Cup] We will object to Russia’s participation,” Deputy Secretary Bill Daly said.

The NHL expected some adjustment to the status of the Russian team if Russia’s war against Ukraine was still ongoing at the time of the World Cup. Initially, Russian athletes were expected to simply play under a neutral name or flag, much like the Olympics after the Russian Olympic Committee was suspended over a doping scandal. But Daley said the other World Cup participants weren’t happy with that.

“We saw it as an alternative. Based on what I understand to be concerned, I don’t see it as a fix for other countries,” Daley said.

The NHL said the objections were a “relative fact” in the decision-making process regarding the participation of Russian players, but no decision has been made on their status and plans regarding World Cup logistics have also been finalized. No. The year before the scheduled event.

Ian Cole Investigation

The NHL Board has not received a report on the investigation into Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole, but Bettman has addressed its potential implications.

The NHL said Saturday it found no evidence to support allegations of sexual misconduct over calls made anonymously on social media. returned the missed call.

NHL head of security Jared Maples and the league’s chief legal officer David Zimmerman “conducted the most comprehensive investigation possible in anonymous tweets,” Bettman said.

After Cole’s return, the NHLPA released a statement saying, “A player should never be suspended or disciplined in response to an unsubstantiated and anonymous allegation,” adding, It would be inappropriate and grossly unfair to remove him from the team.”

Bettman said he respects the union’s views on the matter, but supported Tampa Bay’s decision to suspend Cole.

“The Lightning decided it might be a distraction in the short term. The club is free to do that,” Bettmann said.

He said similar situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis in the future.

“At the end of the day, I’m always concerned when allegations are made. But when they’re done anonymously, they’re a little harder to deal with,” Bettmann said.