The NHL and NHLPA have released projections for the league’s salary cap over the next three seasons.
The current salary cap, set at $88 million, was previously estimated to see a modest uptick of $4.5 million for the 2025-26 season. However, with hockey-related revenue dramatically recovering in the “post-pandemic” sporting world, those estimations undershot what will now be a $7.5 million increase, raising the cap to $95.5 million next year.
Following the $7.5 million rise will come an $8.5 million and $9.5 million increase in the next two respective seasons. The upper limit is scheduled to be $113.5 million for the 2027-27 campaign.
Salary cap projections through 2027-28
- 2025-26: $95.5 million
- 2026-27: $104 million
- 2027-28: $113.5 million
Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman provided the first report in November this season, indicating that the cap was due for a more significant increase than expected. He was followed by well-known NHL agent Allan Walsh, whose $97 million projection for next year was too high. However, Walsh’s $105 million projection for 2027-28 was far too low.
From a Washington Capitals perspective, the big increases in the salary cap maximum could be incredibly well-timed. The club appears to be entering another Cup-contending phase in the post-Alex Ovechkin era and, per PuckPedia, is slotted to have the eighth-most cap room in the NHL for the 2026-27 season.
The Capitals already took several cap-related roster risks ahead of Friday’s news, meaning their trade for Pierre-Luc Dubois and lengthy contract extensions delivered to names like Tom Wilson, Aliaksei Protas, Rasmus Sandin, and Logan Thompson could look even better when comparable players reach free agency in the next three years.
Washington has two major names, Jakob Chychrun and Charlie Lindgren, left on their roster without contracts for next season, and both have been in the news regarding extensions recently. The club now has the definitive salary cap information they were reportedly looking for before approaching Chychrun with contract talks and are reportedly already discussing numbers with Lindgren.
Here’s the full press release from the NHL:
NHLPA, NHL Announce Team Payroll Ranges for Next Three Seasons
NEW YORK/TORONTO (Jan. 31, 2025) – The National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association announced today an agreement that will provide increased predictability on core Salary Cap economics for a minimum of the next three years (through 2027-28).
The agreement sets the following annual increases to the Upper Limit, subject to the Collective Bargaining Agreement being in effect beyond the 2025-26 season:
2025-26: $7.5 million
2026-27: $8.5 million
2027-28: $9.5 millionThose increases would set Team Payroll Ranges for the next three seasons to:
2025-26
Upper Limit: $95.5 Million
Lower Limit: $70.6 Million2026-27
Upper Limit: $104 Million
Lower Limit: $76.9 Million2027-28
Upper Limit: $113.5 Million
Lower Limit: $83.9 MillionThe projected Team Payroll Ranges for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons will be subject to potential minor adjustments (up or down).
The parties still intend to meet to discuss other elements of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that might need modification and/or improvement beyond the 2025-26 season.
