Field Level Media
08 May 2026, 07:25 GMT+10
(Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
The NHL's salary cap will reach a record of $104 million per team in 2026-27, the league and the NHL Players Association announced Thursday.
That figure is an increase of $8.5 million (8.9%) from the 2025-26 cap.
The salary cap floor will be $76.9 million, making the midpoint $90.4 million. To demonstrate the rapid growth of the league, the minimum is higher than the ceiling was in 2018.
Per PuckPedia, seven teams exceeded the cap in 2025-26, led by the Vegas Golden Knights, who spent $107.49 million. Teams may use players' salaries that have been placed on long-term injured reserve and exceed the cap without penalty.
The youthful Chicago Blackhawks spent $82.35 million, which was still comfortably over the salary cap floor.
Moreover, television and streaming deals with ESPN and TNT Sports will help the league exceed $7 billion in mixed currency revenue this season. The NHL just enjoyed record viewership milestones for the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
'It's a really good time, and we don't even have the biggest markets (involved in the playoffs),' league commissioner Gary Bettman said recently in an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. 'This is about how good the hockey is.'
The individual player maximum will also increase to $20.8 million for 2026-27.
Current projections indicate an even larger increase in 2027-28, with a $9.5 million jump to $113.5 million.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Chicago Chronicle news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Chicago Chronicle.
More InformationNEW YORK, New York - On Wall Street Thursday, U.S. stocks retreated from their recent record-breaking run. Investors and traders are...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Apple Inc. has agreed to a $250 million settlement that could see millions of iPhone users receive payments...
SEOUL, South Korea: Samsung Electronics has crossed the US$1 trillion market capitalization mark, becoming only the second Asian company...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: A robotics pioneer behind the Roomba vacuum is now turning to a different kind of household companion—an artificial...
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin: Harley-Davidson is pivoting toward lower-priced motorcycles and a stronger dealer network as it looks to revive...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. and Global equity markets closed sharply higher on Wednesday, with nearly every major index posting solid...
CHICAGO, Illinois: A man using the name of the famed Astor family, among other aliases, duped a Mexican billionaire out of around US$450...
(Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images) The NHL's salary cap will reach a record of $104 million per team in 2026-27, the league...
(Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images) The Toronto Blue Jays need a repeat of the result from the last time Dylan Cease opposed...
(Photo credit: David Banks-Imagn Images) Shota Imanaga struck out 10 across six innings as the Chicago Cubs completed a four-game...
(Photo credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images) A pair of right-handers with stellar ERAs but few victories will face off on Friday as...
(Photo credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images) If the last two games of their series in San Francisco this week are any indication,...
