NEW YORK — The NHL has given its first estimate for the 2028-29 salary cap, projecting a whopper of $127.5 million at this week's Board of Governors meeting, according to multiple sources. All figures are in U.S. dollars.
The league and NHLPA are in the second season of a three-season agreement that has sent the ceiling to record levels. This season's cap is $104 million and next season's is $113.5 million. Commissioner Gary Bettman said revenue projections for this coming season are approximately $8.1 billion in mixed currency, a key factor in the rising total. If the 2028-29 estimate holds, the $14 million increase would be the largest season-to-season jump of the cap era.
The surge presents a significant challenge for some clubs, especially smaller Canadian markets earning revenue in Canadian currency. For players, it represents a huge windfall after a summer in which contracts for Leo Carlsson, Macklin Celebrini and Cale Makar set new stratospheres.
It is a new era for the NHL, and the league and its teams are adjusting to rapidly escalating economics that are reshaping roster construction and long-term planning.