:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57669921/usa_today_10401341.0.jpg)
For several years now, dating back to the 2012-13 Season that featured a 48-game schedule due to the partially-canceled lockout year, salary cap ceiling teams like the Penguins have been hoping and praying that the cap would increase at the rates and to the levels that it was expected to. That hasn’t happened, as revenues have not been as high as projections initially were thought to be. That could all be changing, however.
If NHL revenues are as robust as Bettman said today, the salary cap will go way up next summer. Plausibly $80- to $82-million. Pretty interesting.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) November 18, 2017
If these projections were to come true, it'd be a big deal.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9715045/Picture1.png)
A $5 million jump would be the biggest jump from season to season that we’ve seen in a while and this would surely benefit the Penguins.
As we discussed here a few days ago, the salary cap tightening around the Penguins could be problematic when it comes to re-signing Patric Hornqvist.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9715067/Screen_Shot_2017_11_19_at_7.45.29_PM.png)
As far as work next summer goes, outside of Hornqvist and Ian Cole as UFAs (i’m not discussing Ryan Reaves right now. We’re not on speaking terms.), the only other work left to do will be with the RFAs. In recent years, the Penguins haven’t had any issues that come to mind with re-signing RFAs, even if they went to arbitration.
Simply put, an extra few million dollars in cap space means the world to teams who spend to the ceiling. It will mean even more to a team like the Penguins looking to keep their Stanley Cup window wide open while they have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.