NHL Salary Cap By Team, NHL Cap Space

2020-2021 NHL Salary Cap Space

NHL Salary Cap Limit: $81,500,000

NHL Salary Cap Floor: $60,240,000

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Projected Cap Space
Contracts

Central Division

Team	Projected Cap Space	Active Roster	Playoff %
Carolina Hurricanes	$2,294,200	20/23	67.3%
Chicago Blackhawks	$-3,170,688	22/23	31.5%
Columbus Blue Jackets	$554,007	23/23	37.1%
Dallas Stars	$-4,116,971	23/23	75.9%
Detroit Red Wings	$5,371,887	23/23	15.9%
Florida Panthers	$3,416,332	22/23	70.9%
Nashville Predators	$3,668,289	22/23	28.1%
Tampa Bay Lightning	$-16,589,364	21/23	73.3%

East Division

Team	Projected Cap Space	Active Roster	Playoff %
Boston Bruins	$2,897,126	22/23	65.7%
Buffalo Sabres	$1,842,572	22/23	35.6%
New Jersey Devils	$6,635,533	22/23	60.1%
New York Islanders	$-5,423,550	23/23	56.4%
New York Rangers	$466,866	23/23	30.1%
Philadelphia Flyers	$47,019	23/23	44.9%
Pittsburgh Penguins	$316,531	23/23	41.7%
Washington Capitals	$-5,283,215	21/23	65.5%

North Division

Team	Projected Cap Space	Active Roster	Playoff %
Calgary Flames	$368,592	22/23	75.1%
Edmonton Oilers	$-4,157,773	23/23	37.3%
Montreal Canadiens	$730,838	21/23	93.1%
Ottawa Senators	$10,821,225	23/23	14.5%
Toronto Maple Leafs	$-1,150,589	21/23	78.0%
Vancouver Canucks	$-4,007,673	23/23	23.2%
Winnipeg Jets	$-4,530,578	23/23	78.9%

West Division

Team	Projected Cap Space	Active Roster	Playoff %
Anaheim Ducks	$-2,953,979	22/23	35.0%
Arizona Coyotes	$432,072	23/23	37.1%
Colorado Avalanche	$1,704,738	22/23	56.7%
Los Angeles Kings	$9,335,768	22/23	44.4%
Minnesota Wild	$137,644	22/23	68.0%
San Jose Sharks	$1,394,763	23/23	38.1%
St. Louis Blues	$-7,698,689	23/23	37.0%
Vegas Golden Knights	$294,008	20/23	83.7%

Team	Projected Cap Hit	Projected Cap Space	Active Roster	Playoff %
Carolina Hurricanes	$79,205,800	$2,294,200	20/23	67.3%
Chicago Blackhawks	$84,670,688	$-3,170,688	22/23	31.5%
Columbus Blue Jackets	$80,945,993	$554,007	23/23	37.1%
Dallas Stars	$85,616,971	$-4,116,971	23/23	75.9%
Detroit Red Wings	$76,128,113	$5,371,887	23/23	15.9%
Florida Panthers	$78,083,668	$3,416,332	22/23	70.9%
Nashville Predators	$77,831,711	$3,668,289	22/23	28.1%
Tampa Bay Lightning	$98,089,364	$-16,589,364	21/23	73.3%
Boston Bruins	$78,602,874	$2,897,126	22/23	65.7%
Buffalo Sabres	$79,657,428	$1,842,572	22/23	35.6%
New Jersey Devils	$74,864,467	$6,635,533	22/23	60.1%
New York Islanders	$86,923,550	$-5,423,550	23/23	56.4%
New York Rangers	$81,033,134	$466,866	23/23	30.1%
Philadelphia Flyers	$81,452,981	$47,019	23/23	44.9%
Pittsburgh Penguins	$81,183,469	$316,531	23/23	41.7%
Washington Capitals	$86,783,215	$-5,283,215	21/23	65.5%
Calgary Flames	$81,131,408	$368,592	22/23	75.1%
Edmonton Oilers	$85,657,773	$-4,157,773	23/23	37.3%
Montreal Canadiens	$80,769,162	$730,838	21/23	93.1%
Ottawa Senators	$70,678,775	$10,821,225	23/23	14.5%
Toronto Maple Leafs	$82,650,589	$-1,150,589	21/23	78.0%
Vancouver Canucks	$85,507,673	$-4,007,673	23/23	23.2%
Winnipeg Jets	$86,030,578	$-4,530,578	23/23	78.9%
Anaheim Ducks	$84,453,979	$-2,953,979	22/23	35.0%
Arizona Coyotes	$81,067,928	$432,072	23/23	37.1%
Colorado Avalanche	$79,795,262	$1,704,738	22/23	56.7%
Los Angeles Kings	$72,164,232	$9,335,768	22/23	44.4%
Minnesota Wild	$81,362,356	$137,644	22/23	68.0%
San Jose Sharks	$80,105,237	$1,394,763	23/23	38.1%
St. Louis Blues	$89,198,689	$-7,698,689	23/23	37.0%
Vegas Golden Knights	$81,205,992	$294,008	20/23	83.7%

What Is the NHL Salary Cap?

The NHL salary cap is the total amount that NHL teams may pay for players. The amount set as the salary cap each year depends on the league’s revenue for the previous season. As it is a 'hard cap,' there are no exemptions. However, if a player is injured and it's thought that they will miss at least 10 NHL games and 24 days in the season, their team can put them on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). By doing so, they can surpass the salary cap.

The salary cap was introduced to prevent teams with the most revenue signing all the top players, which was becoming a problem in the '90s and early 2000s. For instance, by signing a number of top-performing players and significantly spending more than the majority of other teams, the Detroit Red Wings were able to win three Stanley Cups in that time.

This led to the 2004-05 CBA negotiations, during which the entire season was cancelled — the first time a labor dispute has ever caused a cancellation in a major sports league in North America. At the time of the negotiations, teams were spending around 75 percent of their revenues on salaries — much higher than any other North American sports league. Eventually, they agreed to the general structure that remain today, including the mandatory payment to players in US dollars.

The concept of a salary cap is not new to the NHL. One was first introduced during the Great Depression, at which time the salary cap per team was $62,500 and $7,000 per player.

Salary Cap History

Since its reintroduction in the 2005-06 season, the NHL salary cap has risen every year:

	2005-2006	$39.0 million
	2006-2007	$44.0 million
	2007-2008	$50.3 million
	2008-2009	$56.7 million
	2009-2010	$56.8 million
	2010-2011	$59.4 million
	2011-2012	$64.3 million
	2012-2013	$60.0 million *
	2013-2014	$64.3 million
	2014-2015	$69.0 million
	2015-2016	$71.4 million
	2016-2017	$73.0 million
	2017-2018	$75.0 million
	2018-2019	$79.5 million
	2019-2020	$81.5 million
	2020-2021	$81.5 million

*During the 2012-13 season, there was a lockout. The salary cap was set to $60 million, but NHL hockey teams were allowed to spend a pro-rated $70.2 million for the shortened season.

The salary floor (the minimum that a team must spend as a whole) is 85 percent of the salary midpoint. For the 2019-20 season, the cap floor is $60.24 million.

History of the Teams

Originally, there were just six NHL teams, called the Original Six. In the 1967-68 season, six new teams were added. The Original Six formed the East Division and the new six formed the West Division.

In 1974, six more NHL hockey teams joined the league, creating 18 in total. The league then took four teams from the World Hockey Association when it ceased to exist in 1979. With the Cleveland Barons gone in 1978, this brought the total to 21 teams.

There was no further expansion to the league until the '90s. The next new NHL team was the San Jose Sharks in 1991. Another eight were added in the subsequent decade to reach 30 teams by 2000. Finally, in 2016, Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, announced that another new NHL team — the Vegas Golden Knights — would join the List of NHL Teams, making 31 teams for the 2017-18 season.

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