Blues GM Expresses Concern Over Rising Salary Cap

While many organizations are thrilled with the NHL's plan to raise the salary cap, if you ask the St. Louis Blues' general manager, it's not all roses and sunshine. Doug Armstrong has been running the Blues organization for 15 seasons, earning accolades for his GM work and helping the team win a Stanley Cup in 2019.

It's fair to say the Blues' GM has seen it all in the NHL, which makes his recent comments about the league's salary cap plans all the more concerning. Speaking with NHL.com writer Mike Zeisberger, Armstrong pointed out the parity in the league is at an all-time high.

"Teams are as close as I've ever seen..." he said. "I think that might change as the cap continues to grow."

The salary cap is set to increase dramatically over the next few seasons. The league previously announced that the projected cap for next season is $95.5 million, will rise to $104 million the following season, and then jump again to $113.5 million in 2027-2028.

A rising salary cap is crucial as the NHL and NHLPA negotiate the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Team revenues are at an all-time high, and so are player salaries. It's forcing the league to navigate this challenge. For Armstrong, he worries that the rapidly rising cap could push the organizations with less revenue further down the standings. That's the exact opposite of the league's goal, especially with so much parity.

"I think when the cap was stagnant, it brought everybody closer," he said. "Now the cap is going up. The upper-echelon revenue teams are going to be able to flex their muscle and that's going to make a massive difference."

While Armstrong cautions the league, the NHL is moving ahead. The league's general managers are converging for their annual GM meetings, and this is sure to be a main topic of discussion. Armstrong will certainly voice his opinion as the Blues navigate this changing landscape in the NHL.