Big news in the NHL: starting next season… the salary cap will count in the playoffs. Clubs (hello Lightning, Panthers and Golden Knights) will no longer be allowed to go over the cap in the playoffs, and they’ll have to have a “legal” lineup for every game. It’s a big change.
Sources: The #NHL and #NHLPA have agreed to a rolling implementation schedule for CBA changes.
Among them: the new playoff salary cap system will come into effect *this season* for the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. – Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 2, 2025
In recent years, the fact that the salary cap was not respected during the spring dance caused a stir.
It got a lot of attention for all the wrong reasons… because in the end, it was as if clubs were giving themselves a certain advantage in order to have a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup. We remember that… [content-ads] Because in reality, here’s the technique that was used: teams were able to “take advantage” of injuries to key players to make other acquisitions at the trade deadline. Just think of Mark Stone in Vegas, Matthew Tkachuk in Florida, Nikita Kucherov in Tampa… But once the playoffs started, injured players were still allowed to return to the game without this having a direct impact on their respective team’s payroll. This will no longer be the case. I’m inclined to think it’s a good thing,but I also wonder whether teams will try to find ways around the rules in other ways… All in all, it’s going to change the way each team’s management works. This rule was needed to bring a little more stability… and it also allows the NHL to establish a certain parity for the teams that will be in a position to earn their ticket to the playoffs.
I like it, it’s a change, and it’s got the potential to change a lot of things in the playoffs too [spacer title=’Overtime’] – I love his personality.
Pyotr “Poke-check-ov”
#NHLGoalieWeek pic.twitter.com/PCt8HFUR1s
– NHL (@NHL) September 2, 2025
– Seen it for what it is.
It changed the course of his career. https://t.co/TAgs3o9Bp9 –
Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) September 2, 2025
– Whew. Not easy!
Which goalie would you pick in a Gold Medal Final?
#NHLGoalieWeek pic.twitter.com/eVIsDIAaUv
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 2, 2025
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