NHL drops major ruling on illegal Florida Panthers Stanley Cup Final roster

The Florida Panthers, Brad Marchand, and the Edmonton Oilers remain at the center of controversy after reports revealed the Panthers iced an illegal $93 million roster during the Stanley Cup Final, sparking new NHL rules for future playoff salary caps.

TVA Sports released a report showing the Oilers were at a significant disadvantage against Florida in their seven-game clash.

The investigation revealed the Panthers' lineup for the series carried a payroll that exceeded the NHL's salary structure by millions, giving them a major edge during the Cup Final.

"Indeed, the Florida club would have fielded a $93 million roster, $5 million more than the $88 million limit imposed by the National Hockey League (NHL), according to calculations by the PuckPedia website. Conversely, the Edmonton Oilers, for their part, had salaries totaling $80.6 million for the last game of the final, a difference of just under $13 million."-TVA Sports

This revelation was backed by PuckPedia on social media and echoed by several outlets, including Bruins Insider's coverage of the situation.

NHL introduces playoff salary cap changes after Panthers' controversial $93 million roster

This is not the first time a contending team has stretched salary cap loopholes in the postseason, with examples including the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nikita Kucherov, as well as the Vegas Golden Knights with Mark Stone.

TVA Sports also confirmed the league's response, noting:

"At least the new collective bargaining agreement, which will take effect starting in the 2026-2027 season, will no longer allow teams to do this. A salary cap will be imposed in the playoffs based on the total salaries of active players during a game."

I think this move could create a more level playing field for future postseasons, ending a tactic that has frustrated players and fans alike.