NHL Salary Cap Expected to Grow Exponentially Over Next 3 Years

Now, these numbers are estimates with nothing set in stone. But this is a monumental shift for the sport and should make for a very interesting six months in the league. 

On Thursday, the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers made a big trade, sending forwards Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost to Calgary for forwards Jacob Pelletier and Andrei Kuzmenko and draft picks. However, the keynote in this trade is Farabee's contract, a deal with three more seasons after the current campaign under contract at $5.5 million AAV. 

Keep in mind this isn't about the trade or the players involved. Hell, even the actual dollars aren't as important. What is important is long-term contracts being moved. With the cap set to go up, teams should be more willing to take risks. Whether that is acquiring a longer-term deal or signing free agents to notable contracts, the increasing cap number should free up NHL clubs like never before. Not only will this be good for players looking to cash in on free-agent deals, but also for the clubs knowing they have a buffer if a contract doesn't go as planned. 

For the Chicago Blackhawks, this should give General Manager Kyle Davidson the green light to spend on big names to supplement Connor Bedard and expedite the rebuild, even by a season or two. For example, Mikko Rantanen should hit free agency, and the Hawks are supposedly interested in the big-time scoring winger. 

This season's trade deadline, draft, and free agency period should all be electric, with crazy moves occurring left and right. Not only is this a year where teams can free up their future numbers thanks to the rising cap, but this is also a strong free-agency class. Thanks to a rising cap, the chaos should be at an all-time high in the NHL this season and beyond.