NHL to implement new salary cap system for 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs: report

The CBA was originally supposed to take effect at the beginning of the 2026-27 season. However, it appears that the NHL and NHLPA have found an opportunity to implement some of the changes immediately.

The idea of a playoff salary cap has been circulating for the past few years, with teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, and Edmonton Oilers employing methods of cap circumvention to acquire more talent heading into the postseason, while previously rostered players have been placed on long-term injured reserve.

In instances like Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone, and Oilers forward Evander Kane, the teams were able to bolster their rosters while their stars were absent, only to insert them back into the lineup for Game 1 of the first round – basically pushing the team well over the salary cap. Now, general managers will have to manage which players are in the lineup, ensuring they remain cap compliant well into the spring.

Another change to the CBA that will be implemented this year is that dress codes are no longer allowed to be mandated by the league or its teams. It will allow athletes to wear whatever they choose to the arena, including endorsing wine and spirits as part of their get-up.

Seravalli also mentioned that players have until next season – Sept. 15, 2026, to be exact – to sign deals that fit under the current CBA. That means any deal signed after that will have to adhere to the new CBA. Players who re-sign with their teams will be limited to just seven-year contracts, with free agents only being able to sign a maximum of six years with new teams.