Salary Cap Increases to $88M for 2024-25 Season

While a $300,000 increase may seem insignificant when teams are spending millions, the increase will most certainly bring a sigh of relief to many front offices and players as the salary cap has remained quite stagnant since 2018-2019 when the cap increased six percent to $79.5M. The cap had increased an average 0.992% between 2019-2024.

The salary cap is determined under the CBA by an assortment of means that equal out to what is termed Hockey Related Revenue. The fact that the Edmonton Oilers are in the Stanley Cup Finals undoubtedly helps add to this number handsomely going froward.  

I previously broke down the Nashville Predators’ salary situation as the team entered this summer, but the increase in the salary cap as well as offloading defenseman Ryan McDonagh‘s $6.75M AAV in a trade that sent the veteran back to the Tampa Bay Lightning will only further assist general manager Barry Trotz’s search for roster flexibility and improvement as the draft and free agency quickly approach. 

The Predators now have $26,345,801 in cap space to work with to fill the thought-to-be open eight roster spots (one goaltender, three defensemen, and four forwards) with six UFAs from last year’s roster yet to be signed. 

While filling a roster to the required 23 most certainly takes priority, every penny counts for Trotz as he enters his sophomore season at the helm of Nashville’s front office.