The NHL’s general manager met for their annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida on Monday and Tuesday. It was the first time they had met since 2020.
There were many hot topics that would affect the league in the coming year and the agenda was full of them. On Tuesday, Bill Daly, deputy commissioner to Gary Bettman, spoke with media members to discuss the NHL’s future. downplaying the league’s appetite for a postseason salary capTo create another World Cup of Hockey.
We went through all the information to find the answers to our burning questions about the NHL.
Long-term injured reserve pay cap rules will not change
Why did this topic come up in the first instance?
The LTIR regulations were introduced after some GMs became concerned about the possible interference from Vegas. Mark StoneThis season is what Tampa Bay did with Nikita KucherovLast season — he was kept on LTIR in an effort to grossly surpass the salary cap (and activate any players that were not eligible). Jack EichelFor example, you could reactivate Stone to play in the playoffs if the salary cap rules are not applicable.
Kucherov mocked the LTIR proceedings by using his infamous snarky “$18 million over the cap” T-shirtThe Lightning’s Stanley Cup win last spring certainly irked some GMs; Edmonton’s Ken Holland was a champion for a new discourse. — Kristen Shilton
What percentage of these “loopholes” are being used by teams this season?
At the moment, 16 NHL teams have at least one player in LTIR. Shilton
How does this change the future? Could this rule be reintroduced for further discussion?
Although the NHLPA and NHL have held discussions on LTIR, they have not produced any results that would suggest an immediate change. When the draft is held in Montreal, this July, the topic will be back on the agenda.
The NHLPA and NHL would need to change their collective bargaining agreements to adjust the LTIR rules. Gary Bettman repeatedly stated that there have been no problems with LTIR procedures over the past 17 years. It doesn’t seem like the league is eager to change something it doesn’t see as a major problem that affects the entire league.
Bill Daly stated at meetings that the league monitors LTIR cases whose return time is close to the start of playoffs. This has never caused any problems. It is a meticulous process.” Shilton
The World Cup of Hockey returns!
When will it take place?
Gary Bettman claimed that the NHLPA has been targeting 2024. However, sources claim they have narrowed their focus to February 2024 in an attempt to look like an Olympic break. Emily Kaplan
What countries will be competing in this?
It’s not yet decided. It is still unclear if Russia will be invited. Since Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, the NHL has been supportive to its Russian players — clearly separating them from the actions by the Russian government. Bettman stated that he does not expect the league’s 2022 draft to put restrictions on Russian players.
However, inviting Russia to participate in an event as a federation is another matter entirely. Russia and Belarus have been banned from competing in international events at all levels by the IIHF. It is not surprising that Russia would be excluded from the World Cup of Hockey, given the fact that the IIHF will be participating in the event. — Kaplan
Is there another “?Team North America“?
R.I.P. It was a great run for Team North America. Bettman confirmed Tuesday that the league will return to a more traditional format of countries against countries. — Kaplan
Next season, salary cap will increase by $1 million
What does this all mean?
This means that the NHL is slowly returning to the pre-pandemic normalcy.
With the exception of some venues in Canada that have attendance restrictions, the league is on track to generate more than $5 billion this season. The NHL could keep increasing the salary cap by using calculations. Bettman said that the $1billion in debt players owe owners (from revenue lost during the pandemic) will be repaid by 2024-25. If everything goes according to plan the salary cap will take a substantial jump in the next season. — Kaplan
Which teams are the most happy?
There are currently nine clubs that have $0 in projected cap space. CapFriendly. All of us are very proud to be able to keep $1 million more in our GM’s pockets.
The most excited are probably San Jose, Tampa Bay, Toronto and Tampa Bay. Each team has offered big-money, long term deals to key players. Having even $1 million more to play with next year means that the ability add a veteran depth player, or to recall more players when necessary — without the need for the gymnastics required to make it all work under the cap.
Edmonton admitted that it was also affected by salary-cap issues at trade deadline. As we get closer to summertime, teams will be looking to lock up any pending UFAs or RFAs. Knowing that there’s still some room next season can spice things up should add some excitement.
The bottom line is that even a slight bump in the NHL’s performance is better than none at all. Shilton
Playoff officiating
Another takeaway from the meetings is this: You shouldn’t expect to hear too many harshly honest comments about officiating in spring. This is a sensitive topic that the league will continue to consider.
The NHL warned its General Managers attending the meetings to be mindful of public comments about officiating. They also requested some empathy. It’s not an easy job and there are shortages of officials across North America. The message from Stephen Walkom, Director of Officiating, was simple: We’re trying our best and everyone is accountable. — Kaplan