NHL players reflect on a summer of rising salaries

NHL players say this offseason showed how much the league’s finances have changed, with the salary cap rising sharply and several major contracts setting new benchmarks. At a player media event in Las Vegas, Anaheim Ducks centre Leo Carlsson and others pointed to the growing value of the sport as teams benefit from stronger television and advertising revenue. The NHL salary cap is set to climb to $104 million in 202627, well above the level seen in recent seasons. The article highlights a series of large deals involving younger stars such as Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini, Cale Makar, Cutter Gauthier and others. Veterans including Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Brock Boeser also reflected on how the market has shifted, with some saying the new contracts show both the league’s growth and the tradeoffs players face when deciding whether to sign long term.