Which NHL Teams Are Still Over The Salary Cap And How Can They Fix It?

As we inch closer to the start of the NHL’s training camp, several teams still have salary cap issues that must be resolved before the season begins.

The NHL allows teams to be up to 10 percent over the salary cap ceiling in the off-season, so there’s still time for them to be cap-compliant by the time the regular-season begins.

The focus of today's article is what moves could be ahead for those teams currently above the cap. 

Here are the four teams that are over the cap ceiling, with this writer’s perspective on how those teams can fix their cap predicament:

Cap space: $34,286

Number of roster spots signed: 22/23

How can they fix it? Technically, the Panthers are slightly under the cap ceiling, as Florida GM Bill Zito is dealing with the ramifications of the blockbuster trade to acquire star winger Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators. But if the Panthers don’t add talent and go with a 22-man roster to start the season, that would be an ill-suited response to an increased regular-season schedule.

That would change if Zito waives and/or trades a fringe forward – say, winger Jonah Gadjovich – to make the Panthers cap-compliant. Otherwise, it’s going to take a more meaningful trade for Florida to not only squeeze under the ceiling, but also allow themselves financial flexibility once the season begins. 

The Panthers improved with the Tkachuk’s acquisition, but they need a tweak to begin the season under the cap. Zito – one of the league’s savviest team architects – will no doubt figure out how to get his team under the cap ceiling.

Salary cap overage: $1.36 million

Number of roster spots signed: 23/23

How can they fix it? The Stars have a problem many NHL teams wish they had – and that’s the sheer amount of high-end talent that forces them to deal with a cap crunch. That’s the reason they were dealt up-and-coming forward Mavrik Bourque to the Nashville Predators this summer.

Yet, they’re still nearly $1.4 million over the cap ceiling, and Stars GM Jim Nill has to move some money around to address that problem. 

One option for Dallas to cut loose is defenseman Kyle Capobianco. The 29-year-old blueliner signed a two-year extension this summer, but he doesn’t factor into the Stars’ top-six defensemen, and if he and a spare-parts forward like Colin Blackwell were waived and/or demoted, that would get Dallas under the cap. 

Nill has options, but he wants to keep his core together. And the Stars’ core players are the ones who must do the heavy lifting for Dallas to win a Stanley Cup.

Salary cap overage: $2.75 million

Number of roster spots signed: 23/23

How can they fix it? The Maple Leafs were one of the NHL’s busiest teams this summer, making nine notable roster additions, including No. 1-overall draft pick Gavin McKenna. But all the free-agent spending and trades that new Leafs GM John Chayka has made have put Toronto over the cap ceiling by almost $3 million. 

Putting injured forward Max Domi and his $3.75-million salary on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) will get Toronto under the cap ceiling. But if Domi is able to return to action, there will have to be an ensuing move to get the Maple Leafs cap-compliant. 

Trading winger Dakota Joshua, along with his $3.25-million salary, would also put the Buds under the cap. 

Salary cap overage: $8.66 million

Number of roster spots signed: 22/23

How can they fix it? The Golden Knights are one of the league’s most ruthless teams in terms of roster turnover, and although Vegas didn’t make blockbuster moves this summer, they did go about their business, spending up to the upper limit of the cap and then some. 

The Knights came perilously close to reaching their off-season cap-overage limit this summer. But Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon has managed his roster to its financial limits, and the Golden Knights will be good to start the season once McCrimmon places defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and his $8.8 million salary on the LTIR.

That said, Vegas also must fill out the roster with one more player. So another move will still be needed to get the Knights under the cap ceiling. 

The Golden Knights will surprise no one if they make blockbuster moves during the season. But any trades for them now will be money-in, money-out transactions, because they’ve absorbed as much salary as any NHL team. Ultimately, Vegas is a win-now team, and that’s reflected in them spending to the ceiling. 

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