From The Silky Mitten State: After the Washington Capitals purchased CapFriendly and the site is now scheduled to go off line this summer, how will hockey fans' experience change?
Last week, news broke that the Washington Capitals would be purchasing the beloved NHL website CapFriendly, which offered a uniquely detailed and accessible display of all things related to league contracts and the salary cap.
Jun 8, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Gary Bettman Commissioner of the NHL during a press conference prior to the game against the Florida Panters and Edmonton Oilers in game one of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank ArenaCapFriendly excelled at presenting esoteric but significant information to fans in an accessible manner. Its "Be a GM Tool" allowed fans to manage every aspect of their favorite teams roster. It was reported to be the go-to source for cap-related nuances even by several NHL teams, a report the site's sale to one such team would seem to validate.
On the most recent episode of The Silky Mitten State, my co-host Connor Earegood and I discussed the sale and its impact, which drew big reactions from fans, many of whom expressed resentment at taking an excellent free resource off the marketplace. We dug into those reactions and specifically explored the role of a site like CapFriendly (or a replacement) and its role for attracting fans, with me arguing that selling new people on hockey should involve the game on the ice rather than a laundry list of the players' salaries.
For a sample of our conversation, check out the featured video above. For the full episode, go to either Spotify or Apple Podcasts: