Country Club Islanders? Ahead of Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, the NHL announced that the salary cap for the 2024-25 season has been set at $88 million: The lower limit has been set at $65 million. This is the first time the cap has risen exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted growth: 2021-22: $81.5 M 2022-23: $82.5 M 2023:24: $83.5 M The New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/new-york-islanders-alternate-jersey-third-jersey-adidas-fanatics-fans] have made one signing since our latest cap breakdown, inking top European free agent forward Maxim Tsyplakov [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/maxim-tsyplakov-new-york-islanders-signing-forward-khl-free-agent-lamoriello] to a one-year entry-level deal worth $950,000 for the 2024-25 season: Pending Group 6 free agent defenseman Robin Salo [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/robin-salo-new-york-islanders-malm%C3%B6-shl-bridgeport-islanders-ufa] has decided to leave the organization, returning to the Swedish Elite League: As of right now, per CapFriendly [https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/islanders], the Islanders have $6.43 million in available cap space. This includes Tsyplakov counting against the NHL roster while not including forward Julien Gauthier ($787,500). Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has five pending restricted free agents and seven unrestricted free agent forwards to deal with: RFA: Oliver Wahlstrom (arb. eligible), Simon Holmstrom, Ruslan Iskhakov (arb. eligible), Kyle MacLean (arb. eligible), Dennis Cholowski (arb. eligible) UFA: Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck, Karson Kuhlman, Brian Pinho, Sebastian Aho, Robert Bortuzzo, Mike Reilly The Islanders and the rest of the NHL have until June 25 to submit qualifying offers to their RFAs. NHL free agency opens on July 1. TOP STORIES
