NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Denies the Vancouver Canucks of Major Salary Cap Opportunity

PUBLICATION

Maverick Mitchell
November 20, 2024 (7:15 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has come out to deny the report that the Vancouver Canucks and the entire and NHL will see the Salary Cap increase.

The announcement that the league's salary cap could jump upwards of $9 million was originally announced by NHL insider Elliott Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada a few days back.

A $9 million salary cap jump was a major surprise to fans as Gary Bettman said that the league's early projection for next year's salary cap is $92.5 million USD.

A $4.5 million jump from this current cap of $88 million.

"Unless something really goes off the rails. I think we're gonna see a $95 to $97 (million) cap this year, as long as the CBA gets done as part of it."

This obviously would be a major & welcomed addition to the Canucks financial flexibility.

Per PuckPedia

Canucks just over $15.052 million of cap space, and with 17 of 23 roster spots filled. However, if the salary cap for 2025-26 rose to either $95 million or $97 million, this would give them between an additional $2.5 million and $4.5 million.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Denies that Cap will expand to those number

Unfortunately for the Canucks, and the rest of the NHL, Gary Bettman has come out to put the rumors to rest.

He told the press that the numbers reported by the likes of Friedman and other sources are not accurate, and does not know where they heard that information.

"I don't know where that came from. The numbers that were being thrown around were not accurate, and any change would require an agreement between (the league) and the players' association in terms of how it's computed, and we haven't had those discussions. So somebody, I think, floated something on a slow news day."

Now, it is strange that the numbers we have heard are so far off as it is not like Elliotte Friedman to just report or tweet out anything without having legitimate sources.

Nonetheless, the cap will most definitely rise, that's a fact, but the key question remains is how much will it?