The NHL's salary cap is taking another big jump. At least for now.
The league announced on Thursday that the cap of each team's payroll will rise to $70.2-million (all currency U.S.) for 2012-13, which is up more than 9 per cent from $64.3-million last season.
The cap has nearly doubled from 2005-06 - its first year in existence - when it was just $39-million coming out of the 2004-05 lockout.
The rise means the salary floor, which is set at $16-million below the cap, will now be $54.2-million.
Under the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the NHL's floor and cap are tied directly to league revenue, which hit a record $3.3-billion this past season.
That cap figure, however, is expected to change. The NHL and National Hockey League Players' Association are set to begin negotiations on a new CBA on Friday, and one of the main targets of league ownership will be the players' share of revenue.
Based on the current system, if the players receive a lower portion of revenue, the cap will decrease accordingly, meaning the $70.2-million figure may only be in effect for the off-season.
The CBA is scheduled to expire on Sept. 15.
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BY THE NUMBERS
$70.2-million
Maximum amount of each team's payroll (all currency U.S.) for the 2012-13 season. The cap has come a long way in a short time.
| Season | Cap (U.S.) |
| 2005-06 | $39-million |
| 2006-07 | $44-million |
| 2007-08 | $50.3-million |
| 2008-09 | $56.7-million |
| 2009-10 | $56.8-million |
| 2010-11 | $59.4-million |
| 2011-12 | $64.3-million |
| 2012-13 | $70.2-million |
© The Globe and Mail
