Bettman: 'Very preliminary' cap projections between $87M-$88M for 2024-25

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told owners that very preliminary revenue projections suggest a salary cap rise to between $87 and $88 million for the 2024-25 campaign, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

The league's salary cap increased to $83.5 million for the upcoming 2023-24 season. It was the second straight year the cap jumped $1 million after being at a stagnant $81.5 million from 2019-2022.

A bump up to $87.5 million would be a $4-million rise in one offseason. It would be the biggest single-summer increase for the NHL's cap since it jumped up $4.5 million ahead of the 2019-20 season.

Bettman's preliminary projections are in line with the three-year estimation that sources gave Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Rory Boylen in September 2022.

Bettman added that the outstanding escrow debt owed by players to owners due to the pandemic is down to approximately $50 million and will be paid off this season, per Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

William Nylander, Steven Stamkos, and Connor Hellebuyck are among the top pending unrestricted free agents that could benefit from a rising salary cap next summer.