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NHL salary cap lower than projected at $81.5 million

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman during a news conference before Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final between the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Boston. (Charles Krupa / Associated Press)
Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The NHL salary cap for next season has been set at $81.5 million, which is $1.5 lower than initially projected.

The league and the NHL Players’ Association announced the figure Saturday, a day before teams can begin meeting with prospective unrestricted free agents ahead of the signing period opening July 1. The cap rose by $2 million from last season, though teams at or near the maximum were counting additional room in order to sign or re-sign players.

The cap crunch was notable in leading to several teams shedding high-priced salaries during the second and final day of the NHL draft Saturday. The most high-profile trade involved Nashville dealing defenseman P.K. Subban to New Jersey.