The salary cap for the 2024-25 NHL season is $88 million. On Dec. 10, league commissioner Gary Bettman projected it could rise by $4.4 million to $92.4 million. He also indicated it could go slightly higher pending a possible negotiation between the league and the NHL Players' Association.

Last month, it was speculated the cap could go up between $7 million and $9 million. However, Bettman said at the time that it hadn't been discussed with the NHLPA yet.

Nevertheless, the years of a flattened cap from 2020-21 to 2023-24 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic are over. League revenues are strong thanks to factors like new U.S. television contracts, expansion to Seattle in 2021, and the move of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah.

Healthy increases in the salary cap ensure all 32 NHL clubs have a better opportunity to re-sign key free agents or pursue the best talent available in the annual offseason free-agent market. However, a few clubs should still consider freeing up salary-cap space to improve their chances of signing free-agent stars.

The following is a list of several teams we believe should consider shedding salary before the free-agent period opens on July 1. 2025. You can express your views on this topic in the app comments below.

Edmonton Oilers

Having come so close last season to winning the Stanley Cup, the Edmonton Oilers will do what they can to improve their chances of remaining a contender for the foreseeable future. That could mean making some cost-cutting measures to find sufficient room to bolster their roster for next season.

They signed Leon Drasaitl to an eight-year, $112 million contract extension that begins next season with an average annual value of $14 million. However, they must also re-sign Evan Bouchard. The puck-moving defenseman is a restricted free agent in July with arbitration rights.

Bouchard is earning $3.9 million this season. Having reached a career-best 82 points last season and proving himself as a clutch postseason performer, he'll be in line for a substantial raise on a long-term contract.

The Oilers have a projected $16 million in cap space for 2025-26 under a $92.4 million cap ceiling. On Sept. 16, The Athletic's Harman Dayal projected Bouchard could push his salary to over $10 million annually if he has another big season, taking a big bite out of the Oilers cap room and leaving little to address other roster needs.

Trading Evander Kane could create some wiggle room. He struggled through injuries last season and is on long-term injury reserve for an indefinite period recovering from surgeries. They could attempt to move him next summer if he plays well upon his return, freeing up his $5.124 million cap hit. His no-movement clause becomes a 16-team no-trade list on July 1.

Montréal Canadiens

Montréal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has been rebuilding his roster since taking over in January 2022. Part of his efforts have been moving out veterans who no longer fit his club's long-term plans.

That includes clearing dead cap space by trading Shea Weber's contract to the Vegas Golden Knights on June 16, 2022. Weber has been on permanent long-term injury reserve since 2021-22. That move freed up $7.9 million from the Canadiens' books.

Hughes could attempt to do the same with Carey Price's contract. Price carries an average annual value of $10.5 million through 2025-26 and has been permanently sidelined by a knee injury since 2022-23. The Canadiens have him on LTIR each season since to gain some much-needed cap flexibility.

The Canadiens have an estimated $14.6 million in cap space next season with the cap rising to $92.4 million. They can keep Price on LTIR and exceed that ceiling when necessary. However, it can adversely affect their efforts to accrue cap space throughout the season. Shedding Price's contract would give the Canadiens $20.8 million in cap space.

That extra room would enable Hughes to attempt to sign one or two quality veteran leaders via free agency to help his young team take the next step toward playoff contention. He could find a team seeking cap flexibility willing to take on the final year of Price's contract.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins hired Kyle Dubas president of hockey operations on June 1, 2023. Two months later, Dubas named himself general manager.

Since then, Dubas has attempted to add younger players to the Penguins' aging roster. However, he also brought in veterans like Erik Karlsson, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, and Matt Grzelcyk to support core stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.

The Penguins missed the last two postseasons and are in danger of doing so again. That could push Dubas toward shedding some veterans to create room for younger talent. On the other hand, he could try his luck in next summer's free-agent market hoping to keep the Penguins competitive until their prospects are ready for full-time NHL duty.

If the cap rises to $92.4 million, the Penguins would have $25.2 million in cap space, with 14 active players under contract for 2025-26 and all their core players signed. Defenseman Marcus Pettersson is their notable pending unrestricted free agent and he could be shipped out before the March 7 trade deadline for draft picks and prospects.

Dubas could consider shedding more salary in anticipation of bidding for more notable talent in next summer's free-agent market. That could include peddling Hayes ($3.6 million through 2025-26), goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic ($2.5 million), streaky scorer Michael Bunting ($4.5 million), and young forward Blake Lizotte ($1.9 million).

Toronto Maple Leafs

The 2025 offseason could be interesting for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Core players Mitch Marner and John Tavares are eligible to become unrestricted free agents while promising winger Matthews Knies is a restricted free agent in line for a raise coming off his entry-level contract.

Leafs general manager Brad Treliving could have $27.4 million in cap space under a $92.4 million cap with 16 active roster players under contract. However, Marner could cost $13 million to re-sign, eating up almost half of that cap room.

The 34-year-old Tavares will take a pay cut from his $11 million cap hit but he might not accept less than half that to stay in Toronto. Meanwhile, Knies could reach 30 goals and 50 points this season, justifying a substantial pay raise. He lacks arbitration rights, giving Treliving all the leverage to sign him to an affordable short-term bridge contract if necessary.

Treliving might be able to get Marner signed for $12 million, Tavares for $6 million, and Knies for $5 million annually. However, that doesn't leave much space to re-sign other players or pursue skilled depth via free agency.

Forwards David Kämpf ($2.4 million for 2025-26) and Calle Järnkrok ($2.1 million) could become cost-cutting trade candidates. Max Domi ($3.8 million through 2027-28) could be another given his struggles this season.

Vancouver Canucks

If the cap rises to $92.4 million, Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin will have $16.7 million in cap space to work with for the 2025-26 season. Nevertheless, he could attempt to shed some cap dollars to create room to address a longstanding roster need.

The depth of the Canucks' defense core remains a problem area. They have a legitimate blue-line superstar in team captain Quinn Hughes, but the talent drops significantly after him. They could use another skilled top-four, right-shot rearguard on the right side to ease the burden on Hughes.

Complicating efforts will be a new contract for Brock Boeser. The 27-year-old winger is UFA-eligible next summer, completing a three-year contract with an average annual value of $6.7 million. He's their only pure sniper, tallying a career-high 40 goals last season, and could command $9 million per season.

The Canucks have 15 active roster players under contract for 2025-26. Allvin could retain Boeser and fellow UFAs Pius Suter and Kevin Lankinen, eating up valuable cap room that could hamper efforts to bolster the blue line via trades or free agency.

Gritty forward and fan favorite Conor Garland ($4.95 million through 2026-27) surfaced in the past as a trade candidate but Allvin could prefer retaining him. Winger Nils Hoglander signed a contract extension with a $3 million AAV through 2027-28 but has struggled to score this season, which could make him a cost-cutting option.

Salary info (as of Dec. 12, 2024) via PuckPedia.