What is the National Hockey League salary cap per team for the 2018–19 season?
Answer
$79.5 Million
The National Hockey League salary cap per team for the 2018–19 season was $79.5 million.
The figure was the league's upper payroll limit for each club under the NHL's collective bargaining system. It represented a substantial increase from the $75 million cap in 2017–18, continuing the general rise in the cap as league revenues grew. The NHL and NHL Players' Association announced the 2018–19 figure in June 2018.
The salary cap is not the amount every team must spend, nor is it a limit on an individual player's salary. It applies to a team's aggregate player payroll as calculated under league rules, including annual-average contract values. The cap also helps support competitive balance by limiting how much wealthier clubs can outspend others. For comparison, the 2019–20 cap rose again to $81.5 million. The 2018–19 ceiling was particularly notable because John Tavares' contract carried a $15.9 million salary that season.