The NHL and NHLPA announced the salary cap parameters for the 2024-25 season on Saturday, and the Stars now officially know their cap constraints.
The salary cap will rise $4.5 million up to $88 million next season. This announcement was a pleasant surprise for most teams as the $4.5 million jump is $300,000 more than December’s projections.
The cap is up $4.5 million to $88 million this year.
— Lia Assimakopoulos (@Lassimak) June 8, 2024
Dallas has about $2.6 million in bonus overage carryover — Joe Pavelski's $2 million performance bonus as well as Thomas Harley's entry-level performance bonuses.
The Stars will have around $85.4 million to work with. https://t.co/TReUmdqiPS
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman believes the salary cap will continue to go up.
“I know the general managers and the teams are excited to have more flexibility,” Bettman said. “And it means that the revenues are as robust as we’ve been telling you all along.”
The lower limit was set at $65 million with the midpoint set at $76.5 million.
The Stars have a handful of key free agents. Joe Pavelski, Matt Duchene, Craig Smith, and Sam Steel are the unrestricted free agent forwards, while Chris Tanev and Jani Hankanpaa are the defensemen hitting unrestricted free agency. The Stars will also need to decide who will back up Jake Oettinger, as backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood is a free agent.
The restricted free agents are Ty Dellandrea, Nils Lundkvist, and Thomas Harley.
There are plenty of key storylines among these free agents to keep an eye on. Will Joe Pavelski actually hang up his skates and retire? After providing a tremendous veteran presence over his five years with the Stars, he indicated his plan was to do just that. Chris Tanev loved his time in Dallas after being acquired at the deadline. Matt Duchene also wants to return after his first season with the Stars.
Can Dallas afford both Tanev and Duchene? That remains to be seen.
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