Professional hockey teams will be allowed to spend a record-breaking $104 million on player salaries during the 2026-27 season, according to a Thursday announcement from the National Hockey League and its Players Association.
The new spending limit represents an $8.5 million boost, marking an 8.9% jump from the current 2025-26 ceiling.
Teams must spend at least $76.9 million on player contracts, with the midpoint set at $90.4 million. The league’s explosive financial growth is evident when considering that today’s minimum spending requirement surpasses what teams were allowed to spend as recently as 2018.
According to PuckPedia data, seven franchises went beyond the spending cap during 2025-26, with the Vegas Golden Knights leading at $107.49 million. Organizations can exceed these limits without facing penalties by utilizing salaries of players on long-term injured reserve.
The rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks invested $82.35 million in player salaries, which remained well above the required minimum spending threshold.
Broadcasting partnerships with ESPN and TNT Sports are projected to push league revenues beyond $7 billion in combined currencies this season. The NHL recently achieved unprecedented television ratings during the opening round of Stanley Cup playoff action.
“It’s a really good time, and we don’t even have the biggest markets (involved in the playoffs),” league commissioner Gary Bettman said recently in an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “This is about how good the hockey is.”
Individual players will be eligible to earn up to $20.8 million during the 2026-27 campaign.
Early forecasts suggest an even more dramatic increase for 2027-28, with projections showing a potential $9.5 million rise to $113.5 million.
