The NHL has set the salary cap for the 2026-27 season at $104 million, an 8.9% increase from the current $95.5 million limit. This aligns with previous league estimates and indicates potential further growth in the following season.
The NHL and NHLPA also announced that team payroll ranges for the next three seasons would be an Upper Limit of $95.5 million and a Lower Limit of $70.6 million next season; an Upper Limit of $104 million and a Lower Limit of $76.9 million in 2026-27 and an Upper Limit of $113.5 million in 2027-28 with a Lower Limit of $83.9 million.
The projected Team Payroll Ranges for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons will be subject to potential minor adjustments (up or down). The Penguins ended the 2025-26 season with a cap hit of $85.3 million, per Cap Wages, though we know an additional $2.0 million will be added to the final amount due to Anthony Mantha hitting his maximum performance bonuses by playing in 81 games. That figure could potentially further rise slightly more with any performance bonus money paid to Ben Kindel on his rookie deal. By taking on short-term contracts like Kevin Hayes, Matt Dumba, Stuart Skinner and Connor Clifton (all of whom expire at the end of the season, save Dumba’s that has already been mutually terminated) and the cessation of Jack Johnson’s buyout cap hit after 2025-26 (party!), CapWages has the Penguins sitting at $57.225 million against the books next season, with no dead money (though the team would incur a penalty by sending Ryan Graves back to the AHL next season). That leaves the Pens with a whopping $46+ million under the cap and even $19.675 million under the floor entering the offseason in a figure doesn’t include relatively low-priced players who finished the season in the minor leagues like Avery Hayes, Ville Koivunen and . Pittsburgh has to sort out what salaries they will pay restricted free agents and for next season, and whatever it is they’re going to do with as potential areas to get up closer to that $76.9 million cap floor, though organically it doesn’t look like they will even make it to the floor after they wrap up those important internal free agent contracts. Whether changes come through free agency, trades or a combination of both, Pittsburgh has a lot of available money to spend in the coming months. That will likely be worth monitoring in the future, the Pens only have $23.95 million on the books for five players as of now signed for the 2027-28 season per CapWages. GM Kyle Dubas has steered the team financially into a very flexible position with few bad contracts or long-term money on the books while already boosting their draft stock to high levels. Now he and his peers officially know what the structure of the salary cap will be for next season as they look to wheel and deal in efforts to round out the team for the 2026-27 season and beyond.
The NHL salary cap for the 2026-27 season is set at $104 million.
The salary cap will increase by 8.9% from the current limit of $95.5 million.
The projected payroll ranges for 2026-27 are an upper limit of $104 million and a lower limit of $76.9 million.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have over $46 million in cap space for the 2026-27 season.
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