Bettman: NHL Hasn't Discussed Increasing 2025-26 Salary Cap Above $92.5M amid Rumors

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman pushed back against speculation the league could significantly increase its salary cap for the 2025-26 season.

"I don't know where that came from," Bettman said Tuesday, per Julian McKenzie of The Athletic. "The numbers that were being thrown around were not accurate and any change would require an agreement between us, the league and the Players Association in terms of how it's computed. We haven't had those discussions. So somebody, I think, floated something on a slow news day."

The comment comes after Elliotte Friedman of Sportnet reported on Saturday there will be "conversations" about increasing the 2025-26 salary cap beyond the estimated $92.5 million.

It reportedly could go as high as $95 or $97 million, although Bettman's comments suggested there is plenty of ground to cover before anything like that becomes a reality.

The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in September 2026, and McKenzie cited reporting from colleague Pierre LeBrun that said the NHLPA has discussed a potentially significant rise in the salary cap with players for the next one.

The salary cap is set at $88 million for this season and, as of now, estimated at $92.5 million for 2025-26.

As Josh Gold-Smith of The Score explained, the current CBA states the salary cap can increase by as much as five percent every year. However, if the league and NHLPA agree to it, there can be a larger increase.

That is what happened when they lifted the cap ceiling by 5.39 percent over the summer.

The salary cap will surely be a focal point as the two sides negotiate the next CBA, and a notable increase would not only lead to higher contracts for players but also more financial flexibility for teams moving forward into the future.