Ranking the 10 NHL Teams with the Worst Salary-Cap Issues

Following an NHL Board of Governors meeting last month in Columbus, Ohio, ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun reported commissioner Gary Bettman projected the salary cap could rise from this season's ceiling of $69 million to between $71 and $73 million for 2015-16. For some teams, this raises serious cap issues.

Several clubs have well over $50 million invested in their respective salary-cap payrolls for next season. They also have key players to re-sign or replace. Those teams could face a stark choice: shed salary to free up cap space to re-sign those players or lose them to free agency.

Here's a look at the 10 NHL teams facing the worst salary-cap issues. The ranking is based upon salary-cap space, key players to be re-signed (including their current annual cap hits), estimated re-signing costs and potential impact of limited cap space upon each roster.

10. Carolina Hurricanes

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The Carolina Hurricanes have invested over $53 million in 14 players, plus the combined retained salaries of Tuomo Ruutu and Jay Harrison.

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Forward Jiri Tlusty ($2.95 million) and defenseman Andrej Sekera ($2.75 million) are unrestricted free agents.

Analysis: The Hurricanes are $3.8 million below this season's $69 million cap ceiling. They're a budget-conscious club and might not keep pace with a rising cap ceiling. That won't leave much room for general manager Ron Francis to replenish his roster. The team could trade or buy out winger Alexander Semin ($7 million) as a cost-cutting measure.

9. Montreal Canadiens

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The Montreal Canadiens have invested over $58 million in 16 players.

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Forward Alexander Galchenyuk ($3.225 million) and defenseman Nathan Beaulieu ($1.152 million) are restricted free agents.

Analysis: General manager Marc Bergevin could try re-signing Galchenyuk, who lacks arbitration rights, to an affordable short-term deal. The talented young winger could instead seek a big raise and a longer term. It could cost over $6 million combined to re-sign Galchenyuk and Beaulieu. That won't leave much cap space to bring in additional talent.

8. St. Louis Blues

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The St. Louis Blues have invested over $56 million in 15 players. 

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Defenseman Barret Jackman ($3.167 million) is an unrestricted free agent. Forward Vladimir Tarasenko ($1.75 million) and goaltender Jake Allen ($800,000) are restricted free agents.

Analysis: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong could face a difficult contract negotiation with blossoming superstar Tarasenko. It could cost a combined $8 million to re-sign Tarasenko and Allen, which won't leave much for other moves. Tarasenko lacks arbitration rights, and Armstrong could try re-signing him to a more affordable short-term deal.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The Pittsburgh Penguin have invested over $56 million in 14 players.

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Defensemen Paul Martin ($5 million) and Christian Ehrhoff ($4 million) are unrestricted free agents.

Analysis: Assuming Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford signs Martin and Ehrhoff to marginal raises, it will cost over $10 million to retain them. Keeping even one would bite deeply into the remaining cap space. While the Penguins have several promising blueliners, their defense could suffer from losing two experienced rearguards.

6. Minnesota Wild

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The Minnesota Wild have invested over $61 million in 17 players.

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Goaltender Devan Dubnyk ($800,000) is an unrestricted free agent. Forwards Mikael Granlund ($2.1 million) and Erik Haula ($1.75 million) are restricted free agents. 

Analysis: General manager Chuck Fletcher could re-sign Dubnyk, but goalies Niklas Backstrom and Darcy Kuemper are also under contract. Granlund and Haula lack arbitration rights. They could seek significant raises comparable to those received by teammates Charlie Coyle ($3.2 million annually) and Jonas Brodin ($4.16 million) earlier this season. That will eat up considerable cap space.

5. Boston Bruins

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The Boston Bruins have invested over $55 million in 12 players. Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli will receive over $4 million in cap relief by placing center Marc Savard on long-term injured reserve before the start of next season.

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Forward Reilly Smith ($1.4 million) and defensemen Dougie Hamilton ($1.494 million) and Torey Krug ($1.4 million) are restricted free agents. Defenseman Adam McQuaid ($1.567 million) and forward Carl Soderberg ($1.008 million) are unrestricted free agents.

Analysis: Chiarelli could sign Hamilton, who lacks arbitration rights, to an affordable short-term deal. Krug and Smith have arbitration rights and could push for significant raises. Re-signing this trio could cost roughly $10 million annually. That would make it difficult to re-sign McQuaid and Soderberg and still leave cap space for other moves.

4. New York Rangers

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The New York Rangers have invested over $52.3 million in 13 players. Call-up goalie Mackenzie Skapski is currently listed on their active roster for next season. When sidelined starter Henrik Lundqvist returns to action in March, Skapski will return to the minors. 

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Forwards Martin St. Louis ($5.625 million) and Mats Zuccarello ($3.5 million) are unrestricted free agents. Forwards Derek Stepan ($3.075 million) and Carl Hagelin ($2.4 million) are restricted free agents.

Analysis: It could cost Rangers general manager Glen Sather nearly $10 million to re-sign Stepan and Hagelin, who have arbitration rights. That won't leave much to re-sign St. Louis and Zuccarello, let alone provide sufficient space to fill the remaining roster spots. Sather could lose both to free agency.

3. Los Angeles Kings

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The Los Angeles Kings have invested over $61 million in 15 players. That includes currently demoted forward Mike Richards' cap hit ($5.75 million). His full cap hit counts against the Kings' payroll unless he is demoted, placed on long-term injured reserve or bought out when next season begins.

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Forwards Justin Williams ($3.65 million) and Jarret Stoll ($3.25 million) are unrestricted free agents. Forwards Tyler Toffoli ($870,000) and Tanner Pearson ($925,000) are restricted free agents.

Analysis: Toffoli and Pearson lack arbitration rights and could receive affordable short-term contracts. Even then, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi risks losing Williams and Stoll to free agency. Lombardi could get cap relief by buying out Richards. ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun estimates that could cost $1.467 million annually for 10 years against their cap. 

2. Philadelphia Flyers

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The Philadelphia Flyers have invested over $67 million in 19 players. Flyers general manager Ron Hextall will get over $4.9 million in cap relief by placing Chris Pronger on long-term injured reserve at the start of next season.

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Defensemen Kimmo Timonen ($3.5 million) and Nick Schultz ($1.25 million) are unrestricted free agents. Michael Del Zotto ($1.3 million) is a restricted free agent.

Analysis: Hextall won't have sufficient room to improve the Flyers' porous defense corps with skilled talent. Unless he can shed salary, the Flyers GM will have to use affordable, lesser-talented rearguards to replenish his blue line. Aging center Vincent Lecavalier ($4.5 million) could be a trade candidate.

1. Chicago Blackhawks

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Current payroll for 2015-16: The Chicago Blackhawks have invested over $65 million in 15 players.

Key free agents and current annual cap hits: Center Brad Richards ($2 million) and defenseman Johnny Oduya ($3.383 million) are unrestricted free agents. Forwards Brandon Saad ($894,000) and Marcus Kruger ($1.2 million) are restricted free agents.

Analysis: Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman must shed salary to re-sign Saad and Kruger and leave sufficient cap space for the rest of his roster. Bowman can't afford to re-sign Richards and Oduya. The team could trade defenseman Brent Seabrook ($5.8 million), an unrestricted free agent in 2016, as a cost-cutting measure.