The NHL and NHLPA yesterday announced that the salary cap for the '15-16 season will be $71.4M, a $2.1M increase from this season’s $69M and "more than expected a few months ago," according to Stephen Whyno of the CP. What "helped push the cap" to $71.4M was the NHLPA triggering its 5% "escalator clause to increase the cap." Teams up against the cap like the Blackhawks and Flyers "will benefit the most, though they’ll still need to shed salary before October" (CP, 6/23). SI.com's Allan Muir noted 11 teams "will have to add salary to reach" the cap floor of $52.8M. The Coyotes are currently $18M "below the new floor," while the Predators are $14M under. The Sabres are $11M below the cap. Muir: "Expect all of those teams to be active in the coming weeks" (SI.com, 6/23). In N.Y., Brett Cyrgalis notes there was a "minority opinion from some veteran players who had already signed big contracts to vote against the cap increase, thus keeping the already-high escrow -- some of which they get back -- from rising." If the increase "had not been approved, the cap would have dropped" to $68M. The 3.4% increase "already is the smallest annual rise since the cap was first instituted" for the '05-06 season (N.Y. POST, 6/24).
THREE OF A KIND: THE HOCKEY NEWS' Ken Campbell noted Red Wings Exec VP & GM Ken Holland "has been advocating" for 3-on-3 OT for five years and "finally got his wish" yesterday when the league's GMs voted to recommend it for next season. The rule change "still has to be ratified" by the NHL’s BOG, but "once something passes the muster of the GMs, that’s considered a rubber stamp" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 6/23). TSN.ca's Frank Seravalli noted the BOG "will likely also rubber stamp the addition of a coaches' challenge for offside and goaltender interference calls" (TSN.ca, 6/23). The AP's Greg Beacham reported a shootout "will still take place" under the new OT format if games remain tied, but the change is "expected to reduce the number of shootouts by creating plenty of open ice for three top skaters from each team" (AP, 6/23).
