Bettman projects 2015-16 salary cap at $71.5 million
NHL franchises should have around $2.5 million more in cap space to build their rosters for next season.
The league's salary cap is set to rise to $71.5 million for 2015-16, according to commissioner Gary Bettman. The final cap figure could fluctuate based on the value of the Canadian dollar, but any changes are expected to be minor.
The $71.5-million figure is lower than early estimates, which were hampered by the Canadian dollar's recent struggles. The Canadian dollar has fallen from a high of $0.94 USD in July 2014 and is hovering around $0.82, according to xe.com.
As for resources to help fans understand their team's salary cap situation, Bettman walked back an earlier pledge to think about making NHL salary data more accessible, suggesting there wasn't enough fan interest.
Gary Bettman on why the NHL won't disclose salaries: "We've heard from the media on this, we've heard very little from fans. Very little."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 26, 2015
Bettman addressed the media prior to the start of Game 6 between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens. He is watching Ottawa's downtown arena plans closely and wants the Senators to host an outdoor game, even if he isn't sure it will happen.