Gary Bettman makes his feeling known about rumored $92.5M salary cap and new CBA negotiations

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke during the Boston Bruins’ Centennial game against the Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden. He addressed the league’s rumored salary cap increase and the upcoming negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA).

The current CBA is set to expire on September 15, 2026. Bettman said he hopes to finalize a new agreement well before that date.

"Don’t read too much into it in case it gets a little longer than people are speculating. That doesn’t mean the process isn’t working right or we’re not getting along,” Bettman said, per The Hockey News.

Bettman described the relationship between the NHL and NHLPA as strong and praised Marty Walsh, the NHLPA’s executive director.

Reports have suggested that the salary cap might rise from $88 million to $92.5 million for the 2025-26 season. The NHL commissioner dismissed those numbers as speculation, saying they are not based on discussions between the league and the NHLPA.

“I have seen that speculation and it hasn’t been based on the number as we understand them,” Bettman said, per The Hockey News. “And, it would require us to forge a new agreement and how to compute the cap for next year and we haven’t had those discussions yet at all.

"I wouldn’t rule anything in, or out, but those stories were a little bit too far out in front of where the reality lies.”

Earlier, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman speculated the salary cap increase to $92.5 million. Friedman had based his speculation on the NHL's rising revenue post-COVID. He believes the league was hesitant to increase the salary cap due to the uncertainty of the market during COVID.

"At this time of year, the Players’ Association meets with all the players as part of its fall tour and it’s taken on added-on importance because there’s going to be a CBA negotiation next year," Friedman said per RMNB.

"One of the things that they’re talking about is the salary cap which is supposed to be about $92.5 million for next year ... for the NHL, revenues have been strong. They’ve been very good. They’ve outpaced the guardrails on that salary cap," he added.

For the time being, Bettman has hinted at a potential increase but the numbers can vary.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on plans for future international hockey events

Gary Bettman also discussed plans for future international hockey events like the Four Nations Cup, the Olympics and the World Cup of Hockey. He said the league is committed to holding these events on a consistent schedule over the next eight years.

"I think I've been pretty clear on this," Bettman said to the media (via Bridgette Proulx). "Envisioning the next eight years, after we do Four Nations, Olympics, World Cup two years later, Olympics, World Cup and I think we are trying to be on that cycle now.

"Now things could intervene that might cause us to re-evaluate but our intention is to move forward with it."

Despite uncertainties about the salary cap and upcoming negotiations, Gary Bettman expressed optimism about the NHL’s future.