NHL: a higher salary cap in 2020-2021
National Hockey League (NHL) deputy commissioner Bill Daly announced Wednesday that the salary cap will be set between $ 84 and $ 88.2 million next season.
Gary Bettman’s right-hand man revealed it all in an interview with the media in the morning, on the sidelines of the NHL general managers’ meeting that began Monday in Boca Raton, Florida. The exact amount must still be negotiated by the circuit and the Players’ Association, starting from an inflation percentage ranging from 0 to 5%; the maximum rate, if accepted by the union, would raise the cap to $ 88.2 million.
In 2019-2020, the limit is $ 81.5 million, which is $ 2 million more than in the previous year. This is determined on the basis of NHL hockey-related income collected during the previous campaign. It comes into effect when the free agent market opens on July 1.
“Over the past few years, probably since the start of the collective agreement, we haven’t been able to determine the cap amount until the end of June or near the amateur draft. We hope that at some point we will have a mechanism to release this information sooner, ”Daly told NHL.com.
Talks continue
In addition, talks relating to the next employment contract between the league and the union party take place on an ad hoc basis, Daly recalled, adding that everything should include, in an ideal world, an international calendar for the less well-stocked.
“I have already mentioned publicly that we have resumed talks with the Association after a period of inactivity. We have held meetings on various topics over the past two weeks. In each of the two sides, there is a list of things to do before you meet again. ”
“So the process started all over again. It would be early for me to say whether there is progress or not. We had to catch up and there, let’s see where it will take us. ”Coronavirus: the NHL on its guard
National Hockey League (NHL) commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday his organization is continuing normal operations despite the coronavirus threat, but is monitoring the situation closely.
However, the executive added that NHL employees are no longer allowed to travel outside of North America, according to the league’s website. Otherwise, they will be placed in quarantine for approximately two weeks.
« We’re going one day at a time, keeping everyone fully informed and based on what the experts tell us, » Bettman told media on the sidelines of the CEOs meeting in Boca Raton, Fla. .
Circuit takes the threat seriously, indicating that it maintains communication with Health Canada and with the equivalent American organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NHL officials are also chatting with their counterparts in major league, NBA, and NFL.
However, there is no question of talking about an emergency plan for the moment. “There are a number of possibilities, but at this point it would be premature to make a choice, especially since it might not be necessary in North America,” Bettman said. We will act when and only if it is necessary. ”
Until then, the NHL is making sure teams take the necessary precautions. « Our teams, whether at the medical, coaching or player level, are knowledgeable about what safe and intelligent driving is under the current circumstances. »
The NHL regular season ends on April 4 and the playoffs begin four days later.
