SJHN Daily: Salary Cap Going Up to $88 Million in 2024-25, Best CapFriendly Replacement?

It looks like the flat cap era is over.

The NHL announced on Saturday that the salary cap was going up to $88 million for the 2024-25 season.

That’s a jump of $4.5 million from 2023-24, a 5.39 percent increase, the largest since 2017-18 to 2018-19, when the cap went up 6 percent, from $75 million to $79.5 million.

Since the COVID pandemic in Mar. 2020, the salary cap has only gone up from $81.5 million in 2019-20 to $83.5 million in 2023-24.

The new salary cap floor is $65 million.

For the San Jose Sharks, who have been shedding salary in recent years, that’s going to leave them plenty of space to improve around 2023 fourth-overall pick Will Smith and soon-to-be 2024 first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini.

The Sharks could have about $33 million to spend, even after re-signing potential free agents like Luke Kunin, Henry Thrun, Thomas Bordeleau, and Ty Emberson.

They’re not even close to the floor: How will the Sharks spend their money this summer?

Sharks Have Tons of Cap Space This Off-Season…How Much?

At San Jose Hockey Now…

Are Marco Sturm and Ryan Warsofsky the finalists for the head coach job?

Which 2024 Draft prospects did the San Jose Sharks interview at the Combine?

Director of player development Todd Marchant gives year-end updates about virtually every Sharks prospect in the system.

Scouts discuss which forwards that the San Jose Sharks should consider with the No. 14 pick of the 2024 Draft.

Three Celebrini Combine stories: How did Macklin Celebrini fare in Combine fitness testing? Celebrini reveals that he’s never been to a San Jose Sharks game. What were his thoughts about playing Will Smith?

Other Sharks News…

2022 third-round pick Michael Fisher has opted to play in the BCHL.

Fan favorite Joonas Donskoi is back playing hockey…he’s joined the North American Floorball League.

Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek debate whether Celebrini should turn pro or not next season.

Who do the Sharks pick at No. 14 in Montreal Hockey Now’s mock draft? Check out your place for all things Montreal Canadiens for the answer!

Ex-Shark Steven Lorentz appears on Art But Make It Sports.

How did Fear the Fin see Mario Ferraro’s performance this year?

Around the NHL…

The Washington Capitals are buying CapFriendly, oh no! Except what if there’s already a ready-made replacement? Check out PuckPedia! They’re constantly updating!

The Florida Panthers take Game One of the Stanley Cup Final over the Edmonton Oilers.

Or is it the Carolina Panthers with a 1-0 lead? The Florida Panthers get dissed again.

Colorado Avalanche playing board games with prospects? Goalie prospect Mikhail Yegorov brags about beating GM Chris MacFarland in a game during his Combine interview.

Utah is asking Combine prospects what their Uber score is.

(Almost) all Combine prospects heights and weights!

What’s the latest in the Philadelphia Flyers’ quest to get Matvei Michkov over to North America?

The 4Nations Faceoff is coming in February to the homes of the Boston and Montreal…schedule and broadcast info are out too! The US, Canada, Finland, and Sweden are participating, while David Pastrnak is pissed that Czechia was left out.

Kyle Dubas reveals some rebuild strategy.