The New Jersey Devils are currently right up against the salary cap, and it's changing the decisions Tom Fitzgerald makes during the season. He has to be careful with who he puts on injured reserve, his call ups have to make sense and be urgent, and he must make moves that allow him to keep accruing cap space, so nobody can go on long-term injured reserve if they don't have to.
Many expect that to be the norm moving forward for the Devils. Not only do the Devils hope to keep contending and adding big names to the roster, but they have to give new deals to players like Luke Hughes and eventually Nico Hischier. Those contracts are going to creep closer to $10+ million per season against the salary cap.
With Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, and Dougie Hamilton making $8+ million and Jesper Bratt and Hischier coming close with contracts north of $7 million, it's hard to see how they can keep making the money work. Well, it sounds like the Devils are going to get a lifeline from the NHL, as will all the other cap-teams.
New:
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 31, 2025
NHL/NHLPA have released cap estimates for next three seasons:
2025-26: $95.5M
2026-27: $104 M
2027-28: $113.5M
NHL salary cap is expected to reach $95.5 million this offseason and break $100 million in 2026
With $95.5 million to spend next season, the Devils would have around $19 million in space to work with. Even if Luke Hughes makes $9 million, they'd have $10 million to get a backup goalie and some help on the bottom six. At $104 million in 2026, the Devils will have $36 million to spend. In 2027, when Hischier and Quinn Hughes are set to become free agents, the Devils are projected to have around $71 million available.
This changes everything for the Devils, and they might be willing the make moves to create space in the short term knowing there's available money in the long term. This is great news for the Devils, as they make their team better and better each year.
Contract data found thanks to Puck Pedia.