It was an unfavorable time for Adam Erne to become a free agent for the first time in his career. At 28 years old, with 355 NHL games under his belt, Erne would typically have been offered a one- or two-year deal as a depth winger. However, this time around, he didn’t receive much interest in his services for several weeks.
Erne eventually received an invitation to try out for a job with the Edmonton Oilers, just a week before training camps began. Although he managed to earn a two-way contract with an NHL minimum salary of $775,000, the fact that he had to wait until after the regular season started to sign it highlighted a leaguewide problem.
The salary cap for the 2023-24 season only increased by $1 million to $83.5 million, making it difficult for NHL general managers to construct full rosters. Many teams were forced to start the season with fewer than the maximum 23 players, with several depth players unable to secure spots in the NHL.
This has resulted in a substantial loss of income for many affected players, particularly those on two-way deals. These players have significantly lower salaries when they are not in the NHL, resulting in them losing hundreds of thousands of dollars each season.
The situation has impacted players at various stages of their careers. Some experienced players, like Erne and Jujhar Khaira, were once established bottom-of-the-lineup players but had to accept lower salaries and minor-league assignments. Younger players, like Raphael Lavoie, who showed promise in training camp, were ultimately waived and demoted to the AHL due to roster constraints.
The lack of foresight in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement regarding the flat salary cap over the past four years has created a significant issue for players and their careers. Not only are players losing income, but they are also losing opportunities to accrue time towards their pensions.
In conclusion, the stagnant salary cap has made it challenging for teams to build functional rosters, resulting in fewer NHL jobs and substantial financial losses for players.