Maple Leafs Bracing for Major NHL Salary Cap Jump and New Contract Challenges

With the NHL's salary cap expected to rise up to potentially $104M, it could also be a possible minimum, giving a massive increase to the league's finances.

Insider David Pagnotta says that the number could be larger than the projected $104M, the first major boost to the cap ceiling after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the potential boom that was planned years earlier, now finally able to be overseen.

The rise could be a major boost to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who for years have faced the difficult restrictions that the current salary cap has put on them.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have additional cap space that will prove to be beneficial for the overall makeup of the Leafs, starting with their current roster and pending UFA's.

The big UFA Toronto is looking to lock up is starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who is likely going to get a pay increase after taking on the lead role for Toronto in net having been a career backup, now with the opportunity to be a key asset for Toronto in the next couple of years.

Toronto has always been hesitant when signing goalies, but with a rising cap, they may find it easier to stomach extending Stolarz knowing that all 31 other NHL teams will have an increased cap, meaning if things go south it is a situation in which Stolarz can be traded while potentially not needing retention.

The Leafs will also be looking at new deals for forwards Bobby McMann and Matias Maccelli, both of whom have a strong chance at being part of the Leafs top-six and potentially able to get new contracts. It will be a big contract bump for McMann, who is currently making just $1.35M while a 20-goal scorer.

A major salary increase will help Toronto both lock down their current free agents while potentially able to add new players. A massive raise as the potential of going to over $100M+ would make it a lot easier to sign new players, and easier to do with the new Knies involved core-four signed long-term.

With Connor McDavid among the major pending free agents after this season, the extra $5M is a massive boost for targeting players in free agency with more money to play with, and the Leafs key pieces already locked in.

Toronto may also work quickly to sign their current expiring deals as player agents may ask for more money, getting deals done quickly before the massive increases come to the salary cap that make for much larger deals for certain players becoming the norm, which could make some early signings look like a steal when comparables ask for more in the coming years.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have more money to spend in the coming years, but one challenge for Brad Treliving and the Leafs is, so will everyone else.

Teams in the rebuilding stage will have a lot more money to work with, and with open cap space could quickly capitalize on their large room to work with. Teams with young cores such as San Jose, Chicago, & Anaheim could use the rising cap to pay top dollar in the open market while their youngsters are still on cheap contracts.

The Blackhawks specifically need wingers beside youngster Connor Bedard, and could play a lot more in free agency with a rising cap than whatever they were willing to pay this past offseason.

San Jose, with a young core in Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, & Michael Misa, could add some solid depth veterans next to what should be a competitive top-six for the next decade.

Toronto is no stranger to paying top dollar in extensions and in free agency, but this gives them new room to pay players, including making some deals in recent years they may have been handicapped from doing so, but also means Toronto isn't alone in free agency.

More than anything, the rising salary cap will mean being wise and still not overpaying, just because you have the money won't mean using it as freely as possible.

Teams will still need to be smart and avoid overpaying, because with higher contracts, it could make a financial situation even worse with how much money some teams might throw.