When do teams need to be under the cap?

[copper_blue]

I have heard two sides to this:

1) Teams need to be under the cap by the start of the season

2) Teams need to be under the cap by the end of the season

Does anyone know???

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[Hoek]

I'm guessing by the start and then throughout the season they have to keep under it, but maybe that's too obvious. I'm sure there is some deadline before training camp starts to be specific, much like the NFL. You'd think it'd be on the critical dates list on NHL.com, but it isn't, I'm guessing after the end of the second buyout period that's pretty much it though as they will have given teams plenty of opportunity to get under the cap by then. http://www.nhl.com/nhlhq/cba/critical_dates072205.html

 

[GSC2k2*]

I think the FAQ says something to the efect of "A team may never be over the maximum threshold".

So it would appear the answer to your question is "both" and "always".

 

[joepeps]

I think the FAQ says something to the efect of "A team may never be over the maximum threshold".

So it would appear the answer to your question is "both" and "always".

I heard the end of the season...

because of injuries and such...

and you can't sign Forsburg naslund sundin moginley pronger leetch blake for 7 mill then get ride of them becasue they will count to the cap at the end...

 

[Steve L*]

I think the FAQ says something to the efect of "A team may never be over the maximum threshold".

thats a total contradiction of what Ive been told, a team could finish the season with a $50m payroll, as long as it was say $25m up until the deadline.

Its averaged over the season.

Has anyone got total proof either way?

 

[Rails]

The total amount spent on salary and bonuses at the end of the year can't be more than $39 Million. That is how I understood it.

 

[joepeps]

The total amount spent on salary and bonuses at the end of the year can't be more than $39 Million. That is how I understood it.

bonus that are obvious are couted..

bonus' that arn't ovbious and are achived are added to next season...

 

[kdb209]

thats a total contradiction of what Ive been told, a team could finish the season with a $50m payroll, as long as it was say $25m up until the deadline.

Its averaged over the season.

Has anyone got total proof either way?

The total amount spent on salary and bonuses at the end of the year can't be more than $39 Million. That is how I understood it.

That was the speculation prior to the CBA signing - including the speculation from Bob McKenzie - but there has been no indication that that indeed is the case. In fact the CBA FAQ pretty much states that it is not:

CLUB PAYROLLS

What will be the range of Club payrolls?

The payroll range in Year One (2005-06) of the CBA will be $21.5 million (U.S.) at the lower limit and $39 million (U.S.) at the upper limit. A Club's payroll will include all salaries, signing bonuses and performance bonuses paid to players. Except in the case of bona fide long-term injury (injuries that sideline a player for a minimum of 24 days and 10 games) to one or more of a club's players, Club payrolls will never be permitted to be below the minimum or in excess of the maximum. Clubs at or near the upper limit that have players who incur a bona fide long-term injury will be entitled to replace up to the full value of the injured player's NHL salary (even if such salary would result in the club's team salary exceeding the upper limit). The "replacement salary" will not count against the club's upper limit but will count against the League-wide players' share. Upon return of the injured player, the team must come into immediate compliance with the requirements of the payroll range.

Teams must be under the cap by the start of the season and remain under the cap all season long. Sorry - no avearging and loading up at the trading deadline.

 

[kdb209]

bonus that are obvious are couted..

bonus' that arn't ovbious and are achived are added to next season...

That is how the NFL treats Likeley To Be Earned and Unlikely To Be Earned performance bonuses and there was speculation that that was how the NHL MIGHT treat them.

There has been no indication that that indeed is the case.

The CBA FAQ states that all performance bonuses count against the current years cap.

The payroll range in Year One (2005-06) of the CBA will be $21.5 million (U.S.) at the lower limit and $39 million (U.S.) at the upper limit. A Club's payroll will include all salaries, signing bonuses and performance bonuses paid to players.

And given the limited nature of performance bonuses in the new CBA, available only to rookies, and 1 yr deals for vets (over 35) and players coming off injuries, you won't see many performance bonuses anyway.

PERFORMANCE BONUSES

What players may earn in performance bonuses?

Performance bonuses will only be permissible for the following types of players: (1) players on entry-level contracts; (2) players signing one-year contracts after returning from long-term injuries (players with 400 or more games who spent 100 or more days on injured reserve in the last year of their most recent contract); and senior veteran players who sign a one-year contract after the age of 35.

 

[Steve L*]

Teams must be under the cap by the start of the season and remain under the cap all season long. Sorry - no avearging and loading up at the trading deadline.

thats good news, that how I wanted it as it makes it a lot easier for fans to follow what their team can and cannot do.

It would be very hard to work out an average over the season and plan with that.

 

[NYR469]

thats a total contradiction of what Ive been told, a team could finish the season with a $50m payroll, as long as it was say $25m up until the deadline.

Its averaged over the season.

Has anyone got total proof either way?

this was reported on tsn before the lockout ended but has never been confirmed. however it with regards to acquiring guys midseason so you aren't really ever going over...

lets say iginla is making $5 mil/year and halfway thru the year the flames trade him to colorado. he would NOT count $5 mil/year against both teams, he'd count $2.5 mil against both teams.

so if the avs have a $36 mil payroll, the $2.5 mil would put them at $38.5 mil and still under the cap...if you took his full salary and figured $36 + $5 is $41 mil they would be over, but that isn't accurate...

same would apply to a callup, if you call a guy up and he plays 3 games the team doesn't get hit for the full $600k against the cap, they'd just get hit for the 3 games worth of pay.

so while it looks like its over if you list all the full season salaries and add them up, it really isn't over