The NHL announced their salary cap limits for 2026-27, and as widely expected, the league has trended toward maximum growth of a $104 million ceiling, up 8.9% from this year’s $95.5 million limit.
This cap is right in-line with league estimates from as far back as January 2025, meaning that the finances are likely on track for further expansion the next season
in 2027-28 to rise even higher.
The NHL and NHLPA also announced that team payroll ranges for the next three seasons would be an Upper Limit of $95.5 million and a Lower Limit of $70.6 million next season; an Upper Limit of $104 million and a Lower Limit of $76.9 million in 2026-27 and an Upper Limit of $113.5 million in 2027-28 with a Lower Limit of $83.9 million.The projected Team Payroll Ranges for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons will be subject to potential minor adjustments (up or down).
The Penguins ended the 2025-26 season with a cap hit of $85.3 million, per Cap Wages, though we know an additional $2.0 million will be added to the final amount due to Anthony Mantha hitting his maximum performance bonuses by playing in 81 games. That figure could potentially further rise slightly more with any performance bonus money paid to Ben Kindel on his rookie deal.
By taking on short-term contracts like Kevin Hayes, Matt Dumba, Stuart Skinner and Connor Clifton (all of whom expire at the end of the season, save Dumba’s that has already been mutually terminated) and the cessation of Jack Johnson’s buyout cap hit after 2025-26 (party!), CapWages has the Penguins sitting at $57.225 million against the books next season, with no dead money (though the team would incur a penalty by sending Ryan Graves back to the AHL next season). That leaves the Pens with a whopping $46+ million under the cap and even $19.675 million under the floor entering the offseason in a figure doesn’t include relatively low-priced players who finished the season in the minor leagues like Avery Hayes, Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty.
Pittsburgh has to sort out what salaries they will pay restricted free agents Egor Chinakhov and Arturs Silovs for next season, and whatever it is they’re going to do with Evgeni Malkin as potential areas to get up closer to that $76.9 million cap floor, though internally it doesn’t look like they will even make it to the floor after they wrap up those important internal free agent contracts.
Whether changes come through free agency, trades or a combination of both, Pittsburgh has a lot of available money to spend in the coming months. That will likely be worth monitoring in the future, the Pens only have $23.95 million on the books for five players as of now signed for the 2027-28 season per CapWages. GM Kyle Dubas has steered the team financially into a very flexible position with few bad contracts or long-term money on the books while already boosting their draft stock to high levels. Now he and his peers officially know what the structure of the salary cap will be for next season as they look to wheel and deal in efforts to round out the team for the 2026-27 season and beyond.
