Despite a premature end to their season, the Vegas Golden Knights received some good news on Saturday. Well, it's been floating around with a projection, but it's better than previously reported. The NHL salary cap is set to grow to $88 million, growing by $4.5 million from the previous season.
The lower limit will be $65 million, while the midpoint limit is $76.5 million. While other topics were being discussed, including the LTIR controversy, how teams spend their money was one that raised some ears. While the Golden Knights aren't expected to hit the lower limit right now, the new limit should provide the team with much-needed wiggle room. Currently, they sit at $1,197,516 in non-LTIR salary cap space, freeing up some capacity to make a move.
The main focus this offseason has been none other than Jonathan Marchessault, who's hitting free agency on July 1st. With no current deal in place, the beloved "Golden Misfit" is destined to bid farewell to Las Vegas. Therefore, the latest news should ease the pain for the Vegas Golden Knights in free agency.
But what else does this mean for Vegas heading into the offseason? What changes with the latest news and what doesn't? With this free agency market being more important than ever, here's the impact it makes for the team heading into July.
It allows the Vegas Golden Knights to plan ahead
It's no secret the big discussion this offseason will be Jonathan Marchessault. The winger scored 42 goals this season, boosting his stock as a lucrative player in free agency. Therefore, the Vegas Golden Knights have more incentive to re-sign the "Golden Misfit" to a solid deal.
However, Vegas still needs to make room to keep itself under the limit. There are plenty of trade candidates for the franchise to consider, which should clear up some room. There's also not retaining certain pending free agents such as William Carrier and Michael Amadio that can help.
It also helps them to plan for the future. Keep in mind that Jack Eichel has two years left on his deal. There are also players like Nicolas Hague, who should be monitored in the future (he's a restricted free agent after next season with arbitration rights). While additional moves should be made to free up space, having more salary cap wiggle room helps get these players back.
Yes, Kelly McCrimmon has some tough decisions for the upcoming offseason. There won't be cherished players coming back to the organization, making the process harder. However, the Vegas Golden Knights should take this good news in stride and prepare for a busy summer. It's better than nothing, right?