DALLAS - General managers looking to make moves at the NHL draft found out the salary cap for next season will be $79.5 million, an increase of $4.5 million from last year.
The NHL and NHLPA announced the cap and $58.8 million salary floor Thursday. With the first round of the draft Friday night, teams are preparing for a bevy of player movement entirely apart from the selections themselves.
Edmonton GM Peter Chiarelli says there's "a lot of chatter" going on right now. Much of that chatter involves some big names: Ottawa captain and No. 1 defenceman Erik Karlsson, Montreal winger Max Pacioretty, Buffalo centre Ryan O'Reilly and Pittsburgh winger Phil Kessel are among the top players being bandied about in trade talk.