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Islanders Salary Cap Issues Get A Little Bump

May 29, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at a press conference before game one of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Nashville Predators at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
May 29, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at a press conference before game one of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Nashville Predators at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NHL announced that the salary cap ceiling will rise by $2 million next season. Giving the Islanders a little respite or some much-needed room for a top six forward.

Heading into the 2017-18 NHL season the New York Islanders were already just $2 million under the salary cap ceiling. With the chance of a flat salary cap a distinct possibility, it didn’t look good for the team’s aspirations for adding a top level winger or second line center-

An NHL can’t do much with $2 million in terms of player personnel. Calvin de Haan was due an extension to his bridge deal. He was already being paid just under two million with a cap hit of $1.966 million.

With a career year, de Haan was due a raise on that. So when it was announced the salary cap ceiling was going up by $2 million to $75 million the New York Islanders would at least have the money to pay de Haan.

It’s a bold new territory for the New York Islanders, being right up against the cap or close enough to it. It seems that since the mid-to-late-80’s when the Islanders core of superstars were retiring or being traded away that payroll has been an issue.

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What To Do With the Cap Space?

Now the Islanders find themselves with just over $4 million in cap space to play with. They’re still searching for that elusive top tier winger or second line center. But at this point, the two rumored options are Jordan Eberle and Matt Duchene.

Both are making $6 million against the cap. Both run for the next two seasons. Pieces are going to have to head the other way to make a deal work. Just having Ryan Strome head out would be enough space for the Isles to fit either on their books.

Next: What Protection Deal Between Isles and Vegas To Believe?

There’s no worry for Tavares’ deal yet. Yes, he’s going to sign a massive extension with the team. But that new deal isn’t scheduled to hit the Isles book until 2018-19 when both Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski’s deals, a combined hit of $9.1875 million comes off the books. Plenty of space for JT.

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