COLUMBUS, Ohio — The NHL informed the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday that they won’t be required to reach the league’s salary floor by the time rosters are set early next week, an allowance the league and the NHL Players’ Association agreed to in the wake of the Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau tragedy.
Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell told The Athletic the organization asked the league to go to the union last month to ask for this allowance. Now, the franchise has clarity on their salary cap situation heading into the final week of training camp.
#CBJ have been informed by NHL/NHLPA today that they won’t need to be compliant with the agreed upon salary cap floor by Oct. 7, when NHL rosters set for the 2024-25 season.
Two key points:
1/4
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) October 1, 2024
There are two key points to the agreement:
- The Blue Jackets can apply the $2 million signing bonus paid to Gaudreau in July, per the terms of his contract, to their salary-cap figure for this coming season.
- They won’t be required to have a payroll of at least $65 million — this year’s cap floor — by the Oct. 7 deadline, provided they achieve that expenditure within a “reasonable amount of additional time.”
The league didn’t specify how much time it felt would be “reasonable,” but it won’t take long for the Blue Jackets to clear the threshold.
Per Puckpedia, the Blue Jackets’ projected 21-man roster — 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders — carries a cap hit of $64.4 million, roughly $600,000 below the floor.
If Waddell is successful in his pursuit of an additional NHL forward, either via trade or waiver claim, the Blue Jackets would likely get there. The NHL’s minimum salary this season is $775,000.
When reached via text at the NHL’s Board of Governors meetings in New York City, Waddell said the Blue Jackets were pleased with the ruling. It did not require approval of the Board of Governors, according to deputy commissioner Bill Daly.
The Gaudreau brothers were struck and killed by an SUV while riding bicycles on Aug. 29 near the family home in New Jersey.
(Photo: Kirk Irwin / Getty Images)
