In its first seven years with a salary cap, the NHL has attained record revenues and has seen seven different Stanley Cup champions.
The league is much different with a salary cap, and in many ways, a lot more enjoyable, but what effect would no cap have on the NHL?
As I mentioned in my column from last week, titled "Why the Players Cannot Put the Salary Cap on the Table," the salary cap has been a major reason why the NHL has enjoyed much more parity over the last seven years than in the many seasons prior to the cap being introduced.
Just eight of the 29 teams that have made the playoffs in the cap era have not won at least one playoff series. The seven different Stanley Cup champions have also included three teams from southern or non-traditional hockey markets (Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes and Los Angeles Kings).
A salary cap is obviously something that contributes to the success of small-market teams, but it can only help these teams so much. If they just aren't in a good enough hockey market and/or continue to make the same mistakes, the franchise will fail with or without a cap system in place.
Without a cap, playe ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Nicholas Goss
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