[BACKCHECK!!!]

This only counts player salary spending, however, does it not?

So it doesn't include coaches, trainers, medical staff, scouting staff, the management team itself, analytics, equipment and facility costs, etc.

I would certainly expect player salaries to be the dominant cost, but I'd be interested to see how much it actually costs these clubs to ice the teams that they do.

Unfortunately, I think the Flames have been pretty heavy spenders in a lot of these uncounted categories as well... frowny face..