[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by getbak

One thing the NHL could do (and probably should do) is significantly increase in ELC compensation limits.


Twenty years ago, when the salary cap was first introduced, the cap was $39 million and the maximum ELC compensation was $850,000. The maximum for Schedule A bonuses (for individual performance) was $850,000 (4 x $212,5000) and for Schedule B bonuses (for major league awards) was $2,000,000 total.


Under the current CBA rules, a player drafted in 2025 can sign an ELC with a maximum salary of $975,000 (increasing to $1 million next year) and the maximum for "A" bonuses is $1,000,000 (4 x $250,000) and the "B" maximum is $2.5 million. Next year's cap will be $95.5 million.



The cap is 2.45 times what it was 20 years ago. Meanwhile, the ELC maximum is only 1.15 times larger, the Schedule A limit is 1.18 times larger, and the Schedule B limit is 1.25 times larger.

Entry level players have lost significant ground since the salary cap was introduced. If ELC compensation had kept pace with the growth in the cap, the ELC max would be over $2 million now.

They should also make it so the team that drafted the player can offer more on an ELC to discourage players from not signing with the team that drafted them. Either in term, dollars, or both.