NHL history is generally divided into four eras:

The founding era (1917-1942)

The Original Six era (1942-1967)

The expansion era (1967-2005)

The salary cap era (2005-present)

Based on some recent changes, it might be time to crown 2025 as the beginning of a new era.

Since the implementation of the salary cap in 2005, the maximum amount teams could spend has typically risen by anywhere from $1 million to $5 million per year, with a handful of exceptions.

Now, with franchise values quadrupling in the last decade and more people watching hockey than ever before, the cap has taken a $7.5 million jump, and is projected to increase another $8.5 million next year and $9.5 million the year after that.

Free agents are getting paid accordingly. In 2018, the highest cap hits in the league bel

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