3 Teams Over The Salary Cap Who May Have To Make Move

There is still lots of time to manage rosters before training camp opens, but as of right now, there are three teams over the salary cap and a number of teams dangerously close. Of the three teams that are over, two of them we've come to know as teams who like to utilize the LTIR down the stretch strategy, the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers. They also happen to be the last three Stanley Cup champions. The other team is the Montreal Canadiens.

The difference between the Golden Knights and Canadiens from the Panthers is that Florida doesn't have someone with a big cap hit to go on the LTIR and bring them down under the salary cap. Vegas has Alex Pietrangelo, who may not ever play in the NHL again, while the Canadiens still have Carey Price under contract for one final year.

Pietrangelo has a cap hit of $8.8 million AAV for two more years and the Golden Knights brought in and signed Mitch Marner at $12 million AAV to fill up the cap. Once we get closer to the season starting, Pietrangelo will be put on the LTIR and the cap will go down. Vegas is currently $7.638 million above the salary cap, but they always have something on the table to improve.

As for the Canadiens, they are just $5.4 million above the salary cap and Price's contract is $10.5 million AAV. They have much more room to work with, but whether the team intends to use it this offseason remains to be seen.

The Panthers are the most intriguing one of the three as they do have to make a move. They are $3.725 million above the salary cap with a full 23-man projected roster. Not only will it cause them to trade their one clear candidate to make cap room, but they will have to play with a 21-man roster. What that should look like is Evan Rodrigues, who has a cap hit of $3 million AAV for two more years, to be traded. Then one of their depth pieces, either Jeff Petry or Jonah Gadjovich, to be in the minors to start the season.

While the Panthers have the majority of their team back, they don't have a lot of space to work with and will be waiting on an injury or suspension to make improvements or add players to their roster.