Rising cap projections through 2027 are reshaping NHL contract dynamics, pushing a clash between players seeking a bigger slice of the cap and teams wary of ballooning payrolls. The market’s pace is evident in goalie deals—Dustin Wolf’s seven-year, $7.5M cap hit setting a new ceiling—while Skinner’s future extension looms as Edmonton weighs deadline strategy vs long-term deals. RFAs like Lukas Dostal compare with Mackenzie Blackwood, and incumbents such as Ilya Sorokin and Joey Daccord anchor a volatile netminder landscape that could redefine fantasy value and trade deadlines.