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None of the 2021 NHL offseason’s major events have happened yet. The expansion draft is first up Wednesday, followed by the entry draft Friday and Saturday, free agency next week and trades scattered throughout.
But a few things are already clear.
This unprecedented offseason — a chaotic confluence of league expansion and salary cap stagnation — is going to redefine how teams are built, change how assets are valued and set a new precedent for offseasons to come.
Salary management is the biggest priority, far bigger than ever before. The cap will be stuck at $81.5 in 2021-22 for the third consecutive season, a far cry from the $88-90 million many GMs expected when signing stars to large contracts two or three years ago.