NHL salary cap going skyward

Thanks, Vegas. The Stanley Cup Final run of the expansion Golden Knights contributed to what is expected to be a healthy increase for the salary cap, giving NHL teams more freedom to make deals. With elite centre John Tavares, top defenceman John Carlson and a strong group of free agents available soon, the ceiling for player spending will rise to between $78 and $82 million from $75 million.

“The higher the better,” said Brian MacLellan, whose Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup. “It makes it a lot more fun.”

Gentlemen, open your wallets — players like Tavares, Carlson and forwards James van Riemsdyk and Paul Stastny won’t come cheap.

With GMs meeting Thursday in Dallas ahead of this weekend’s draft, trade talk is percolating before free agency opens July 1. Ottawa has already traded winger Mike Hoffman, and Buffalo centre Ryan O’Reilly, Pittsburgh forward Phil Kessel, Montreal captain Max Pacioretty and Washington backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer could all be on the move.

Ottawa captain Erik Karlsson is the star who will go to the highest bidder if the Senators are willing to trade the Norris Trophy-winning defenceman with one year remaining on his contract.

More immediate decisions await the Islanders and Capitals. New York could make a move to re-sign Tavares before he can begin speaking with other teams on Monday, and recently hired president of hockey operations Lou Lamoriello has to hire a new coach.

Big-revenue teams with money to spend include the retooling New York Rangers and the rising Toronto Maple Leafs.