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Salary cap projection of $76 million comes with the usual caveat

2016 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game One

PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 30: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman (R) speaks with the media during a press conference as NHL Deputy Commissioner and chief legal officer Bill Daly (L) looks on prior to Game One of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the San Jose Sharks at Consol Energy Center on May 30, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

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Next season’s salary cap could go as high as $76 million, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told reporters today in Florida.

Of course, that projection came with the usual caveat that the NHLPA would first need to approve the five percent growth factor. And with the players’ ongoing concerns over escrow, that’s never a guarantee. If the players propose no growth factor, the cap could stay right around its current level of $73 million.

In other news from Florida, where the league’s general managers have been meeting the past three days, there will indeed be a new “bye week” format next season. Over two dedicated weeks, half the teams will take their bye the first week, then the other half will take it the next week.

As far as rules changes are concerned, nothing earth-shattering -- the GMs will recommend to the Competition Committee that teams no longer be allowed to call timeout after an icing.

Related: NHL wants ‘two dedicated weeks’ for bye weeks