The NHL’s salary cap will not be flat. It’s going up for 2017-08.



Just how high it goes, however, is in the hands of the NHLPA’s executive board, which is hearing arguments right now from two factions on what to do with escrow and the “5 per cent growth factor” that typically inflates the cap each summer.



This is expected to be settled by the end of the week, giving teams time to prepare for the expansion draft process.



According to several sources, the most likely outcome is a salary cap figure of $75-million next season. That is only a $2-million rise from last year. It would mean that the NHLPA voted against using the full 5 per cent growth factor, something it has only done once previously in 12 seasons under the salary cap.