MONTREAL -- The NHL's salary cap for next season will be $56.8 million, the league announced on Friday.

The figure is a mere $100,000 increase from the cap total of last season.

Numbers crunchers from the NHL and the NHL Players' Association finalized the figure for the next season Thursday in New York.

The lower limit for next season is set at $40.8 million.

The cap has risen for a fifth consecutive season since its implementation in 2005.

The salary cap debuted at $39 million for the 2005-06 season, the first season coming out of the lockout. It rose to $44 million for 2006-07 and to $50.3 million in 2007-08.

Pierre LeBrun covers the NHL for ESPN.com.