The NHL released its new salary cap number today, giving teams a $50.3 million ceiling to spend on rosters for the upcoming season.
The league increased the cap by $6.3 million over last season’s top end. The cap should allow the Avalanche to purchase a top-tier unrestricted free agent, maybe two.
The NHL’s free-agent market opens Sunday at 10 a.m.
The Avs currently have 19 players under contract at a little more than $33 million for the coming season. Even if they sign some of their own unrestricted free agents, there should be plenty of room for a high-priced signing or two on the open market.
Some of the bigger names the Avs may pursue include former Colorado players Chris Drury, Peter Forsberg and Paul Kariya, along with Ryan Smyth, Daniel Briere, Scott Hannan, Scott Gomez and Sheldon Souray.
The Avs have five players who can become unrestricted free agents July 1: Ken Klee, Ossi Vaananen, Brett McLean, Mark Rycroft and Patrice Brisebois.
