Pacific Division Spending To Keep Up With Vegas And Other Tight Cap Teams

For years, Pacific Division teams like the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks were far from exceeding the salary cap. Some seasons, both were $10M to $20M below what the Golden Knights were spending. However, those teams have awaken from their rebuilds and are spending money for the chance at a deep Stanley Cup playoff run.

We got some great additions on D, and a lot of great young players… In free agency, those additions will help us this year. It’s crazy that we’re gonna have a completely different team next year. But it’s also exciting, just the steps that we’re taking and how we’re all looking forward to the future. –Macklin Celebrini, Sharks center

While Vegas is currently working with their 2026-27 cap crunch, Anaheim is being forced to pay much more than they intended next season. After a record breaking offer-sheet presented by the Philadelphia Flyers, the Ducks are obligated to pay millions more to retain 21-year-old star center Leo Carlsson. Two years ago the Ducks had $13M in free cap space and were willing to take on other teams bad contracts for a fee. Now, they’re likely to pay Carlsson $30M more than they were planning to offer.

With such a tight cap, the Ducks are forced to operate like the Golden Knights. Carefully maneuvering players and salaries to make it work nightly. Possibly halting player trades until they finish building their roster and/or when cap relief comes near the trade deadline. Sure, the Ducks made it to the second round of the playoffs last season but at the moment their roster is incomplete. And running out runway.

If you have great players, sign them for as long as you can. The price never goes down. It’s also the fourth offer sheet in 23 months: Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway, Barrett Hayton and Carlsson. (In the salary-cap era, it’s happened once before)… The cost of buying in is rising. The pressure to succeed is enormous. Free agency is less of a difference-maker than ever. Suddenly, the offer-sheet looks more attractive. The resistance to them is dropping. -Elliotte Friedman, Sportsnet

Some would argue that the current San Jose Sharks roster is all-around more talented than most of the Pacific Division. After all, the Sharks have hockey’s brightest star and thirteen other first-rounders in the NHL, AHL, NCAA and Juniors. In comparison, Vegas has six and they were all drafted by other organizations. Still, San Jose had been shy to spend their money until now.

The Sharks bought three high-profile defensemen, a menacing forward, signed three-first round picks and were still $20M under the Golden Knights commitments next season. Currently, Vegas is $8M higher than the allotted amount of space. Still, with plenty of time to adjust. Shedding Tomas Hertl or Adin Hill’s salaries for upgrades is still something to watch from VGK’s front office.

Yeah, looking at what we have and what we’re building, I think we should all be excited for things to come. -Macklin Celebrini, Sharks center

Now, that the Ducks and Sharks have joined the big boys in the Pacific and are spending more of their own money, the division could change. It could be more competitive on the ice and board room. With permission and space, the Ducks and Sharks ownerships might say go outbid whatever the Golden Knights are targeting at the deadline. Or overpaying and selling away bad contracts. Either way, both franchises have a little ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ type attitude going into 2026-27.