Report: Major hint that Leafs change their minds with JVR

There were talks in November that with the league's projected revenue, the salary could go up from $75 million to approximately $80 million.

With the league executives meeting this week in Florida to discuss hot topics such as Seattle expansion and revenue issues, Pierre LeBrun revealed that the NHL plans on an increase in the salary cap once again, this time from $78 to $82 million, depending on what the NHLPA decides in June in regards to the inflator.

This could have a huge impact on what Lou Lamoriello decides to do with his pending unrestricted free agents - most notably James van Riemsdyk.

There have been talks all season thus far that JvR could be traded by the deadline as a rental - whereas some believe that if the team is a legitimate playoff contender, Lou will opt to keep him and the likes of Leo Komarov and Tyler Bozak and make a run for it.

van Riemsdyk likely wants to stay in Toronto, but the contract has to be right, and odds are he can fetch upwards of $6 million on the open market. There were concerns over whether or not he could be fit into the organization's salary structure, especially with Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner due for extensions soon. But with the cap increase, they may be able to fit him in after all.