Stanley Cup Final controversy emerges amid Panthers’ summer celebrations

In a Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers already steeped in drama, a new figure is adding fuel to the fire. And it always comes back to the money.

The Panthers hoisted the Cup after a Game 6 win over the Oilers, but a closer look at the numbers has sparked controversy across the hockey world. According to calculations from Puck Pedia, the Panthers iced a roster with a Playoff Cap Hit of $93.0 million : $5 million over the NHL’s official $88 million cap limit. The Oilers, in contrast, came in under, with a Playoff Cap Hit of $80.6 million.

That’s an $12.4 million gap between the two benches in the most important game of the year.

While teams are technically allowed to exceed the cap in the postseason, especially thanks to LTIR (long-term injured reserve), it doesn’t stop the optics from being messy. Critics argue that exploiting LTIR rules to stash players until playoffs, and then bringing them back with zero cap consequence, undermines the spirit of cap parity.

We all remember the 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning facing similar criticism when they brought back Nikita Kucherov for the playoffs after a season on the sidelines with a hip injury, or the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, eventually winning the Cup. Now, the spotlight is on the Panthers.

Edmonton fans are understandably upset with the statistic. The Oilers played by the rules and under the limit, but still came up short. When two elite teams meet in the Final, every detail matters. A $12 million gap in playoff roster value can become a game-changing advantage. It raises real questions about what fairness looks like in a capped league when the most crucial games aren’t played on even financial footing.

The playoff cap loopholes are been discussed and things will change under the new CBA. Playoff lineups will need to be cap compliant starting in 2027. Teams will have to submit a roster with 18 skaters and two goaltenders to the league on game days that fits under the cap. The new CBA will begin with the 2026-27 season and carry through the 2029-30 campaign.

But for now, the Panthers celebrate and the Oilers regroup… and fans keep on debating about money.