The balancing act of the modern NHL features 31 general managers all trying to outsmart each other. Constructing a roster that can compete on a nightly basis is not as easy as just writing checks to the best players available.
Following the implementation of the salary cap for the 2005 season, the league has little room for error.
With the way the league’s current salary structure works and the market for talent, there is an element of risk in every contract. Some teams operate on other planets in the case of talent evaluation which can make salaries even trickier to compare.