One interesting aspect to the upcoming season is the shift in the financial strategy of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Almost all of their transactions this off-season have had a common thread: it has saved payroll in the 2020-21 season.
Even re-signings like Juuso Riikola, Jared McCann and Tristan Jarry have been structured in multi-year deals that will pay the players less in 2020-21 and more later down the line.
This is probably a win-win situation for both sides.
For the players, they’re starring down the barrel of a 20% escrow next season, an automatic withdrawal from their paychecks to true up player payroll to hockey revenue.