Getty Brian MacLellan and John Carlson, Washington Capitals
How many years are left on your favorite NHL player’s contract? What is that player’s cap hit versus his actual salary? Is he waivers exempt? Which teams have enough cap space to sign him?
Those answers and more can all be found at CapFriendly.com, but not for much longer. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Washington Capitals have agreed to purchase the website for their exclusive use.
A leading independent compiler of roster moves and contract information for the NHL, CapFriendly will still be available for public use through the 2024 NHL Draft and the start of free agency. The sale to the Capitals is expected to officially close sometime after July 5th, after which the site will go dark.
Friedman also reported that NHL teams with individual agreements with CapFriendly to use some of the website’s tools and programming were recently informed that those contracts would soon be terminated.
CapFriendly’s History
CapFriendly arrived in 2015, after its predecessor, CapGeek, went dark. CapGeek’s creator, Matthew Wuest, died of colon cancer in March 2015. CapFriendly’s “About” page pays homage to its predecessor:
“No site displaying team & player salary cap information can tell their visitors about themselves without first talking about the site that started it all. CapGeek was the first site to open the door to NHL Salary Cap information for all to see. It was by far the most complete & detailed site ever created, & we, at CapFriendly, can say without a doubt that it was our favorite tool as NHL fans.
“On March 19th, 2015, the founder of CapGeek, Matthew Wuest passed away after his courageous battle with colon cancer. It undoubtedly left a huge hole in the hearts of all those close to him, as well as a void in lives of millions of hockey fans around the world.”
Inspired by the work of CapGeek, CapFriendly and another site, Hockey’s Cap, merged to produce the current website in 2016. The site’s owner and co-director, Dominik Zrim, has previously served as Director of Salary Cap Management and CBA Compliance for the San Jose Sharks and Manager of Hockey Strategy for the Chicago Blackhawks.
“We recognize the incredible information that was provided by the data and tools that were available on CapGeek,” the CapFriendly site says. “Our mission is to bring back that knowledge and those tools to as best as possible, to serve the hockey community as well as CapGeek did.”
Capitals Will Now Have Exclusive Access to CapFriendly’s Tools
Since its inception in 2016, CapFriendly has been a free and indispensable resource for NHL teams, fans and media members alike. It has become a vital part of every NHL organization, so it stands to reason that the Capitals – or any team – would not want their competitors to have access to its exclusive tools and information.
CapFriendly’s tools offer data on individual players’ salaries, contract terms and rights under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), as well as teams’ total cap hits. The site also provides explainers of CBA provisions including Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), entry-level contracts, free agency, and more.
CapFriendly features contract comparison tools, scouting reports, arbitration filings, salary expense trackers and more. It also features tools to calculate buyouts, waivers, qualifying offers, arbitration, offer sheets and income tax; and interactive simulators to create custom rosters, mock drafts and trade proposals.
Alternatives to CapFriendly for Public Use Going Forward
There are other cap-tracking sites, notably PuckPedia, which recently underwent a redesign. PuckPedia self-describes as “the Ultimate Source for Hockey Fans and Professionals” and has salary cap information and functions similar to those of CapFriendly.
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Some notes:
We recently redesigned the site & hope you enjoy the new layout & interface. There’s more tweaking & updating to do, & we welcome the feedback & suggestions.
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Among PuckPedia’s unique features are interactive tools like the Pick Value Calculator and Cap Relief Calculator; an Agent Leaderboard and client lists; educational “Capology” resources; and more.