It looks like the NHL’s salary cap is going up for the 2018-19 season. The question is, how much?

According to TSN Senior Hockey Writer Frank Seravalli, the cap has been narrowed to between $79 and $80 million, though there is still some deliberating. The initial projection is that player escrow withholding starts under 10 per cent for the first time since 2011-12.

Seravalli notes that players could vote for the same growth inflator (1.35 per cent) used last summer. At $79 million, it would be the largest single-season cap jump since 2013-14. The salary cap was set at $75 million last season with a floor of $55.4 million. That was an increase from the $73 million cap the season before.

Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan is a fan of a salary cap increase.

“The higher the better,” he said.

“It makes it a lot more fun.”

Round one of the NHL Entry Draft goes Friday night from Dallas with the rest of the draft wrapping up Saturday before free agency opens on July 1.