from Michael Grange of Sportsnet,

...with the current season pretty much a write-off already, the chickens of labour unrest will come home to roost a year from now, when the league gets back to a full 82-game schedule.

That is the year that the league wants the salary cap to fall to $60-million, down from $70-million (pro-rated) in 2013.

Naturally there is some anxiety in the players camp at the prospect of such a steep drop - and likely among some of the league's more ambitious owners too.

Clubs like Boston and Philadelphia and Vancouver have been loading up on contracts to deliver themselves a reasonable window to contend for a Stanley Cup.

The result is a lot of guaranteed money on the books. If the cap comes down to $60-million filling out a 23-man becomes a challenge.

The Vancouver Canucks already owe $60.7-million to just 13 players in 2013-14 (figures provided by capgeek.com); Philadelphia owes $59-million to 16 players and Boston will be trying to find seven players with just $2.9-million to spend.

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