from Kevin Allen of USA TODAY,

Count New York Islanders winger Kyle Okposo among those who think that money can't buy success in the NHL's salary cap era.

"I think definitely we can compete with anyone in the league, and you don't have to be a cap team to do that," Okposo said.

According to capgeek.com, the Islanders are roughly $10 million under the salary cap ceiling, ranking them 24th in the NHL in cap spending. In theory, that's the equivalent of two high-quality scorers, or one star and a dependable defenseman.

Spending to the cap seems like an advantage, but when you factor in how injuries, acquisition mistakes and slumps affect competition, it's probably not as significant as it might seem on paper.

"It's not just about money," former NHL general manager Craig Button said. "It's where you allocate your money. I think there is opportunity for teams that spend less than the cap ceiling to be successful."

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