The NHL's salary-cap ceiling for the 2008-09 season will be $56.7 million.

Under terms of the league's collective bargaining agreement, teams will be compelled to have a payroll of at least $40.7 million.

The cap ceiling will come into play over the next few days, as teams make decisions about attempting to re-sign some of their own free agents before they go on the open market July 1, and prepare to pursue players from other clubs on that day.

First Published: June 26, 2008, 6:45 p.m.