McCarron Deal Is Another Rude Awakening In The Cap Boom

Michael McCarron’s contract lands right in the middle of the NHL’s new sticker-shock economy, where even supporting pieces can start looking like premium real estate. Teams are spending differently now, and front offices that used to shop in one aisle are suddenly paying up in another. This is the kind of deal that makes GMs glance at the board, blink twice, and wonder how fast the market moved while they were still writing the check.