The size of the ice surface isn't the only big change coming to the KHL.
Starting with the 2020-21 season, the KHL is implementing a hard salary cap and a hard floor. Under the current system, the floor was not in the rules, and the current 800 million ruble salary cap was enforced with a luxury tax of 30% of the amount a team was over the cap.
The cap will be set at 900 million rubles ($14,351,823 USD). The floor will start at 270 million rubles (approximately $4.3 million USD ) and will increase to 450 million (approximately $7.2 million USD) by the 2022-23 season.
The cap will differ a bit from the NHL version. Individual and team bonuses that are less than 20% of the player's base salary will not count against the cap, nor will any bonuses from reaching the Gagarin Cup semi-finals or higher, or a bonus for a player finishing in the top 3 of the league's MVP voting. Salaries of players aged 21 and under will not count either.
Furthermore, the KHL is borrowing a page out of North American college athletics to prevent teams from using various benefits to circumvent the salary cap. "We've studied rules from all over the world to deal with possible fraud," said KHL President Dmitriy Chernyshenko, "It's understood that people will seek creative solutions to cheat the cap, such buying the player an apartment, or connect him with a sponsor and a contract. We understand that there will be attempts and are issuing a warning that these will be severely punished."
The KHL will also make sure that indirect benefits aren't used, such as offering goods, services, or jobs to a player's family and/or friends.
The punishment for not hitting the salary floor is a fine in the amount of 50% of the difference between the payroll and floor. The second time, the fine will be raised to 100% of the difference, and a third violation will result in the suspension of the team from the KHL season.
Source: Sports.ru
