Salary caps aren't about saving dollars, a salary cap is about increasing competitiveness. One of the disadvantages the NHL has is that there are only half a dozen or so legitimate contenders for the Cup, if you're a fan of some team other than one of the big power houses you know before the season even begins that you're team has little if any chance of winning the Cup, this causes the majority of their teams to play functionally meaningless games that don't create a lot of fan excitement. Compare that to the NFL where next September there's only going be half a dozen teams that have no legitimate claim at a chance to win it all, this creates more fan excitement which is reflected in higher attendance, higher TV ratings, and increased overall revenue. The salary cap was put in for the NFL to make it so teams other than Dallas, NYG, Washington and SF could energize their fan base. The downside is you no longer have these uber teams that are great in all apsects of the game, the upside is you no longer have these uber teams that beat the crap out of everybody else.
The era of the dynasties was really boring for AFC fans, and frankly it's been really boring for Eastern Conference NHL fans, do you realize that Tampa last year was the first Eastern Team not name "Devils" that hoisted the Stanley Cup since the Rangers beat Vancouver in the early 90s? How unexciting was it to be in an Eastern city other than Jersey during that time? You can see how dull it was by what happened to most teams revenue, and the game's TV ratings as a whole. Salary caps might not be good for the pure essence of the game, but for the fiscal survival of the game it's proven to be really good.
"Salary caps aren't about saving dollars, a salary cap is about increasing competitiveness."
And that has worked in MLB with the Yankees, for instance?
"...if you're a fan of some team other than one of the big power houses you know before the season even begins that you're team has little if any chance of winning the Cup,..."
NHL Stanley Cup Finals
2004 Tampa Bay Lightning Calgary Flames 4-3
2003 New Jersey Devils Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 4-3
2002 Detroit Red Wings Carolina Hurricanes 4-1
2001 Colorado Avalanche New Jersey Devils 4-3
2000 New Jersey Devils Dallas Stars 4-2
1999 Dallas Stars Buffalo Sabres 4-2
1998 Detroit Red Wings Washington Capitals 4-0
1997 Detroit Red Wings Philadelphia Flyers 4-0
1996 Colorado Avalanche Florida Panthers 4-0
1995 New Jersey Devils Detroit Red Wings 4-0
1994 New York Rangers Vancouver Canucks 4-3
1993 Montreal Canadiens Los Angeles Kings 4-1
1992 Pittsburgh Penguins Chicago Blackhawks 4-0
1991 Pittsburgh Penguins Minnesota North Stars 4-2
1990 Edmonton Oilers Boston Bruins 4-1
1989 Calgary Flames Montreal Canadiens 4-2
1988 Edmonton Oilers Boston Bruins 4-0
1987 Edmonton Oilers Philadelphia Flyers 4-3
1986 Montreal Canadiens Calgary Flames 4-1
1985 Edmonton Oilers Philadelphia Flyers 4-1
Ten different teams have won the Stanley Cup in the last 20 years.
NFL Super Bowl
XXXIX Feb. 6, 2005 New England 24, Philadelphia 21
XXXVIII Feb. 1, 2004 New England 32, Carolina 29
XXXVII Jan. 26, 2003 Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21
XXXVI Feb. 3, 2002 New England 20, St. Louis 17
XXXV Jan. 28, 2001 Baltimore 34, N.Y. Giants 7
XXXIV Jan. 30, 2000 St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16
XXXIII Jan. 31, 1999 Denver 34, Atlanta 19
XXXII Jan. 25, 1998 Denver 31, Green Bay 24
XXXI Jan. 26, 1997 Green Bay 35, New England 21
XXX Jan. 28, 1996 Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17
XXIX Jan. 29, 1995 San Francisco 49, San Diego 26
XXVIII Jan. 30, 1994 Dallas 30, Buffalo 13
XXVII Jan. 31, 1993 Dallas 52, Buffalo 17
XXVI Jan. 26, 1992 Washington 37, Buffalo 24
XXV Jan. 27, 1991 N.Y. Giants 20, Buffalo 19
XXIV Jan. 28, 1990 San Francisco 55, Denver 10
XXIII Jan. 22, 1989 San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16
XXII Jan. 31, 1988 Washington 42, Denver 10
XXI Jan. 25, 1987 N.Y. Giants 39, Denver 20
XX Jan. 26, 1986 Chicago 46, New England 10
In the last 20 years there have been 11 different teams win the Super Bowl.
In baseball they've had 13 different teams in the last 20 years.
There have been 10 different drivers in the last 20 years for the NASCAR championship.
There have been 6 different teams win the NBA finals in the last 20 years.
And the logical point you can make about a hard cap and competitiveness is..... nonexistent.