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Joined: Nov. 2015
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Adding on to what krak said, it's essentially tied to league revenues.
Hockey-related revenue (HRR) is split 50-50 between the owners and the players, per the CBA. Due to the inability to know for certain how much HRR will come in for the respective fiscal year, a percentage is taken out of players' paychecks and held in 'escrow' which is basically an account that holds the money for future dispersal. Once all of the accounting for the league's fiscal year is completed, it is determined how much of that escrow money goes back to the players in order to ensure the 50-50 split. Since player salaries almost always grow at a faster rate than HRR, players will almost always lose money in the end and won't recoup a lot of the escrow payments.
If the cap grows organically (through increased revenues rather than through the NHLPA-induced escalator) escrow payments will still occur, but likely won't be as high.