Salary cap economics squeezing out NHL's middle class

As NHL teams move toward paying their stars more money and relying on young players to fill the gaps, hockey's middle class is being squeezed out. Veterans like 2018 Washington Capitals playoff hero Devante Smith-Pelly are finding it increasingly difficult to land guaranteed contracts and are often forced to go to training camp on professional tryout agreements, which cover potential injuries at camp and not much else. Hockey perhaps more than any other professional sport has put a premium on veteran players over the years.