In a stunning turn of events, the hockey world was rocked by the announcement in June that CapFriendly, the beloved contract details website, was shutting down and being sold to the Washington Capitals. This news sent shockwaves through fans and NHL media alike, who relied on the site for up-to-date information on player contracts.
The impact of CapFriendly’s departure was felt far and wide, with many scrambling to find a suitable replacement. One such replacement that has emerged as a potential contender is PuckPedia, which offers a wealth of player contract details and features, including a new waivers tracker. Robert, a fan of PuckPedia, praised the service saying, “Listen, they’re doing great. I think we’re very lucky that they’re around and providing that service.”
However, not everyone was content to rely on others to fill the void left by CapFriendly. One individual, determined to replicate the success of the popular website, took matters into his own hands. “I said, ‘How hard can it be to build something like (CapFriendly) myself?’ So I did,” he recounted with a hint of pride.
But as he quickly discovered, creating a website like CapFriendly was no easy feat. “Then July 1 came around, and that almost killed me. It turns out, it’s pretty hard,” he admitted with a chuckle during an interview with The Athletic. The challenges of navigating free agency proved to be a steep learning curve for the ambitious entrepreneur.
Despite facing an uphill battle, he remained undeterred. “We’re a very small team — mostly me full-time, with a few other folks helping,” he revealed. The website, named CapWages, has experienced rapid growth since its inception.
The success of CapWages has not gone unnoticed, with agents taking notice of the fledgling website. “Some agents reached out and have been very, very helpful,” he disclosed. “We were on Twitter pretty early on and we got noticed on Reddit and things like that, and agents started to reach out to us.”
Though he was reluctant to divulge too many details, citing the need to protect his sources, it was clear that CapWages was making a name for itself in the hockey world. As fans and media alike continue to mourn the loss of CapFriendly, they can take solace in knowing that there are new players emerging to fill the void left by the beloved website.
