The Bruins have consistently spent to the salary cap ceiling since the NHL emerged from its 2004-05 lockout.

So the news today from the NHL and NHLPA has to be music to general manager Peter Chiarelli’s ears, even if it will cost owner Jeremy Jacobs a few more shekels.

The new team payroll range for the 2011-12 season provides for a lower limit of $48.3 million, an adjusted midpoint of $56.3 million and an upper limit of $64.3 million.

This is the last year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2005. So there is no bonus cushion of seven percent. The higher cap will allow the Bruins to retain much of their team and even improve a little bit.