The NHLPA wouldn't really care how big the resulting cap penalty is. The players' share is the players' share regardless of the cap hits involved. If Richards' cap amount disappears and is replaced by another player, that just means more escrow is held back than if his cap hit remained on the books for the Kings and wasn't replaced. There's zero net difference for the players as a group in terms of money.
Much bigger is the precedent this might set and it's why I'd expect the PA to fight for him.
|