The question isn't whether ownership is involved in decisions that affect real money, but it's whether they are more or less involved than other clubs.
Is there any doubt that Treliving has an operating budget every year and that moves that exceed those parameters need approval? I would think most clubs operate that way.
Take last year's Zucker trade. Zucker's 2019/20 cap hit is $5.5 million but his actual salary is $6.25 million. Frolik's cap hit is $4.3 million but his actual salary is $3 million.
That's a net increase of $2 million cash over their respective cap hits. Assuming the budget roughly corresponds to the cap, that's likely an increase in actual spending than what was projected.
No one should be surprised, least of all Treliving, that such a move would require an OK from ownership.
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