Mike Smith's issues are the conditioning problems and aches that just come with aging. What this does is set a precedent in the future that being old is a reason to put a player on LTIR.
Definitely not in the spirit of the CBA, but I doubt the players care that much because it just means more teams will pay them into later years knowing they can get away with it, and it is an alternative to having to end their career in the minors in order to still get paid. If the players don't care, then I doubt the league chooses it as a battle to fight either.
I don't like it and think it gives the Oilers an unfair advantage managing their cap, but for anyone holding out hope that the league will crack down on these shenanigans, I wouldn't waste your thoughts on it.
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
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