How the taxi squad will help cap strapped teams

[transplant99]

Good piece by Mirtle in the Athletic.

Teams will be permitted to repeatedly move players back and forth from the taxi squad – potentially every day. This will be especially true for clubs that need additional cap space.

“The cap shenanigans around the league this year are going to be next level,” one team source said this week.

With a taxi squad of up to six extra players on hand, however, this practice won’t be necessary. If someone is hurt or falls ill at a morning skate, teams will be able to simply pull from the taxi squad – a group that doesn’t count against the cap – rather than having an extra player always on the roster.

When on the road, meanwhile, teams could “send down” players to the taxi squad without them having to board a plane and fly across the country. In most cases, they’d simply be like everyone else on the team – except they suddenly wouldn’t count against the cap.

Why does this matter?

Well, assuming teams take advantage of this in an aggressive fashion and carry fewer roster players for the bulk of the season, we could be talking about millions in savings per team. If the 21st, 22nd and 23rd players on rosters are all on a taxi squad instead of the NHL roster, and they’re on two-way contracts (which carry a lower salary in the minors), the cap savings could in extreme cases add up to more than $3 million per team.

https://theathletic.com/2290023/2020...i-squad-rules/

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but do the taxi squad players "not count against the cap", as the article says? Or are they just treated like they're playing in the AHL, and therefore count against the cap unless their AHL salary is under 1.05 million, or whatever the cutoff is this year?

If it's the former, then yeah, it'll absolutely be abused. If it's the latter it's not nearly as big a deal. Basically just gives every team the advantage the Maple Leafs have by having their AHL affiliate in the same city as their NHL team.

[TheScorpion]

It's the latter.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Then I'm not much fussed about it.

[Robbob]

I can see the benefit since you don't have to account for travel. Players still have to go through waivers. Also gives an option to a team like the Oilers where it is easier to taxi Neal then send him to the minors. Can replace him with a min contract and profit.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I can see the benefit since you don't have to account for travel. Players still have to go through waivers. Also gives an option to a team like the Oilers where it is easier to taxi Neal then send him to the minors. Can replace him with a min contract and profit.

I think it will be done with prospects. In Calgary’s case I could see Dube/Valimaki going to the taxi squad between games. They don’t require waivers and are paid peanuts compared to the NHL.

[Flames1217]

Have the boys hit the ice yet?

Training camp starts today I believe?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

Have the boys hit the ice yet?

Training camp starts today I believe?

Today is off-ice testing. On-ice sessions start tomorrow.

Treliving, Ward, and Giordano are supposed to have media availabilities later today.

[Canada 02]

today should be fitness testing and medicals
surprised they haven't announced camp roster

[Flames1217]

Originally Posted by getbak

Today is off-ice testing. On-ice sessions start tomorrow.

Treliving, Ward, and Giordano are supposed to have media availabilities later today.

Thanks for the info!