[PST] Stanley Cup Final: Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning---Bolts win the Cup 4-1

[Pointman]

Here's an article from 2011 about how teams are abusing LTIR and cap-free playoffs. It's been going on for decades.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/hocke...yoff_time.html

[Tsawwassen]

"What the world was like in 1993 when Canadiens last won the Cup."
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...-last-won-cup/

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

To pull this off, TB had to play without their best offensive player for the whole season. Let’s see Edmonton do it.

That's kind of the problem, though - it's a loophole only available to already stacked teams.

It's kind of disheartening to see a wonderfully managed team like CAR struggle against them (considering the gap from CGY to CAR, and then the apparent gap from CAR to TBL). They are good enough to let Staal sit for most of a season for 'personal reasons'...is it in anyone's interest for this to become the new option to put your team over the top?

That said, I root for chaos. I hope TBL or VGK acquire Eichel and do it next year.

The solution is so simple - to be eligible for the playoffs a player has to count against the cap for __ number of days (at least TDL-season end number of days). That doesn't mean they have to play, and the Hossa contracts are unaffected.

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Teams have been abusing the LTIR rule for years. For example, how many retired players are sitting on the LTIR right now? NHL doesn't care because insurance pays these players

Totally different issue. That's just about cheapskate teams.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

If it was the Flames that pulled that I would be just as pissed, if not more because it would taint the joy of seeing them win another cup.

We all agree that Valimaki could have likely played one game last season to be eligible for expansion right? There are plenty of articles that say outright that the Flames shouldn’t play him regardless of health to avoid expansion. Even though he wasn’t 100%, we don’t think he could have played a game 10 months after surgery??? He was supposed to be out a year. But if we expect Kucherov to return months before his expected date for team structure reasons and not his health, then why is it fair to not dress Valimaki for one game at the end of the season?

[Johnny Makarov]

I'm just here for the riots.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

To pull this off, TB had to play without their best offensive player for the whole season. Let’s see Edmonton do it.

Are you really comparing a stacked team with the best depth in the NHL to a team with two good players? Not remotely comparable.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

If it’s true that he was healthy long before they activated him, it’s pretty much the equivalent of giving him a paid leave of absence until the playoffs but in a way that circumvents the cap.



The issue is that it is hard to prove. I can see other teams doing this in the future if a similar situation exists where a player is technically healthy but is fine taking their time returning.

Sure, maybe, but there are few teams who can afford to subtract a player of that calibre from their roster and be confident that they'd still make the post season.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

That's kind of the problem, though - it's a loophole only available to already stacked teams.

It's kind of disheartening to see a wonderfully managed team like CAR struggle against them (considering the gap from CGY to CAR, and then the apparent gap from CAR to TBL). They are good enough to let Staal sit for most of a season for 'personal reasons'...is it in anyone's interest for this to become the new option to put your team over the top?

That said, I root for chaos. I hope TBL or VGK acquire Eichel and do it next year.

The solution is so simple - to be eligible for the playoffs a player has to count against the cap for __ number of days (at least TDL-season end number of days). That doesn't mean they have to play, and the Hossa contracts are unaffected.




Totally different issue. That's just about cheapskate teams.

Being a stacked team is their own doing, so tip of the cap to them. Just like Chicago with Kane.

Methinks this was an issue here only because it was TBL. Since no one is complaining about Montreal with Price and Gallagher, for example.

[Tiger]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

If it was the Flames that pulled that I would be just as pissed, if not more because it would taint the joy of seeing them win another cup.

now that is just not true.

[Canada 02]

Armia is in covid protocol; he will not travel to Tampa

https://www.tsn.ca/montreal-canadien...ning-1.1660801

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Are you really comparing a stacked team with the best depth in the NHL to a team with two good players? Not remotely comparable.

That’s the point. You have to be a good team in the first place.

As I said, 15 teams were over the cap on this basis. It’s not only not unusual, it’s expected.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

We all agree that Valimaki could have likely played one game last season to be eligible for expansion right? There are plenty of articles that say outright that the Flames shouldn’t play him regardless of health to avoid expansion. Even though he wasn’t 100%, we don’t think he could have played a game 10 months after surgery??? He was supposed to be out a year. But if we expect Kucherov to return months before his expected date for team structure reasons and not his health, then why is it fair to not dress Valimaki for one game at the end of the season?

This, plus we have no idea what the “correct” date for his return would have been. Should TB have been forced to play him at 80%? Or do they get to wait until he’s 100%, and who decides that? What if he’s 100% only a week prior to the end of the season. Teams are always getting criticized for forcing players to dress when they say their not ready, or rushing players back from rehab.

Kane was supposed to miss the POs until the western final when he went on LTIR. he made it back for game one of the POs. Meanwhile the Hawks added 3 players that matched his salary.

Price didn’t play for a month. But he comes back and posts a .972 in game one of the POs? I bet he was ready a little before then. Gallagher - same.

Maybe the rules need to change. But until they do, I don’t blame TB or any other team for playing within them.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Tiger

now that is just not true.

Really? You are trying to tell me how I would feel? Now that is a new level of ridiculousness on this board.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

We all agree that Valimaki could have likely played one game last season to be eligible for expansion right? There are plenty of articles that say outright that the Flames shouldn’t play him regardless of health to avoid expansion. Even though he wasn’t 100%, we don’t think he could have played a game 10 months after surgery??? He was supposed to be out a year. But if we expect Kucherov to return months before his expected date for team structure reasons and not his health, then why is it fair to not dress Valimaki for one game at the end of the season?

Literally has nothing to do with what we are discussing. Not remotely the same subject. Apples to oranges.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Literally has nothing to do with what we are discussing. Not remotely the same subject. Apples to oranges.

I am eager to hear your explanation that illustrates the monumental difference between what TBL did and Calgary's handling of Valimaki's return from injury.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Being a stacked team is their own doing, so tip of the cap to them. Just like Chicago with Kane.

Methinks this was an issue here only because it was TBL. Since no one is complaining about Montreal with Price and Gallagher, for example.

The key difference is that it was an entire season and not a penny of his AAV counted against their cap.

Kane played 3/4 of that season...probably similar ratios for the others mentioned.

If CHI made the playoffs this year and Toews returned for game 1, people would be equally annoyed.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Really? You are trying to tell me how I would feel? Now that is a new level of ridiculousness on this board.

Get peevish over WINNING A CUP this way?

Winning. A. Cup.

Yeah, I don't think people are wrong to question this stance of yours at all

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

The key difference is that it was an entire season and not a penny of his AAV counted against their cap.

Kane played 3/4 of that season...probably similar ratios for the others mentioned.

If CHI made the playoffs this year and Toews returned for game 1, people would be equally annoyed.

Kane left just in time for them to beef up at the TDL. They added three players IIRC. Then he returned for the entire POs when he wasn’t supposed to for three rounds.

You act as if they added Kucherov. They didn’t. They always had that player, but didn’t get to use him all season. They added David Savard. That’s it.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Get peevish over WINNING A CUP this way?

Winning. A. Cup.

Yeah, I don't think people are wrong to question this stance of yours at all

Because I don't want to hear forever how the Flames had an unfair advantage and that was the only reason they win, which would probably be true. I want the Flames to win a Cup but in the right way.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I am eager to hear your explanation that illustrates the monumental difference between what TBL did and Calgary's handling of Valimaki's return from injury.

They are not the same. One has to do with keeping a player exempt from the expansion draft, a player that is a decent prospect that might turn out or might not. The other is keeping the best winger in the game out to have a huge advantage at taking a run at the SC.