[News] Ken Holland says Zetterberg is done playing hockey

[Vox]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Perhaps in the case of a career ending injury, there should be recapture of amounts previously paid over and above the cap hit, over the remaining length of the contract.

In this case, Detroit would be bringing in about $3 million of cap hit per year for next three years.

This is something I think would be great, but I can only imagine the fight put up by the NHLPA.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Why should a team be punished for a player having a career ending injury?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Why should a team be punished for a player having a career ending injury?

The problem is some of these career ending injuries seem to be career ending once that players salary dips or the team needs cap relief. Again, if that is the stance people want to take that is fine but don't complain when Lucic becomes suddenly allergic to hockey gear or cool air or something and sits on LTIR for the duration of his deal and the Oilers get out of his cap.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

The problem is some of these career ending injuries seem to be career ending once that players salary dips or the team needs cap relief. Again, if that is the stance people want to take that is fine but don't complain when Lucic becomes suddenly allergic to hockey gear or cool air or something and sits on LTIR for the duration of his deal and the Oilers get out of his cap.

If it's consistent, what does it really matter? If any team can do it, it's not really unfair, is it?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

If it's consistent, what does it really matter? If any team can do it, it's not really unfair, is it?

So you are saying you are in favour of teams getting out of poor contracts by putting them on LTIR?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

If it's consistent, what does it really matter? If any team can do it, it's not really unfair, is it?

It's unfair because rich teams like the Wings can afford to flush money down the toilet and by paying him most of the money up front and spreading the cap hit over 12 years they got Zetterberg for a lower cap hit when he played because the last three years of him being on LTIR no longer factor in their team salary cap. The Wings don't care that they are paying Zetterberg $5.5 million to sit at home for three years as the cap space is more important. I guarantee insurance isn't paying out the remainder of this deal because they would want to see medical proof that he can't come back in any of the three last seasons.

Look I get that a lot of people like to think the world that good people don't do shady things but how can anyone not look at the fact that these guys are "done" the moment their salary drops in half or more and think it's just coincidence? Obviously the teams that complained to the NHL about Hossa's skin condition have an idea of what's going on because they also know the process inside out. Zetterberg was a great player and I wish him the best in retirement. I don't blame him for doing what other players and teams have done in circumventing the cap. I'm just bummed the Wings got him for all those years at a lower cap hit than he should have had. Same with the Hawks with Hossa and the next teams that will announce one of their best players ever will be too injured to fulfill their contract.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Meh, Zetterberg shouldn't have his legacy tarnished because Hossa had an allergy.

Zetterberg by all accounts was fighting a degenerative back condition since his injury in 2015. It got so bad he couldn't attend practice. Contract or not, salary decrease or not, he's probably still hanging them up as there isn't much he can do, even the doctors agree. However, that should have also been a likely outcome when he signed, as there's a reason you don't see many 40 year olds in the NHL. Allowing those contracts to go until 40 was a mistake in the first place by the NHL.

In retrospect, the NHL should have nipped these in the bud when Kiprusoff signed his obvious cap-circumvention contract and punished the Flames. But they didn't and Sutter opened the flood gates.

Who's all remaining now of these broken contracts?

Crosby, Weber, Suter, Parise?

[Oling_Roachinen]

Keith and Luongo as well.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

So you are saying you are in favour of teams getting out of poor contracts by putting them on LTIR?

If the playing field is even for everyone, sure. It's something that needs to be addressed by a new CBA. It can't really be changed at the moment.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I'm failing to see the distinction between he and Zetterberg. Are you trying to make one or are you just saying E=NG?

The clear distinctions are:

1. Old players age 35+
2. Back diving contracts where real $$ > cap AAV
3. Big market teams who are less concerned with real $$


I don't fault the players or teams for doing it. Unless the contracts were signed since the last CBA, I barely fault the league, either. It's just an annoying situation that is contrary to the spirit of the cap.

Almost any pro-athlete over age 35 (if not 30) could honestly answer questions from a doctor and be ruled unfit to play. The exact same player in the same condition could answer the same questions honestly (but differently) and be ruled fit.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Why should a team be punished for a player having a career ending injury?

How does that punish a team?

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Meh, Zetterberg shouldn't have his legacy tarnished because Hossa had an allergy.

Zetterberg by all accounts was fighting a degenerative back condition since his injury in 2015. It got so bad he couldn't attend practice. Contract or not, salary decrease or not, he's probably still hanging them up as there isn't much he can do, even the doctors agree. However, that should have also been a likely outcome when he signed, as there's a reason you don't see many 40 year olds in the NHL. Allowing those contracts to go until 40 was a mistake in the first place by the NHL.

In retrospect, the NHL should have nipped these in the bud when Kiprusoff signed his obvious cap-circumvention contract and punished the Flames. But they didn't and Sutter opened the flood gates.

Who's all remaining now of these broken contracts?

Crosby, Weber, Suter, Parise?

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Keith and Luongo as well.

I'm sure Dipietro has another 42 years left on his contract.

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by Buff

I'm sure Dipietro has another 42 years left on his contract.

11 apparently if I read this right: https://www.capfriendly.com/players/rick-dipietro

[jessnuts]

Weren’t most of these LTIR contracts signed before the new rule that semi-prevents back diving contracts. So hopefully it won’t be as big of an issue when those contracts have been grandfathered out of the league

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Man some people just love to whine eh?

[Buff]

Originally Posted by CMPunk

11 apparently if I read this right: https://www.capfriendly.com/players/rick-dipietro

Oh, man. I thought is contract had expired a year or two ago. Nope, not really. It was bought out! He still would have had 3 more years left if it wasn't bought out!

I thought I was being funny.

[Svartsengi]

I will miss Zetterberg as he was an amazing player to watch. Very talented and to think he was a 7th round draft pick. Hopefully his back recovers enough for a good quality of life.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Man some people just love to whine eh?

Nice. Thanks for dropping in.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

How does that punish a team?

A $3 million cap penalty is a punishment as it would handicap a team for a player who, through no fault of their own or the team's, can no longer play.

[dammage79]

So whos left from their cup team now? Kronwall and maybe Abdelkader? Detroit had a solid run as a top team in the league. Zetterberg, Datsyuk and the Mule were beasts for them after the Yzerman era.