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

[FlamesAddiction]

Kucherov was back in full contact practice long before he was taken off IR. It seems likely that they kept him on the IR longer than necessary to circumvent cap issues, but nobody but Tampa and Kucherov know for sure.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I just want to make it very, very clear here.

Anyone cheering for the Canadiens to win this series is cheering for Alex Burrows to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

Just stop and think for a minute. Don’t do anything you can’t live with.

Meh, he's practically the janitor. Doesn't count.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Go Habs! Beat the snot out of Tampa. Bring home the cup.

[MoneyGuy]

Is it cheating if you use the rules to your advantage?

Cheering for the Habs, but Tampa in six.

[Jordan!]

Hope no Canadian team except The Flames win a Cup ever. If you think otherwise you’re a bozo.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Normally I would agree but this is about fair play and the integrity of the game for me at this point. TB manipulated the rules to have a clear advantage over everybody else. Cheating is cheating, F that team. Go Habs.

Meh. They followed the rules as they are written.


LTIR allows you to replace a player's salary and players don't get paid during the playoffs

[Lanny_McDonald]

As much as I want Montreal to take out the cheaters, this is going to be a bloodbath. I just don't see how Montreal can match Tampa. Price is going to have to win the Conn Smythe if the Habs have any chance.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

it would be awesome to see a Canadian team win the cup again.

We hate it when our friends become successful
And if they're northern, that makes it even worse
And if we can destroy them
You bet your life we will destroy them
If we can hurt them
Well, we may as well, it's really laughable

[GirlySports]

Instead of lame wagers of local beer or whatever, Montreal and Tampa mayors should put it all on the line, winner gets custody of the Rays.

[WCW Nitro]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Instead of lame wagers of local beer or whatever, Montreal and Tampa mayors should put it all on the line, winner gets custody of the Rays.

It would be the greatest irony, Montreal getting back a team that spent too little by beating a team that is over the cap.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

And yet he was dazzling teammates at practice two months before the playoffs started. If you believe he couldn't return until the playoffs started I have some tropical beachfront in Greenland to sell you.

Dazzling? He skated. And was “far away from usual”

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/ligh...for-lightning/

He’s not the first guy who came back early from an injury, and it doesn’t sound like it was easy. And Kucherov addressed the Hamilton statement:

https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/t...ss/c-325311210

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Instead of lame wagers of local beer or whatever, Montreal and Tampa mayors should put it all on the line, winner gets custody of the Rays.

As punishment?

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

And yet he was dazzling teammates at practice two months before the playoffs started. If you believe he couldn't return until the playoffs started I have some tropical beachfront in Greenland to sell you.

Everyone knows they circumvented the cap but until the league changes the rules it will continue to happen. Tampa will likely do it again next year.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Everyone knows they circumvented the cap but until the league changes the rules it will continue to happen. Tampa will likely do it again next year.

That's when it gets truly hilarious. "Well, you know, back to back cup runs take their toll, and that Mayfield cross check did a number on his ribs. He played through it but now needs, uh, rib surgery, so he'll be out for 9 months. Also Stamkos."

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

That's when it gets truly hilarious. "Well, you know, back to back cup runs take their toll, and that Mayfield cross check did a number on his ribs. He played through it but now needs, uh, rib surgery, so he'll be out for 9 months. Also Stamkos."

Are you implying he didn’t even need his hip surgery?

[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.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Are you implying he didn’t even need his hip surgery?

No, I'm pretty much in the boat that they kept him out longer than was needed to avoid being over the cap, as I think most people are. It'll just be really funny if they try something similar again.

For the record, I also believe Hossa had problems with his equipment, but I don't believe they just magically appeared at a time most convenient for the Hawks organization.

[hwy19man]

Ducharme should be back behind the bench for game three.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl...date-1.6081949

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

As punishment?

You do realize the Rays are one of the best run teams in baseball right?

[Beatle17]

Everyone realizes that the league has to evaluate the medical recommendation before a player is allowed onto LTIR list right? They also have the say on when a player is ready to be released from LTIR. A team can't just say the guy can't play and is going on injury list.