[Trade] SJ trades Hertl (17% retained), 2025 3rd, 2027 3rd to Vegas for 2025 1st, Edstrom

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

For sure. My angle is, I don’t think anyone is sitting there 100% and not dressing. It’s less likely they push it for game 81 or 82, than game 1 of the playoffs.

We’ve already heard first hand that Toronto was in fact doing this.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

We’ve already heard first hand that Toronto was in fact doing this.

I'm pretty convinced that Tampa did that with Kucherov as well. After reporters caught him in full practice weeks before the playoffs, Tampa shut media out of the practices, and of course Kucherov was back the second the cap wasn't a concern. I totally believe that they kept a healthy player on LTIR longer than needed. Jon Cooper even made some comment about him being ready to go at the time, then back tracked and wouldn't answer questions.

The timing of his surgery was also really convenient. They knew he had a hip situation and he could have had surgery months before the season started, but instead they waited right until a time that would allow them to capitalize on LTIR the most, but also have him back in time for the playoffs. It's not cheating because teams and players can decide when it's appropriate to have surgery, but I think they did it strategically to take advantage of the system. There was lots of talk all summer about how Tampa would be able to be cap compliant without making big roster moves but they downplayed it and acted like it didn't matter, then just before cap was going to open, it was a announced Kucherov would need surgery and be out for the regular season. Why was it right at that moment, they opted for surgery, and not sooner? Just seems too convenient to not have been the plan all along.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

It’s just as likely (more likely, in my opinion) that the players rush their recovery to be on the ice for game one.

I think Kucherov was OK sitting out an extra couple weeks (and TBF I wasn't fussed because it was earlier than he was scheduled to return in ordinary recovery periods anyway). But other guys have suggested they were able to play but were held out for cap reasons too.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Whether a player is held out even if they are healthy would not be a concern if the team roster must be cap compliant in the playoffs. Hertl or Stone, but not both.