Mark Stone returns to Practice

[Toonage]

Beat Edmonton in the playoffs and all is forgiven. Beat Vancouver in the playoffs and almost all is forgiven.

[Ped]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Whatever you want to say to justify it doesn’t justify it.

I'm not trying to justify it. Personally I think it's BS. I thought it was BS when Chicago did it. I thought it was BS when TB did it. I think it's BS every time the Leafs find a reason to put someone on LTIR and have them disappear.


I just don't think the other GMs aren't doing it because they dislike it. I just think they haven't been in a position to take advantage of it, that's all.

[Roof-Daddy]

Ya don't say.....

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by devo22

I wish the league would clamp down on this stuff and force teams to be cap compliant in the playoffs as well, but it is what it is.

Well... I don't really want that (it would make the TDL kinda boring) but I do want something done so that LTIR isn't a way for a organization to create a super-team for the post-season.

... If you're on LTIR for game 82 then you can't play until round two. Done. Or if you want to be strict about it if you're on LTIR for game 82 you're ineligible for post-season play. This allows teams to bank cap space and make pure upgrades at the TDL, and it allows teams to replace players that are truly out for the year with LTIR, but stops the flagrant gaming of "recovery time" that Vegas is perpetrating.

Whatevs... better chance that we get Vegas's 2025 2nd round pick so that's one upshot here.

[Jiggy_12]

If a player is on LTIR, to be eligible for the 1st round of the playoffs they should have to play at least 1 reg season game. if they don't. then they should be ineligible to return until 2nd round.

[868904]

Just beat the Oilers and the Canucks.

Nothing else matters.

[Parallex]

Looking at Twitter... it's a banner day if you're a Winky face, Undertaker, or Kevin Nash GIF.

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by Parallex

[making the cap count in the playoffs] would make the TDL kinda boring

How? The cap counts at the deadline, and teams still manage to make trades.

[dissentowner]

You knew this was coming. They will pull this crap next year too until the league can change it in the CBA. I said Landeskog would be back for game 1 at the beginning of the year and some posters crapped on me about that, guess who is on target to return game 1?

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Ba'alzamon

How? The cap counts at the deadline, and teams still manage to make trades.

How do you calculate the cap in the post-season? Team can take on 5M-6M without corresponding salary matching because they can basically bank space earlier in the season... but if the season is over then how do you calculate the cap?... do you base it off full season salary? If you do then that 5M-6M player you got at the deadline can't play because they could only get him at the deadline because his hit cap hit for them was only like 1.25M-1.5M.

Just don't let guys on LTIR play (In whole or in part) in the post-season. It closes the loophole and keeps everything else working as intended.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You knew this was coming. They will pull this crap next year too until the league can change it in the CBA. I said Landeskog would be back for game 1 at the beginning of the year and some posters crapped on me about that, guess who is on target to return game 1?

What people crapped on you for was the fact that it was some master plan by Colorado and somehow it was the plan all along.

It was questionable if Landeskog would ever play again and he's missed 2 full regular seasons. If he can come back and contribute in the playoffs that's more impressive than it is frustrating.

For Stone I think last year with the back injury was more questionable and "planned" by the Knights.

This year with a lacerated spleen it was more of a "Happy Coincidence" that once it was clear his recovery timeline would align with the start of the playoffs the Knights made sure to take full advantage of that at the deadline.

So not really "planned" or "faked" by the Knights, but once the opportunity presented itself they were smart to take advantage of it.

[AustinL_NHL]

Without this, the Flames don't get Gavin McKenna in 2026.

Excellent manoeuvring, Vegas

[Saqe]

Mark Stone sees the playoffs around the corner:

[Zary's-Mustache]

I dont understand the conspiracy theories....this is like the 9/11 conspiracies...they make no sense.

He literally had a ruptured spleen. He didn't rupture it himself. He was injured, get over it.

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by Zary's-Mustache

I dont understand the conspiracy theories....this is like the 9/11 conspiracies...they make no sense.

He literally had a ruptured spleen. He didn't rupture it himself. He was injured, get over it.

Yes he was injured, just like he was injured last year. I think it’s the amazing coincidence that both injuries see him healed just ready for day one of he playoffs. Not a day early, not a day or two later. That my friend is one magical injury - again.

[Zary's-Mustache]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You knew this was coming. They will pull this crap next year too until the league can change it in the CBA. I said Landeskog would be back for game 1 at the beginning of the year and some posters crapped on me about that, guess who is on target to return game 1?

So let me get this straight...landeskog missed the entire year as a conspiracy so they can do what?

You actually believe this? The captain would fake a year long injury? These takes are so ridiculous honestly.

If landeskog returns for game 1 he will be playing to help his team win and most likely still injured. Playoffs is where players don't mind playing with an injury. It's literally happened for decades upon decades. You hear players all the time say "if this was the playoffs I'd be playing " there is no grand conspiracy or a "gotcha" moment.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Zary's-Mustache

I dont understand the conspiracy theories....this is like the 9/11 conspiracies...they make no sense.

He literally had a ruptured spleen. He didn't rupture it himself. He was injured, get over it.

Because it's not completely a they are faking an injury or they aren't issue.

Injury can be legit. Timing of return post injury can still be manipulated to allow the team "circumvent the cap" once the injury occurred.

Vegas doesn't have to be faking or intentionally injuring players. But the timing of the return now multiple years in a row starts make it less of a conspiracy that they are manipulating thigs vs. simply bringing a player back when he'd actually be ready.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Whynotnow

Yes he was injured, just like he was injured last year. I think it’s the amazing coincidence that both injuries see him healed just ready for day one of he playoffs. Not a day early, not a day or two later. That my friend is one magical injury - again.

1) Because they plan all the rehab to be ready for late April
2) They come back for the playoffs because it's the playoffs and they are willing to play hurt. So the recovery 'bar' for the playoffs is way lower than for the regular season

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Echoing sentiments of others.. just get the job done and make sure our western rivals don't get anywhere near the finals.

I don't care how you do it lol.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

1) Because they plan all the rehab to be ready for late April
2) They come back for the playoffs because it's the playoffs and they are willing to play hurt. So the recovery 'bar' for the playoffs is way lower than for the regular season

that's very convenient thinking, and you don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to believe it's likely more something like this:

Knights: Hey Mark, you'll likely be ready to come back on Jan 1. But we were thinking:
Knights: How badly do you want to play the reg season, cause if you don't, we can extend that timeline until April 1. Get full cap relief all year, strengthen the team for another run at the cup and get you back ready to play for the games you really care about anyway? Thoughts.
Mark: Sounds good to me.