Report: Daly confirms league has options when it comes to circumvention
Daly
There’s no telling if the league’s third-party investigator will find any wrongdoing or circumvention when it comes to the contracts of Bruins center Marc Savard, or fellow retirement-deal-signers Marian Hossa, Chris Pronger and Roberto Luongo.
All we know is that the league is keeping its options open as far as punishment should there be a need for discipline.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told NHL.com today that there are several tools, as alternatives to de-registration, that the league has at its disposal to punish the Bruins, Blackhawks, Flyers or Canucks should there be proof of circumvention. Lowering a team’s payroll, fining a team or forfeiture of draft picks could also come into play.
“We’re at a different stage now that the contracts have been registered so there is a different procedure that we would have to employ if we ever wanted to do anything with these contracts, and I don’t want to create the perception or expectation that we are,” Daly said when asked about how the deals under investigation compared to the canceled deal Ilya Kovalchuk signed with New Jersey. “It’s just that these contracts continue to be under investigation.”
So those worrying (or hoping) that Marc Savard would be rendered an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of this investigations can rest a little easier. It sounds like the league wouldn’t want to unleash the lunacy that would be four of the top stars in the world becoming free agents just before or during the season. Of course, a salary-cap penalty or the loss of draft picks could be equally damning for the Bruins.
Boy, what would the enthusiasm that comes with the start of a new season be without the NHL tamping down the excitement with a ridiculous investigation?
M Chafe, I agree that there should be more Canadian teams, but is the city of hamilton big enough to support a team? Selling out an arena is one thing, but it is corporate sponsorships that make the leage go around these days. Blue collar fans no longer keep a franchize running. It is the luxury boxes and restaurant revenue that keeps teams afloat. That said, I think the league needs to contract at least 4 teams. Phoenix, one of the FL teams, one of the Cali teams and Atlanta. I am all for re-instating the Nordiques and the Jets thou. I have a soft spot for that Nordique logo, it is just so cool.
Matt is spot on. Those earlier contracts passed scrutiny; the NHL can’t go back and lock the barn door after the horse has escaped.
Well put Matt and this really is postering by the League towards the NHLPA.
If the league took draft picks or implemented a cap penalty and I were any of these teams, I would sue the league. This after the fact judgment is total BS. I would clog this up and make it a nightmare. You want to judge contracts going forward, like Kovy, fine. You cannot, however, go back in time and assess penalties. Bettman was asleep at the wheel on this. In my opinion, he has waived the right to take draft picks and so on. That would be ridiculous.
So…is Gary Bettman the longest serving commissioner? And when the f%$# is he going to go away and put this league back into the hands of a hockey person? He is just a little piss ant lawyer who has forged himself a fifedom at the expense of the fans and players. As a Canadian, it is obvious that he has no interest in the game at all on this side of the border. I am a Bruins fan, always have been, but his refusal to allow teams into areas such as Hamilton, where hockey is God , just speaks to his disdain for pure common sense. Sure, let’s put another team in…California!
Anyway, whenever he leaves (or is forced out…that’s probably what it will take) won’t be a moment too soon.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Matt Kalman, Boston Bruins Buzz. Boston Bruins Buzz said: The Bruins Blog >> Report: Daly confirms league has options when it comes to circumvention http://buzztap.com/-YBFCUe [...]
It would be nice if we could have a league where hockey mattered more than which player with a NTC or a suspiciously good cap hit could occur. Still better than baseball though.
Lots of posturing going on by the league.
I think to deter any other contracts, like those mentioned above, from being negotiated for other players(in Boston’s case Chara and to lesser extent Bergy).
IMO, not much will come of this except a slap on the wrist.