Ryan Callahan has degenerative back disease and is recommended that he retire

[Claypool]

You know what, he probably could still play now, the issue is his future health after hockey, and making this condition worse.

You could probably say that about any player who's suffered a semi-serious injury. Players that have sustained multiple concussions still lace 'em up today.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Upon hearing this news Ken Holland phoned Callahan's doctor to start treating Lucic immediately.

 

[Leonardo87]

Upon hearing this news Ken Holland phoned Callahan's doctor to start treating Lucic immediately.

Which Dr?

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Which Dr?

 

[Leonardo87]

.

Considering he had more than one tell him the same thing. Was just curious.

 

[dukeofjive]

So is play as been declining the past few years, its been said that hes had back pain and issues for a while, and some gm gave him a long term contract, and where supposed to feel bad cause once again a team benefits from a shitty rule because gms are idiots.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

So is play as been declining the past few years, its been said that hes had back pain and issues for a while, and some gm gave him a long term contract, and where supposed to feel bad cause once again a team benefits from a ****ty rule because gms are idiots.

His play was fine, he couldn't play more than about 10-12 games at a time without significant pain, especially after having labrum surgery twice on his hip. People like you who haven't seen the dude in pain around the building can eat shit.

 

[Rangers ftw]

His play was fine, he couldn't play more than about 10-12 games at a time without significant pain, especially after having labrum surgery twice on his hip. People like you who haven't seen the dude in pain around the building can eat ****.

Problem is that it was no news that Callahan had back issues etc, it was known before the trade. Still that contract was handed out by TB, and argument can be made that they should’ve taken that into consideration. Instead a long contract was signed, keeping down the AAV, and when Callahan broke down, as everyone knew would happen, TB gets away with it. The problem isn’t wether or not Callahan is hurt (which I’m 100% sure he is), the problem is that TB doesn’t have to take any responsibility for handing out an irresponsible contract that was constructed to give them cap advantage.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Problem is that it was no news that Callahan had back issues etc, it was known before the trade. Still that contract was handed out by TB, and argument can be made that they should’ve taken that into consideration. Instead a long contract was signed, keeping down the AAV, and when Callahan broke down, as everyone knew would happen, TB gets away with it. The problem isn’t wether or not Callahan is hurt (which I’m 100% sure he is), the problem is that TB doesn’t have to take any responsibility for handing out an irresponsible contract that was constructed to give them cap advantage.

Well, to be fair they've had a bottom 6er and a pure checker making 5.8M for 4 years now. It's not like Callahan went to LTIR as soon as things got bad.

It's completely possible his contract was standing in the way of a trade for a good player at some point.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

What are you talking about? Callahan’s back issues started a couple of years ago, not 5 or 6 years ago. The torn hip and shoulder set him back sure, but he was still an effective player especially for the playoffs. He just never played up to his contract, a lot of players don’t, but to say it was a irresponsible or horrible contract is over the top. He did a lot of good things in Tampa.

Pal, it's been one of the worst contracts in the league for years.

 

[Dr Quincy]

While I am not going to jump on the "It's a ruse" bandwagon, I don't think the Lightning should get off the hook for the Cap hit. I think the team should be responsible for the Cap whether a player retires or not. Or atleast have some kind of cap penalty in there.

If a team signs a player over 35 to a multiyear contract it does count. The logic there is obvious: It's to deter teams from signing a 37 year old guy to a 8 year contract that averages $2m instead of a 2 year deal for $8m and then having the guy retire and having the cap disappear.

But signing a 30 year old guy to a 6 or 7 year career or something like that? I agree it's sort of unfair that the team gets off, but if you do put in a rule like that the unintended consequences are going to be rough for most UFAs since they don't even get to it until late 20s anyway.

 

[Cassano]

dude shouldve retired 5 yrs ago. hes been done for ages

 

[TT1]

Can Ryan's doc pls come examine Alzner?

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Problem is that it was no news that Callahan had back issues etc, it was known before the trade. Still that contract was handed out by TB, and argument can be made that they should’ve taken that into consideration. Instead a long contract was signed, keeping down the AAV, and when Callahan broke down, as everyone knew would happen, TB gets away with it. The problem isn’t wether or not Callahan is hurt (which I’m 100% sure he is), the problem is that TB doesn’t have to take any responsibility for handing out an irresponsible contract that was constructed to give them cap advantage.

Just because you don't read the news doesn't mean he didn't have back issues.
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/18742808/tampa-bay-ryan-callahan-second-hip-surgery-indefinitely
Lightning's Ryan Callahan has hip surgery, out 5 months
Ryan Callahan undergoes shoulder surgery; out five months

Has nothing to do with any kind of advantages, we're talking about a guy with a f***ing family and kids who will now have problems the rest of his life with his shoulder, hip, and back. Get your head out of your ass.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Problem is that it was no news that Callahan had back issues etc, it was known before the trade. Still that contract was handed out by TB, and argument can be made that they should’ve taken that into consideration. Instead a long contract was signed, keeping down the AAV, and when Callahan broke down, as everyone knew would happen, TB gets away with it. The problem isn’t wether or not Callahan is hurt (which I’m 100% sure he is), the problem is that TB doesn’t have to take any responsibility for handing out an irresponsible contract that was constructed to give them cap advantage.

Well at least he played the majority of it and its not like he has term left. Its one year left at the end of his career. There is definitely a point when a player like him has to say you know what its probably better for me and my family if I just hang them up. It wasnt him said this though, it was a doctor who told him this. Im sure if it were up to him he would still play. That toughness is why we signed him in the first place and while he hasnt been the player he was when we first signed him, he still played a lot of that contract and was paid pretty well for a bottom six player. And he was effective for the most part when he was on the ice. If he had been the one to cut it off I would be in agreement that something fishy would be going on. This is from his doctor though. Suggesting he retire for his own sake is something you cant dismiss when he is the age he is at and has played a good amount of years in the league.

 

[Rangers ftw]

Well at least he played the majority of it and its not like he has term left. Its one year left at the end of his career. There is definitely a point when a player like him has to say you know what its probably better for me and my family if I just hang them up. It wasnt him said this though, it was a doctor who told him this. Im sure if it were up to him he would still play. That toughness is why we signed him in the first place and while he hasnt been the player he was when we first signed him, he still played a lot of that contract and was paid pretty well for a bottom six player. And he was effective for the most part when he was on the ice. If he had been the one to cut it off I would be in agreement that something fishy would be going on. This is from his doctor though. Suggesting he retire for his own sake is something you cant dismiss when he is the age he is at and has played a good amount of years in the league.

I’m not questioning anything regarding Callahan’s health, obvious he’s in pain and that’s why he’s quitting, he’s not the kind of person to fake it or anything. What I’m questioning is whether TB should be off the hook for the remaining cap hit.

 

[RobBrown4PM]

I have degenerative disc disease and there are some days when my lower back locks up and I am unable to move. I have to lay on a flat, hard surface for more than an hour before things start unlocking and I am unable to move, even the slightest of movements while I'm in this state are damn near impossible to bear.

 

[Tawnos]

I’m not questioning anything regarding Callahan’s health, obvious he’s in pain and that’s why he’s quitting, he’s not the kind of person to fake it or anything. What I’m questioning is whether TB should be off the hook for the remaining cap hit.

Why should a team be punished for a player's decision to stop playing?

 

[Blackjack]

Why should a team be punished for a player's decision to stop playing?

That's not a punishment, if a team signs a player to a lengthy term and the end of it doesn't count against the cap, then that team has gotten an unfair advantage over the other teams. How is that hard to understand at all?

 

[Rangers ftw]

Why should a team be punished for a player's decision to stop playing?

The team gains from signing a players long term, it keeps the AAV down. Signing a player that have a injury history and a tough playing style to a long contract that ends at the age of 35 is a a gamble and should have some consequence. To be clear, I’m not insinuating that TB cheated or anything, I don’t think there’s anything shady about this situation. But I think the rules should be changed in the next CBA so maybe that when a player retire for whatever reason after age 33 or something, the remaining contract must be bought out or something.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I’m not questioning anything regarding Callahan’s health, obvious he’s in pain and that’s why he’s quitting, he’s not the kind of person to fake it or anything. What I’m questioning is whether TB should be off the hook for the remaining cap hit.

Well I think from an outside fans perspective its definitely a normal question to ask and I dont blame that. I do think that its hard to predict that a player is going to have something like this happening. If you can then that player will get less money on their upcoming deal. We know Callahan had injury issues before coming to TB but would TB be able to predict that a doctor would tell him to not play in the last year of the deal? As a fan of the Lightning its easy for me to say well they didnt know it would come to this. But I see your point.

 

[Blackjack]

The team gains from signing a players long term, it keeps the AAV down. Signing a player that have a injury history and a tough playing style to a long contract that ends at the age of 35 is a a gamble and should have some consequence. To be clear, I’m not insinuating that TB cheated or anything, I don’t think there’s anything shady about this situation. But I think the rules should be changed in the next CBA so maybe that when a player retire for whatever reason after age 33 or something, the remaining contract must be bought out or something.

To me, the answer is very simple: all one-way contracts should count against the cap according to how much money the team pays the player in that year. No LTIR, no burying contracts in the minors, no AAV. Just count the money as its paid. If a player retires or is injured, whatever money the team continues to pay them on their contract counts against the cap, whatever money the player forfeits does not count against the cap.

The owners won't do this because they want the loopholes.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

all the people saying he was already done/wasnt a valuable player in the lineup this season clearly didnt watch or follow his 18-19 season. especially down the stretch, despite him being made the 13th forward, he played like a middle-6 player again. callahan is a player who put in everything he had into the game of hockey. he suffered hip issues, a torn shoulder, and a bad back while in tampa and still played his ass off every game. he loves the game of hockey, he wouldnt agree to stop playing it to give tampa cap space. if he could, he would play this season and he would play well, but with his back condition doctors tell him not to.

 

[DickSmehlik]

People like you who haven't seen the dude in pain around the building can eat ****.

Who is providing the ****? Asking for a friend.

 

[Djp]

Its a work place injury---he cant be forced to retire...it violates various workplace safety laws.