I wonder how long the NFL would put up with some loophole that allowed one team to circumvent their hard cap to load up on talent before the playoffs to win one Super Bowl and then do it again but even worse the following year. I'd guess this would be resolved in about 3 hours.
Meanwhile, in the joke that is the NHL - each team and the head office has their own set of "capologists" actively monitoring player and team salaries in real time to ensure that players cannot receive even one single penny beyond their 50% slice of the overall pie. And since we don't know how big the pie is until the season is over, we have another army of accountants managing escrow and associated payroll and tax deductions related to escrow.
The hard cap is so essential to the sanctity of the league that several teams have had to dress (and PLAY) zamboni drivers as goaltenders for meaningless games in February but not crucial as to prevent one team from gaining a 20% talent advantage when the championship is being decided. Its madness.
You forgot the sad violins.
I’ll make this easy and say the exact same thing I said when Tampa actually ICED a non-compliant roster - something that to this day, the Golden Knights have not done.
“That’s nuts, and people will take advantage……but it remains until the next CBA.” Until then, it’s
valid, legal and defensible upon providing physician’s documentation backing it up, likely from both team and league medical staff.
The owners, NHLPA and league left this in, and any shortcomings with other teams not using it is up to their discretion.
I didn’t bitch and moan when Tampa actually put 90M on the ice, so I’m not going to now. I’m going to sit back, enjoy the ride, enjoy the Cup that the Knights got
with no asterisks, and let the chips fall as they do up to and beyond the next CBA.
I’d love it if all the consternation, complaining and gloomy takes could get repurposed to the CBA forum where it either actually belongs or might be positively impactful once the “Requiem for a Dream” downer vibes are removed from it.
(Sidenote: this would all be cleaner if all teams had a “load maintenance reserve.” I’d argue why should
any team not have access to that.