The NHL has a BIG problem (Cap Circumvention via LTIR)

[M88K]

Simply put, Cap Circumvention via LTIR

Teams like Tampa Bay and Toronto are using LTIR to bolster their rosters for the playoffs.

Kucherov being out the entire season, giving the Lightning $10.5M in extra cap relief throughout the season. But as soon as the playoffs come around, he can be activated off LTIR without a hiccup and Tampa will be playing in the playoffs with a roster that could have a cap hit north of $95M.

Toronto acquired Riley Nash from Columbus and it won’t count for a cent on their cap since he’s on LTIR and won’t be activated until the playoffs where there is no salary cap.

The Salary cap was created to give smaller market teams a fighting chance against the larger spending, big markets of the NHL. But with this LTIR loophole, it allows teams like Toronto and Tampa Bay extra cap space since in the playoffs, there is no salary cap.


There is a simple solution to this problem, have a salary cap in the playoffs. it would completely negate this loophole.

Your premise is wrong the cap exists for the owners to have cost certainty, not to give small markets a fighting chance. Tb is a small market for hockey

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

It amazes me that people who are arguing for the cap to count for the playoffs have no clue how that would kill any trade deadline deals. It's extremely common for teams to have a playoff roster that's not cap compliant.

Has your team ever picked up a player at the trade deadline? Chances are they used accumulated cap space which means your playoff roster doesn't fit under the cap.

 

[ItalianLeaf]

Every team will utilize this method so who gives a shite?

It may be leafs and tampa this year, next year it may be vegas or the bruins.. and eventually one day, seattle will too. Blackhawks did it so again... who gives a shite?

 

[supsens]

It amazes me that people who are arguing for the cap to count for the playoffs have no clue how that would kill any trade deadline deals. It's extremely common for teams to have a playoff roster that's not cap compliant.

Has your team ever picked up a player at the trade deadline? Chances are they used accumulated cap space which means your playoff roster doesn't fit under the cap.

It’s easy to fix if a guy didn’t play for you last year and he didn’t play for you this year in the regular season and he isn’t signed next year he cannot play in the playoffs unless he was on the roster at the beginning of the year. Or something close to that

 

[Il Stugotz]

I don’t give a shit when teams find loopholes in the salary gap, and I’d be pissed if my team weren’t trying exploit all of them

 

[TopChedder]

Simply put, Cap Circumvention via LTIR

Teams like Tampa Bay and Toronto are using LTIR to bolster their rosters for the playoffs.

Kucherov being out the entire season, giving the Lightning $10.5M in extra cap relief throughout the season. But as soon as the playoffs come around, he can be activated off LTIR without a hiccup and Tampa will be playing in the playoffs with a roster that could have a cap hit north of $95M.

Toronto acquired Riley Nash from Columbus and it won’t count for a cent on their cap since he’s on LTIR and won’t be activated until the playoffs where there is no salary cap.

The Salary cap was created to give smaller market teams a fighting chance against the larger spending, big markets of the NHL. But with this LTIR loophole, it allows teams like Toronto and Tampa Bay extra cap space since in the playoffs, there is no salary cap.


There is a simple solution to this problem, have a salary cap in the playoffs. it would completely negate this loophole.

No leave it.

THE ENTIRE NHL is setup to benefit smaller markets, especially with parity, revenue sharing, and a hard cap.

Just leave the rest the hell alone.

 

[TopChedder]

I don’t give a shit when teams find loopholes in the salary gap, and I’d be pissed if my team weren’t trying exploit all of them

Yep

 

[ClydeLee]

The Lightning placed their player on LTIR in January. It only became a serious issue yesterday for some reason.

What? People have been complaining about this since December seeing how this would be an easy boost for Tampa.

And the guys other point, people constantly complain about how the Blackhawks "cheated" the cap with that and front loaded deals

 

[Leaf Fans]

What? People have been complaining about this since December seeing how this would be an easy boost for Tampa.

And the guys other point, people constantly complain about how the Blackhawks "cheated" the cap with that and front loaded deals

Granted it has been mentioned by some. It was mentioned in 2015, but it wasn't thread worthy or " a big problem"

 

[ranold26]

When insurance premiums rise and/or the leagues/clubs can't find insurance companies to cover said injuries....that's when this stuff stops.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Get rid of the cap. Problem solved.

 

[ricky0034]

All teams can use this "loop hole". TB is the 21st most valuable team according to Forbes with a 470 million dollar valuation.

yeah it's silly that it works that way but Tampa is hardly some financial powerhouse

 

[King'sPawn]

You are aware there are other leagues without hard caps, right? This doesn't happen

You are aware Holik signed a UFA contract for $9 million/year, right?

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

All teams can use this "loop hole". TB is the 21st most valuable team according to Forbes with a 470 million dollar valuation.

Joffery "Lupule" ?

 

[Martin Skoula]

You are aware Holik signed a UFA contract for $9 million/year, right?

Eriksson and Clarkson had several years of 7 and 8 million in cash paid out, nothing has changed.

 

[Machinehead]

You are aware Holik signed a UFA contract for $9 million/year, right?

Yes, back when there were absolutely no rules whatsoever.

Who's advocating for that?

 

[ACLEVERNAME]

If you're not cheating you're not trying. That being said, a lot of teams are cheating.

Own up to it at least.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Nobody cares when a big market team like Chicago does it for their big cup run back in the day but Tampa does it and it's gotta change this!!!

 

[ClydeLee]

Nobody cares when a big market team like Chicago does it for their big cup run back in the day but Tampa does it and it's gotta change this!!!

This nonsense makes no sense when people on here complained just as much

 

[redgrant]

Don't leave a loophole and get mad that GMs take advantage of it.

I remember when Ken Holland use to backend contracts massively when the cap first came out. They had to change that rule. They had to change the contract length rule because of stupid 15 year contracts to guys like dipietro.

If other clubs are unhappy tie up this loop hole.

 

[Bizzare]

A bigger problem is the salary cap. We are not communists.

Did you have the same stance when the Leafs were racking up the top 5 picks?

 

[Stephen]

While we're at it, let's cancel the cap recapture amnesty the NHL gave to Nashville out of mercy for matching the Philadelphia offer sheet back in back 2012 so they have to blow up their whole organization in 2026. And let's punish Philadelphia for authoring that contract. And then see what we can do to punish Vancouver for their big Luongo contract, and see if we can cancel some of those Chicago Stanley Cups for the deal they got on that cheater Keith contract.

In all seriousness, the cap needs to have more flexibility. The idea of punishing management teams for 'bad management' only really gets passed onto fanbases.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Did you have the same stance when the Leafs were racking up the top 5 picks?

You mean Marner and Matthews right? Of course I had the same opinion. Why would my opinion change?

 

[Chimpradamus]

Again, the simple solution to not be bothered by "ref" game management, fined coaches who call them out for not being actual refs, the arbitrary board of player discipline, poach drafting, the loser point, the salary cap, loopholes and all other artificial, weird things is to simply acknowledge and accept that the NHL is an entertainment industry and not a sports league. It wants to give the image of being a real, competitive sports league, but it's not. It's an entertainment franchise (not a sports club) that sells their entertainment product in the form of hockey.

When you accept this, all the numerous, weird things that don't belong in an actual sports league will be easier to handle mentally as a viewer. It's the same with all the others; NFL, MLB, MLS, NBA, they're entertainment industries.

 

[Armourboy]

LTIR serves a purpose and it should allow you to replace someone that is injured long term and will be unable to play.

My only real issue with it is that it allows you to get that replacement and then pop out the original player on the backend. You are essentially get two for the price of one.

How I would change it is to tie it into the trade deadline. Basically for the LTIR player to be available for the playoffs he should need to be on the active roster on deadline day.

This simple change would allow a team to still replace a player and still be active at the trade deadline but not be able to double dip by having the replacement and the original player.

It has nothing to do with small markets or large markets and everything to do with teams not being able to hold a high skill player, replace them with another high skill player and then have both for the same money.