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It’s the Golden Knights’ turn to be suspected of stretching the LTIR elastic band

It had to happen on a day like today…

Sabres owner Terry Pegula accused of racist remarks.

Mike Babcock accused of forcing players to let him look through their cell phone photos.

Women’s field hockey victim of a 1940s-era analyst’s slip.

Now I learn that Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli has mentioned that the Golden Knights may also have been tempted by the lure of Robidas Island.

Remember that?

Last week, I told you about Robidas Island. A not-so-subtle way of hiding cumbersome contracts under the pretext of injuries more serious than they really are. The latest player to possibly fall victim to this tactic is Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray.

Not a very chic story. You’ll agree.

I’m telling you, it’s a weird day in the field hockey world.

So there you have it, it seems that this tactic made its way to the Nevada desert according to the informant, and that the system was used to hide Nolan Patrick’s contract last season.

Patrick, 24, is known, like Matt Murray, for being a constant target for injury. So seeing him on the Knights’ long-term injury list came as no surprise.

We all thought, ‘Nolan’s hurt again. Ah well…”

No one made a big deal of it.

Except that, if we dug deeper, the main player might have been able to play after all, and his $1.2 million contract should have counted towards the club’s coffers.

You’ll tell me that wouldn’t have made much difference. $1.2 million is next to nothing on an NHL team’s payroll.

But that would be forgetting that Vegas needed to use $13.9 million from the LTIR to make ends meet and, ultimately, win the Stanley Cup.

Again, it’s funny (read ironic here) that the NHL isn’t doing anything with this. But then again, Toronto and Vegas are big, high-paying markets for the Bettman Circuit’s coffers.

Reacting would be a bit like shooting yourself in the foot, wouldn’t it?


Gossip

– Big names on the Sabres roster for the Rookie Tournament.

– The numerous scandals in the field hockey world didn’t seem to dampen public interest.

– Nice initiative by the Blue Jays.

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