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NHL complaint targets Golden Knights

 Manuel Sperandio-Lemay
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NHL complaint targets Golden Knights
With the trade deadline just a few days away, Gary Bettman addressed the masses. It was an opportunity for him to send a few messages to fans about the future of his league. He also took the opportunity to subtly slip in some messages to the teams and their managers.

He said, or thereabouts, that the league would be very strict in enforcing the payroll rule and the use of the long-term injured list.

In other words, he warned the top clubs not to attempt to acquire injured players, like Sean Monahan, in the hope that they could be back in action in time for the playoffs. The warning was heeded, and in Monny’s case, he remained a member of the Habs until the very end and beyond, as he signed a one-year contract earlier this morning.

The catch is that some teams had injured players on their roster that allowed them to acquire healthy players. It’s like the same thing, but in reverse. The result is the same, but it sort of thwarts the Commissioner’s warning.

Among these teams, of course, were the Vegas Golden Knights, whose captain, Mark Stone, was missing following surgery on January 31 to repair his back. The surgery was a success and, surprise, he was ready to return to action just in time for the second round of the playoffs.

This addition was instrumental in getting the Edmonton Oilers out of the spring waltz, and subsequently, the waters opened up on their way to the Stanley Cup.

Well, we learn that the Golden Knights have been the target of a complaint to the NHL in connection with this miraculous and timely recovery.

The news has since been confirmed by CBS.

According to the article, the NHL investigated the case and came to the conclusion that Stone’s recovery was not in fact surprising. According to his doctor’s report, the rehabilitation period following his operation had been respected. In other words, he didn’t come back late to allow his team the accounting space to put together a better line-up for the playoffs.

The fact that Stone didn’t join his teammates in the first game of the playoffs made the whole thing far less suspicious than the time the Lightning benefited from the return of Nikita Kucherov.

And we’ll probably never really know if it was all arranged with the views guy. The main parties involved, with Kucherov and Julien BriseBois leading the way, will probably keep the secret for the rest of their lives!

Returning to our story of the day, the NHL has not revealed the identity of the team that made the complaint. However, it’s safe to assume that the Edmonton Oilers are probably behind the attempt.

Nor does the story say what would have happened if the complaint had been founded. The NHL certainly wouldn’t have taken the Cup away from the Golden Knights, but they might have lost a first-round pick or been hit with a payroll penalty. Once again, the NHL would have improvised something on the fly, as they say, because there’s nothing concrete anywhere in the rules.

In any case, this wouldn’t be the first improvisation since the NHL’s inception!


In bursts

– According to information gathered by Eric Engels, the CH would pass over Matveï Michkov if he were available on their draft board.

– After the resignation of the coach of the Saint-Hyacinte Gaulois, Hockey Québec is now looking for someone to retain the referees. Field hockey is sick in Quebec.

– We wish him all the best.

– According to their calculations, the Pittsburgh Penguins would be the best team since the arrival of the salary cap. The CH is ranked 15th.

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