The very first comment on my story earlier this week regarding injured NHL stars was telling.
“Pierre, do you think that the next ABC will it include the need for teams to be within the salary cap in the playoffs? It’s a shame that the recent miraculous Game 1 playoff comebacks from long-term injuries are starting to have people questioning the legitimacy of injuries (or at least the timing of their returns) on teams that went shopping at the trade deadline,” Athletic subscriber GK wrote.
The issues of long-term injured reserve and the idea of a playoff salary cap have, I believe, been blown out of proportion in recent years, but the topic is very much on the minds of many hockey fans.
It started with Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015. Then, of course, there was the Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning situation in 2021. And then Mark Stone and the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023.
But in the meantime, all sorts of teams have used LTIR around the trade deadline to maximize cap space and such. All-in clubs like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers have been very good and smart at this in recent years.
These are not a few isolated cases. This concerns the entire league.
But to answer GK’s question from above? Yes.
As I reported Thursday on TSN’s “Insider Trading,” the league plans to raise the LTIR playoff salary cap issue with the NHLPA during CBA extension talks, which began this week in New York. As for whether there is a modification of the ABC that can be found, who knows? But at the very least, it is on the agenda for discussions.
As for the solution, it is too early to say what form it might take.
From the NHLPA’s perspective, it’s always been difficult to know exactly what more than 750 players think about this issue, but the point I’ve always landed on is that one would think the players would want as level a playing field as possible come playoff time, as long as teams are competing equally for a Stanley Cup.
Solutions?
Some general managers liked an idea floated last season by Ken Holland, then general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, and Jim Nill, general manager of the Dallas Stars. Nill shared this with me during the March 2024 CEO meetings.
“You should be on the cap for this (playoff) game,” Nill said. “You can add $20 million if you want (via LTIR) for the playoffs, but for this game, your active roster has to be within the cap. That’s how I would do it.
“Because, you know, we don’t know what injuries we’re going to have. We can’t dictate injuries. You can get injured two days before the playoffs start. So if you have an opportunity, if you can add something to your team, you have to do it, that’s your job. But in the cap world, we want fair competition for every game. You just have to be within the cap for one game. If you added $10 million, somebody has to sitting out during a game That’s just my take. Just stick to the cap for a playoff game.
Ironically, Nill and the Stars benefited from LTIR rules this season, allowing them to make a splash at the deadline with injuries to Miro Heiskanen, Tyler Seguin and Nils Lundqvist opening up cap space. But I can assure you that Nill feels the same way today as he did last year when I quoted him saying that.
It’s about finding something that suits everyone. But NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has in the past found solutions like Nill’s suggestion too simplistic for a complicated LTIR system.
Honestly, I’m not sure what an adjustment would look like, and maybe ultimately the NHL and NHLPA won’t find enough common ground.
But at least they’ll talk about it. We’ll see what happens, if anything, from this.
Flyers open to exchange choices
Since Daniel Briere took over as general manager in May 2023, the Philadelphia Flyers have remained steadfast in their overall vision of what it will take to transform the roster and build something with lasting power.
It’s a terrible exercise at times, and last week’s firing of head coach John Tortorella was not fun at all for the Flyers’ young general manager.
But through it all, Brière had a coherent vision of where he wanted to take this thing.
Even after surprisingly flirting with a playoff berth last season, Briere and team president of hockey operations Keith Jones were transparent in communicating to everyone that they weren’t over the pain — not this early in a rebuild that began less than two years ago.
In fact, they said, there’s a good chance the 2024-25 season will be more painful. And after selling more coins before the trade deadline, the pain was definitely even greater.
It’s worth it, said the general manager Athletics in Toronto last week, if they stick to the overall plan.
“Our goal is not to just become a team that makes the playoffs and just sneaks in. We want to be a team that, when the time is right, can eventually become a contender, and that’s what we’re trying to build,” Briere said. “But to get there, you have to endure a little pain. … We believe that ultimately it will help us become a better team.”
Daniel Brière did not expect a quick turnaround from the Flyers. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The Flyers have three first-round picks in next June’s draft: their own, as well as picks acquired from the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche. They also have four second-round picks.
They could also use them in trades.
“We’re going to explore everything we can,” Briere said. “Obviously we’re excited about the picks, but they’re more than just picks, they’re assets. That’s how we look at it. If we have a chance to improve our team faster, we’ll use those picks. It could be to move up in the draft. It could be to acquire a player or something that we need. We did a little bit of that in the Toronto trade with (Nikita) Grebenkin. Him being 21, he is a little more mature, a little more ready to help us as soon as possible. Whereas you recruit a player at 18, sometimes it can take three or four years before he is ready to play.
“So we’re definitely open to exploring all sorts of different ways to start improving our team.”
Would the Flyers be willing to trade one of their first-round picks?
“Yes, absolutely, we are open to different things,” Brière said. “It takes two to tango, and you can’t do it alone. But yes, if there are teams that are interested in doing this type of deal, yes…”
The idea is to try to move the rebuild one phase forward this summer and hopefully add some real pieces. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but that’s the plan. If they can do that, they might be able to challenge for a playoff spot next season.
The fear in any rebuild is getting stuck in a constant building mode and not overcoming the obstacle. How does Brière ensure he never finds himself in this frightening situation?
“You’re a bit at the mercy of the players on that,” he said. “Players will tell you when they’re ready to take that step. And we’ve seen it, we’ve seen guys take steps. We saw a lot of guys take a big step last year. That’s part of the reason we almost made the playoffs last season. But we’re going to need more.
“And the guys realize that. I like the mentality of our kids. They want to be a part of something special down the road. They know they have to put in the time right now.”
(Top photo by Gary Bettman: Elsa/Getty Images)
