- Oct 31, 2007
- 40,483
- 46,729
While this is true, they could have just as easily come up with an exception that allowed him to stay on LTIR knowing that was the destination for him anyway. Instead, they'll get to operate without that, which is beneficial. It may not be a big deal compared to whatever BS they will inevitably cook up later this season, but it's not nothing. And when they've been allowed to get away with so much, it invites people to feel bad about what they're doing even at a time they should not.
Admittedly, I don't know the ins and outs of the CBA or NHL contracts, but I feel like it'd open up a MUCH bigger can of worms if teams were allowed to put a player on LTIR without the player being able to meet the requirements needed to qualify for LTIR.
Again, they were getting that contract off the books regardless. Lehner didn't pass a physical, he couldn't be put on LTIR because of that, that's grounds for contract termination. Once that contract is terminated, his cap hit is gone anyway.
The only thing that's changed after that is Vegas deciding that they still want to pay the remainder of his contract and how to accomplish that. That's what the "unique situation" that's being referred to is.