Can anybody explain to me the logic behind the Chris Pronger trade?

[Regnes]

I mean, why would any team trade for a player they know will never play a single game for them?

 

[Leafidelity]

Because his cap hit is larger than the actual salary they have to pay him.

 

[Never]

To get Arizona to the cap floor.

 

[Romang67]

To save money.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Why did the NHL even approve of the trade?

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

All of the above.

Cap hit of $4.921M, actual money paid $525K.

PS: And you've got a Hall of Famer on your roster...

 

[swflyers93]

All of the above.

Cap hit of $4.921M, actual money paid $525K.

PS: And you've got a Hall of Famer on your roster...

Gets them to the cap floor, which they needed.

 

[deathtouchtrample]

So both teams could circumvent the salary cap.

Though to be fair the league should have taken care of the savard/pronger situations years ago. But in lieu of that, just letting the teams blatantly disregard the spirit if not the letter of the CBA is pretty stupid.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Why did the NHL even approve of the trade?

Why wouldn't it?

Shades of the Tim Thomas trade to the Islanders in February 2013.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Why wouldn't it?

Shades of the Tim Thomas trade to the Islanders in February 2013.

A) Tim Thomas doesn't work for the NHL even in an advisory capacity. B) Tim Thomas was not on LTIR.

 

[Caeldan]

I'm trying to think of an instance of anyone else trading for someone on LTIR... because for one I thought you couldn't trade someone who was injured.

But I feel like the Leafs did it under Burke didn't they? Take on a contract for an injured goalie for the final year of his contract because they had cap space, and got a pick for doing so?

and of course as I go looking this up, reminded of the the Horton trade this year already.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

A) Tim Thomas doesn't work for the NHL even in an advisory capacity. B) Tim Thomas was not on LTIR.

(A) Why would that be an impediment for a trade?

(B) LTIR only applies during the season.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I mean, why would any team trade for a player they know will never play a single game for them?

two fold

1) Helps the flyers sort out their cap problem to a point (they no longer need to wait to put Pronger on LTIR)
2) Arizona closer to the floor

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

I'm trying to think of an instance of anyone else trading for someone on LTIR... because for one I thought you couldn't trade someone who was injured.

But I feel like the Leafs did it under Burke didn't they? Take on a contract for an injured goalie for the final year of his contract because they had cap space, and got a pick for doing so?

You can't buy out a player who's injured, but I don't think it stops you from trading him, as long as the other team is made aware of the injury.

 

[Mr Positive]

They are required to reach the cap floor, so in order to circumvent that without actually having to pay, they can add a dummy contract to meet their requirements.

 

[thestonedkoala]

(A) Why would that be an impediment for a trade?

Conflict of interest. Especially since the NHL has been propping up Arizona for a long, long time.

(B) LTIR only applies during the season.

Thomas, though, could have come back before his contract expired and did. The Islanders traded on a risk that Thomas might not play (and he didn't) for them but he was capable of playing. Pronger has all but retired from the NHL. That would be like trading Yashin's contract to the Coyotes.

 

[Zoidberg Jesus]

So both teams could circumvent the salary cap.

Though to be fair the league should have taken care of the savard/pronger situations years ago. But in lieu of that, just letting the teams blatantly disregard the spirit if not the letter of the CBA is pretty stupid.

Yup. And this sets a precedent for all the teams with back-diving contracts - if one of those players wants to retire, just trade them to a cap floor team and they can sit in the press box to ride out the rest of their contract. There's no longer any threat of cap recapture, so those teams get off scot free.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Yup. And this sets a precedent for all the teams with back-diving contracts - if one of those players wants to retire, just trade them to a cap floor team and they can sit in the press box to ride out the rest of their contract. There's no longer any threat of cap recapture, so those teams get off scot free.

Pronger isn't even sitting in the Press Box. He's working in the NHL Disciplinary Office as an adviser.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Conflict of interest. Especially since the NHL has been propping up Arizona for a long, long time.

Why?

Thomas, though, could have come back before his contract expired and did. The Islanders traded on a risk that Thomas might not play (and he didn't) for them but he was capable of playing. Pronger has all but retired from the NHL. That would be like trading Yashin's contract to the Coyotes.

The Islanders knew that Thomas would not come back and play for them.

Your Yashin example is very bad, as he was no longer the property of the Islanders once he was bought out.

 

[Raym11]

the trade is just circumvention and pretty stupid, i mean the guy hasnt played in so long he got elected into the HOF lol

 

[thestonedkoala]

Why?

Favoritism. This means that any other contract like Luongo's could be traded for cap circumvention. This sets an uncomfortable precedent for the NHL. Are they pulling favors for those that work for them?

The Islanders knew that Thomas would not come back and play for them.

Possibly. They might have tried to re-sign him. But he was capable of playing.

Your Yashin example is very bad, as he was no longer the property of the Islanders once he was bought out.

Technically, his buy out is the property of the Islanders and he would have to go back to them if he came back to the NHL.

 

[Tripod]

They are required to reach the cap floor, so in order to circumvent that without actually having to pay, they can add a dummy contract to meet their requirements.

Or you could say:

They are required to reach the cap floor so traded for a valid NHL contract that helps them do so while not having to spend the actual money. Smart move.

Funny....teams trade for players that have a low cap hit compared to real salary to stay UNDER the cap ceiling, and no one complains.

Pronger...the player....the employee...the HHOF'er. Pronger....the legend!

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Favoritism. This means that any other contract like Luongo's could be traded for cap circumvention. This sets an uncomfortable precedent for the NHL. Are they pulling favors for those that work for them?
(...)

How is that a favor for Pronger?

And about Luongo: if he retires, are not the Canucks due for a cap recapture penalty?

 

[onlyalad]

This is a clever move by the Coyotes.
Pronger helps them get to the cap floor but doesn't count against the ceiling.
This gives them leverage when dealing with RFAs/UFAs.
Players and agents could use this info to try and force the Coyotes to pay them more. You got to reach the floor and my guy is willing to help you by taking an extra mil or two.
This protects the team from signing bad deals.
Now if they don't reach the floor with actual players it is a little sleazy.

 

[Swervin81]

I'm trying to think of an instance of anyone else trading for someone on LTIR... because for one I thought you couldn't trade someone who was injured.

But I feel like the Leafs did it under Burke didn't they? Take on a contract for an injured goalie for the final year of his contract because they had cap space, and got a pick for doing so?

and of course as I go looking this up, reminded of the the Horton trade this year already.

Yes, Olaf Kolzig. We took him off Tampa for a 4th, which we ended up eventually losing as penalty for Frogren's contract. Instead of losing our own pick, we broke even.