Salary Cap impact on a player who will not report

[TheTakedown]

As far as I know, if a player does not report, he comes off the cap until he is in compliance of his contract.

Now, my question is, could a player legally

- Report on July 1st (free agency day, 1st day of the NHL calendar year)
- Receive his signing bonus
- "Fail" to report to training camp 2 weeks like and be suspended (for however long--in this case, we'll say the entire season)
- Report to the team at end of their season (but prior to June 30th so that he reports to the team during that season)
- Repeat process above on the following July 1st

Seems like one of those "legal cap circumvention" loopholes

 

[powerstuck]

I guess he could do it once...report on July 1st and get his signing bonus check.

Next year on July 1st he could report as well, but I doubt he would walk out the office with another check in hand.

 

[Fugu]

There isn't anywhere to report on July 1. The players have the summer off.

So sure, he could collect a signing bonus and then not report, get suspended, where he doesn't get paid and there is no cap hit until he reports and is reinstated.

I also think he would be contractually liable for the bonus amount (assuming he never reports). The bonus money is considered part of that league year's compensation. He doesn't just get to keep it after withholding his services.

 

[TheTakedown]

I guess he could do it once...report on July 1st and get his signing bonus check.

Next year on July 1st he could report as well, but I doubt he would walk out the office with another check in hand.

I'm saying it would be a way of a team to give a player with high signing bonuses a "buyout" of sorts without actually playing him, and getting cap relief....

If you buy the player out, he does not get any remaining signing bonuses. In this case, I'm referring to Dan Girardi--His buyout cap hit his very high in the final years of his actual contract, but he has a $1M signing bonus for each remaining year of his contract.

Granted its much less than the buyout, but it's a compromise of sorts. It's still cap circumvention obviously.


https://www.capfriendly.com/players/dan-girardi

 

[cheswick]

As far as I know, if a player does not report, he comes off the cap until he is in compliance of his contract.

Now, my question is, could a player legally

- Report on July 1st (free agency day, 1st day of the NHL calendar year)
- Receive his signing bonus
- "Fail" to report to training camp 2 weeks like and be suspended (for however long--in this case, we'll say the entire season)
- Report to the team at end of their season (but prior to June 30th so that he reports to the team during that season)
- Repeat process above on the following July 1st

Seems like one of those "legal cap circumvention" loopholes

How would that be legal cap circumvention. If the team told the player to "not report" so they could suspend him, that would be illegal cap circumvention. If they player himself is the one choosing to not report, how is that in any way cap circumvention. Should also point out that the bonus he received would still count against the cap. Only salary not paid to him while suspended wouldn't count.

 

[mouser]

I'm saying it would be a way of a team to give a player with high signing bonuses a "buyout" of sorts without actually playing him, and getting cap relief....

If you buy the player out, he does not get any remaining signing bonuses. In this case, I'm referring to Dan Girardi--His buyout cap hit his very high in the final years of his actual contract, but he has a $1M signing bonus for each remaining year of his contract.

Granted its much less than the buyout, but it's a compromise of sorts. It's still cap circumvention obviously.


https://www.capfriendly.com/players/dan-girardi

It's actually the opposite--if you buy out a player they get ALL of their remaining signing bonuses. In addition to 2/3rds of their remaining salary.