After suggesting earlier this week that the Maple Leafs cheat the system when it comes to utilizing long-term injury reserve, winger Joffrey Lupul released a statement via his Twitter account, announcing that he wouldn’t be seeking a second opinion on his failed physical. He had until Thursday to request one. He added that he still hopes to return to playing one day.
He’s entering the final year of his contract with a cap hit of $5.25MM and Toronto is expected to place Lupul on LTIR once the season gets underway in order to get back into compliance with the salary cap. Even when that happens, the Leafs will still likely be within $1MM of the Upper Limit as things currently stand. Nathan Horton, who also failed his physical and isn’t expected to resume his playing career, was already placed on there back in the summer.
The soon-to-be 34-year-old has played in 701 career NHL games with four different teams, collecting 205 goals and 215 assists. He last suited up in February of 2016 and underwent sports hernia surgery at that time. Assuming he gets the green light to try a comeback for next season, Lupul could be an intriguing candidate for a PTO or a bonus-laden one-year contract next summer.
I rest my case.
How foolish do the people feel that said Toronto was cheating? Manipulating the salary cap? You can rest your case, brother!
They still very easily could be. What did lupul gain from this? The reality is, no one except for lupul and the leafs know if he is fit to play. Maybe he’s to much of a competitor and the emotions got the better of him. Maybe the leafs are compensating him to take the fall.
But as leaf fans, do you really not think they are manipulating the system. The Horton trade was flat out manipulating the system. There is no denying that but I’m not saying it’s s bad thing. When it comes to guys like lupul and robidas though, it just doesn’t seem to add up. They talk about playing, but then all of a sudden can’t?
That’s the hockey player mentality. Playing through injury. Always has been. saying they are fine and getting back out there because of their competitive spirit, but physically it’s too risky. I’d say the doctors were thorough and just determined it was too much of a risk to justify playing, even if Lupul says otherwise.
Lupul certainly comes out of this looking foolish.
How though? What could he possibly gain by saying all this?
I don’t know what he hoped to gain, or if he was just lashing out in frustration. Either way, claiming the Leafs were conspiring to keep him from playing by unfairly failing him on his physical, and yet not seeking a second opinion from an impartial source makes his allegations look very shallow and foolish now.
JD, teams employ a battery of medical specialists to look after the teams investments.I am sure that more than one specialist was involved in this case. I played minor league pro hockey for many years & witnessed many things in all areas of hockey. I signed many contracts & was examined by more doctors that I have ever seen in my life. I am not entirely sure, but seem to remember that Lupul was in this very familiar scenario with another team. There is no cheating & nothing illegal about what Toronto & every other team does in terms of the salary cap. Manipulation,YES, cheating, NO. If a team does find away to cheat it is caught fairly quick & the consequences are steep. Teams employ doctors, trainers & other specialists that are highly trained in sports medicine. In other words, very little, if anything gets by this team of specialists. If you are a huge hockey fan, go online & read up on what Uwe Krupp tried to pull on the Red Wings years ago. Good luck to you brother.