On Monday night, the Carolina Hurricanes answered a common question from many fans: what happens if you can’t fit under the salary cap? With four players injured (all unrelated to COVID), including late scratch Vincent Trocheck, but none who they were willing to lose for 24 days by shifting to Long-Term Injured Reserve, the ’Canes found themselves in a conundrum. The team had fewer than 18 healthy skaters to ice a full lineup, but also had less cap space available than even a minimum salary contract whom they could recall. As a result, Carolina took the ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets – in front of rookie goalie Alex Nedeljkovic in the second game of a back-to-back no less – with just eleven forwards and six defensemen.
By playing this game short-handed, the Hurricanes have now established that they are in an “emergency” state. Following Monday’s match-up, the team will now be eligible for an emergency roster exception in accordance with the CBA. This will allow them to go over the salary cap moving forward, if need be, to recall a player making less than $1MM AAV. This roster exception can be used until such time that they can get one of the four players healthy or opt to give themselves more flexibility by transferring one or more of the injured players to LTIR.
- In putting together the delayed and shortened 2020-21 season, one of the main objectives of the NHL was to make sure that the 2021-22 season would not be impacted in any way. They formulated the length and scheduling of the current campaign to ensure that next season started on time and ran normally. Well, that plan seems to be somewhat on track. Sportsnet’s Nick Alberga reports that the league is anticipating a start date of Wednesday, October 13 for the 2021-22 regular season. Opening day is typically the first Wednesday in October, but the current plan is to open on the second Wednesday, extending the off-season by one week. All things considered, this is still an ideal result however as the off-season will still be shorter than usual. The postseason is expected to extend into July and free agency is scheduled to open nearly a month late on July 28. One extra week will hopefully allow for off-season transactions to be given a fair amount of latitude, especially as teams deal with the repercussions of the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, and will not rush training camp and the preseason either.
- One of the highlights of the makeshift 2020-21 season structure has been the all-Canadian North Division. The realigned division is only a temporary fix, but the constant battling between Canada’s seven teams, which has been accompanied frequently by high-scoring affairs, has been not only by fans but also by the teams themselves. Players, coaches, executives, and owners of the Canadian clubs are all feeling the increased excitement surrounding their games, even without fans in the building. This begs the question: how can the NHL keep this up? An all-Canadian division does not seem feasible beyond this season, but The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun posits that scheduling could be better implemented to encourage rivalries, like those seen in the North Division this year. Rivalry is the key too; LeBrun notes that the North Division is not the strongest, nor does it contain any of the teams that he sees as the top candidates to win the Stanley Cup this year. Instead, there is simply an excitement about teams from Eastern and Western Canada getting to play each other far more frequently than in a standard campaign. Perhaps the residual effect of the current temporary divisions will be a focus on more regional match-ups moving forward. There will always be an emphasis in the NHL on divisional play as well as on every team facing every other team at least once each year. However, more Canadian clashes, Bible Belt battles, and Northeast fixtures could help to use those extra games in the schedule to maintain some of newfound emphasis on regional rivalries.
Cane’s every year seem to be in a conundrum when it comes to injuries. Last couple of years using Zamboni drivers and equipment managers to play goalie. They are a shipwreck waiting to happen. Time to raise those warning flags!
Back to Hartford, bring Shanahan with them
At least he can’t complain about playing in a shopping mall anymore; the stores are all gone!!
They should have one month of all Canadian games every season.
It’s the tip of the iceberg but if you know me you know my stance on salary cap,divisions,scheduling.
The Canadian division would be so much better if it was even a little competitive. The Leafs and Canadiens already look like they’ll run away with it and they’re more middling than top teams which kind of sucks. Two years from now it could be a blood bath though.
yup. Ottawa will turn the corner soon, and wpg/Calgary/Vancouver could retool quickly if they have a good off season. Or they can continue to be middling…
The Habs are the most legitimate Cup contender from Canada I’ve seen in a while. Maybe since the 04 Flames.
I say that as not the biggest Price fan out there even, but I really like their roster construction.
Having said that, multiple US teams would have to be favored over them.
I don’t think they even make the playoffs if they’re in the central or east divisions
Maybe, good teams will miss. Pens on the edge if Jarry doesn’t stop sucking.
But, as I said, I look at how a team is slotted when judging playoff success. If they have people in the right roles, even if they aren’t the best players, I like their chances.
Either way, I just came back to randomly comment…evidently they brought back the Rangers’ Statue of Liberty jerseys. Best retros, period. NYR should make them the home jerseys and keep the diagonal whites.
I disagree about the Habs they need 1 superstar on that team up front. Price is a great goalie and Weber is a great D man but that forward group is just a collection of really good players but none are legit bonified top line players just yet. Leafs on the other hand have that talent but currently (due to injuries) lack the depth that Montreal has. Will be fun to watch some exciting hockey regardless between the 2 teams this week
Toronto lacks depth due to injury?! So paying your top 4 forwards like they do is suddenly a recipe for solid depth? You must be a homer who loves underperforming leafs. They are an injury or C19 designation away from a massive, unrecoverable slump.
Though, now that I have typed that, I realize that I have to applaud those high priced forwards for being relatively healthy the past few years. Good for toronto
Suzuki is a star in the making. He is definitely a top line player.
jealous much lol
Ya 3 of their top 9 players in Simmonds, Robertson and Thornton all hurt but and no backup goalie. But why is it that I said I want to see both teams play well and get in called a homer, which I sure am but not crazy like other fans. and underperforming leafs? Top team in the league but ya under performing for sure. Also agree with Suzuki kid is gonna be a stud
And I apparently can’t English, oh well
Take the top team in the league this year with a grain of salt.
I’d say by far the North division is the weakest for defensive teams.
I mean what the leafs have 5 wins against Vancouver!!!!
*3
If the leafs were in the east they’d be getting dominated most of the time.
the Habs are NOT nearly as good as they are ranked on power rankings.
What kind of regional rivalry scheduling is the NHL going to learn from this? That they want more Canadiens-Flames games? Familiarity is breeding contempt here, not geographical interest. They could pit the Kraken against the Bruins or Panthers five times in two weeks, then repeat that the following month next season and boom, they might see a rivalry.
The source is that teams want to compete and they have to focus in on just a handful of teams to beat into submission. That gets competitive juices flowing, not geographical proximity. You want to create more passionate rivalries? Keep teams very familiar.
The ‘Canes were short a skater, but Columbus evened things up by benching two skaters and the ‘Canes still lost.