How to the Golden Knights are Exploiting the NHL

The Vegas Golden Knights have quickly risen to NHL prominence since their 2017 expansion, boasting a .627 win percentage and two Stanley Cup Final appearances. However, controversy surrounds their use of the LTIR loophole, allowing teams to strategically exceed the salary cap during the playoffs by holding players out until postseason play.

[@GamerNation1221]

The argument that "every team can do it" is so brainless. No, they can't. If we take Bettman's word that the NHL is keeping an eye on players on LTIR to make sure they're actually injured then that of course means that teams can't just put healthy/slightly injured players on LTIR willy-nilly, that player would actually have to have a serious injury which is A. difficult and reprehensible to fake and B. begs the question of which players would actually be willing to miss that many games. It would be an even bigger disgrace to the NHL than the cap circumvention that's already taking place. You would also have to convince a player whose cap hit is even worth saving come playoffs, which is going to be good players at minimum and superstars in the most extreme cases; so most likely someone on your top two lines.

[@Spewf]

All my homies hate Vegas

[@Bears23Champs]

Your homies are Ws

[@izmolaitela6684]

love the strippers tho

[@Xerroh]

Like Vegas cares 🤡🤣🤣🤣

[@HughJorgan1]

Great video! I'd heard about the issue but didn't understand exactly how it worked and didn't know there had been other teams besides Vegas who'd done it. I think the teams to use the loophole are very smart. Anything to win.

[@classic.cameras]

Hopefully Dallas beats them in Game 6 this Friday. Everyone but Vegas fans will laugh.

[@hoskins666]

This is the first time I'm cheering for Dallas for anything. Anything to get rid of the Golden Shites

[@classic.cameras]

@@hoskins666 me too

[@johnwhitneykokalis9990]

DONE!

[@donalddeluxe6407]

They beat them in seven.

[@geekyfangirl2951]

The only way to truly fix this is to have a salary cap even in the playoffs (saying this as a Vegas fan I am honestly surprised there isn’t one) I think that is because the salary for each player is for the 82 games and not for going past that because a team won’t always do that, think it may be hard to adjust that now since playoffs are bonuses and not guaranteed player pay.

[@GamerNation1221]

The problem with that is teams absolutely need to maintain a full roster during playoffs (I think the NHL might even require it but I'm not sure), so if you have to recall a guy from the AHL or wherever and you're at 100% cap hit you would be in violation once you go to pay that salary.

[@cmac3530]

The NHL already does a calculation from actual salary paid to AAV (Average Annual Value) for the contracts for the purposes of the Salary Cap. What they're actually paid does not matter. And to solve the problem the other user above me pointed out. It should not be the exact same restriction as the regular season. Roster size and cap hit can not count, that way guys who are injured for a few games won't count against you but, the team you put on the ice for each game SHOULD have to be Cap compliant. So, if for example Vegas was at the Cap limit before Stone was injured and they used all $9.5M in trades, then in order for them to be able to start playing him in the playoffs they would have to sit $9.5M worth of other players. (Technically, probably more than $9.5M if they have to sit more than one player)

[@ShadowWalker-ng1it]

personally I would just enforce a rule that barring injuries the game 82 roster is the playoffs roster. So no activating a player off ltir when the playoff started unless you lose another player.

[@phil7121]

I think Tampa (of all teams) was the only team to vote to change the rule... as a fan, I think it should 100% be fixed so that the cap is enforced through the playoffs the same way it's enforced on the last regular season game, but if the owners don't want it fixed, then I guess they're okay with any team exploiting the crap out of it

[@hoskins666]

The expansion draft is garbage and is only there to make the league easier to expand into new markets and not to promote men's hockey or competition. The Knights stripped the league of depth the same way the Kraken just did again. They wanted a good team in Vegas to promote their disgusting gambling side-business and they got it. Can't stand the Knights or the Kraken

[@devynlich00]

It pisses me off more the fact that the Kraken stole one of my favorite players from my team big rig from the Stars

[@willaf3]

Bettman, told them to lose. If they lose 1st round no one will push internally to change the LTIR policy. Thats my hot take. ( I don't think its fixed. I was joking)

[@prescottgillies7430]

Cool vid and yes i knew My Vegas Golden Knights were not the only Team has Done it the Hawks and Tampa Bay Lightning did the same thing

[@Dre0044]

So why is no one talking about the Leafs being over the salary cap? Lighting were also over the cap this playoffs again, and the Avs are currently over. I don’t think the complaints are actually genuine since people are picking a choosing who to cry about. Maybe the conversation should actually be raising the salary cap considering Hockey players get paid so little compared to baseball, basketball, football etc. all while sacrificing their bodies way more. In the end this also does hurt teams in the long run. Look at Tampa they had to get rid of a lot of players and Vegas is going to have to do the same this next season even with the cap raising to $87.7 million.

[@shinyuta]

half of the teams are currently over (literally 15 teams). And the funny thing is, if we are talking about the players on the ice, VGK never iced a team over the salary cap in the entirety of their cup run. Other teams did.

[@cmac3530]

Because the players Toronto has on LTIR (Which is what allows them to go over the cap) were never going to be coming back in the playoffs to help them. (Muzzin, Murray and Klinberg) With the Lightning that was also thought to be the case until Sergachev made a miraculous recovery.

[@Dre0044]

@@cmac3530 I just think it’s disingenuous to cry about Mark Stone and not a situation like Sergachev equally If people actually care is all. Both injuries were televised. Both injuries were major. Yet we have everyone crying saying Mark Stone’s was fake despite the fact that the NHL actually handles these internally with doctors and investigates them as well. I’m just waiting till next year when a different team does it to see how everyone reacts.

[@kenmammel7748]

Keep it simple. If a player can't play, bench him. The payroll salary amount a team starts the season with should remain exactly the same through to the end of the last game of the Stanley Cup Final.

[@Xerroh]

You know what the sad part is... Your team has been playing hockey your whole life. 🤣🤣🤣

[@3ggh3ad]

dont worry they'll "fix it" as soon as a Canadian team does it to win the cup

[@kenmammel7748]

The LTIR rule makes the 82-game regular season nearly meaningless because teams are allowed to play completely (different) improved teams. Under the current rule, why play a regular season?

[@shinyuta]

fun fact if thats your complaint. VGK never iced a team over the salary cap in the entirety of their cup run. People just complain to complain, and cherry pick which teams they complain about when others are doing more, just playing worse.

[@Elementsoftheory29]

They are following the rules that were written . Instead of giving them SHIT !!! Other teams should be like WHY THE FUCK ARENT WE DOING THAT !!!! Because we have morals ??? ITS A FUCKIN BRO !!! A GAME !!!!! Awesome Vegas was smart enough to spend time and $$$$ to figure this rule out and use it to there advantage ....... your team sucks for not using ever inch to WIN A CUP !!!!!

[@markh4545454]

Look at them now