Daly: GMs express desire to tweak LTIR salary cap rules for playoffs
Published
Many general managers across the National Hockey League have voiced a desire to "tweak" the long term injured reserve rules when it comes to the salary cap and playoffs, deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun on Saturday.
Daly added that the NHL isn't sure they can negotiate any changes on the subject with the NHL Players' Association prior to the end of the current collective bargaining agreement in two years time.
Concerns about LTIR were raised at the beginning of the playoffs when Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone activated just in time to begin the team's first round against the Dallas Stars.
The 6-foot-3 centre had been placed on LTIR each of the last two seasons after back surgery in 2023 and a lacerated spleen this season, only to be activated as soon at the playoffs began.
Having players such as Stone on LTIR to finish the season allowed the Golden Knights to have space to acquire pieces such as forward Ivan Barbashev last season and forward Tomas Hertl and defenceman Noah Hanifin this season.
The practice is not just limited to the Golden Knights as Tampa Bay Lightning star forward Nikita Kucherov missed the entire 2020-21 shortened 56-game season after undergoing hip replacement surgery that off-season and was activated at the beginning of the their playoff run.
As well the Chicago Blackhawks placed superstar winger Patrick Kane on LTIR prior to the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, which allowed them to add three players at the trade deadline.