tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538581476815588047.post4302906735061310886..comments2023-10-15T05:13:49.839-04:00Comments on Offside Sports Law: Kovalchuk: Why NHL's Sanctions Are Suprising; Players Less Likely to De-Fehr Putting Donald At Helm?Eric Macramallahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14322995124306036839noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538581476815588047.post-63945608510784891432010-09-14T14:26:09.933-04:002010-09-14T14:26:09.933-04:00The Devils are just lucky that part of the new agr...The Devils are just lucky that part of the new agreement reached with the league and the NHLPA is that no cap space can be taken away because that would have been a devestating blow for the Devils.<br /><br />I don't think the loss of a 1st round pick is a gigantic deal because they can chose what year to use it up to 2014 and if chosen that year, it wouldn't even hurt the team until at least 2017. And they have the option of making a decision after the Finals, so hypothetically they could win the Cup and a day later give up the 30th pick overall. The Devils could find a weak draft year as well.<br /><br />The $3 million fine, while not big for say the Leafs or Canadiens, is actually quite a lot of money for the Devils. This is a team that hasn't turned a profit in a number of years and was hoping that the Kovalchuk signing would bring in a lot more fans. The $3 million would offset any revenue from a long playoff run.<br /><br />Back to the ruling itself. I definitely believe the Devils took it too far, but this was a case of circumventing the cap just like the Hossa, Luongo, Savard and Pronger deals were. I don't like the idea of the NHL potentially hurting one team with a loss of draft picks when other teams got away scott-free. <br /><br />I do find it amusing that the Devils are getting punished harder than the Patriots when the NFL handed down their fines and loss of draft pick for Spygate.Dannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538581476815588047.post-85368276539123269632010-09-14T13:51:15.008-04:002010-09-14T13:51:15.008-04:00Agreed - there were many upset GMs and owners. Per...Agreed - there were many upset GMs and owners. Perhaps, however, a fine alone would have been sufficient. After all no real harm flowed from this for other teams as the contract was never put in place.Eric Macramallahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14322995124306036839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538581476815588047.post-37070365345908762222010-09-14T13:48:56.201-04:002010-09-14T13:48:56.201-04:00It seems like this was the NHL answering to the an...It seems like this was the NHL answering to the angry mob of other GMs who have been upset with what Lamoriello and the Devils have gotten away with for years (getting out of cap trouble by putting Mogilny on LTIR when he may not have been hurt and trading cap space away in the Malahkov deal without getting anything in return). <br /><br />I don't think Bettman or Daly wanted to fine the Devils this harshly, but so many GMs and executives were public with these deals including a few that carry a lot of pull like Burke and Leonsis. To me, this is a lot of GMS and owners who weren't smart enough to think outside the box. Leonsis has to be upset that he has Ovechkin for a flat contract when he could have been more creative. And Burke complaining is pretty funny after all his questionable actions before trading for Phil Kessel.<br /><br />I thought Greg Wyshynski said it best on a possible appeal: They could appeal to the Board of Governors, which would be like a mouse appealing its death sentence to jury of alley cats.Dannoreply@blogger.com