Where did you read that? I know the exchange rate has effected escrow amounts for this season already, and I'm fond of trotting it out to counter those "cap is going up, overpaying is ok" arguments, but I really didn't expect it to impact next seasons upper limit so much. If it's true, Flyers are kind of (frank)ed.
- Tomahawk

http://www.cbssports.com/...-below-initial-projection

I don't know that Pitkanen's going to play again -- I read that his heel injury is just like Pat Peake's, which ended his career in the 90s.

Broken heels, for whatever reason, are really difficult to heal properly.
- AllInForFlyers

Fiddler would be a nice and cheaper replacement for Downie. He's an excellent penalty killer, can play all 3 forward positions and has a bit of skill as well

Other then having to account for the player in the off season, a team is not penalized for having a player on LTIR, that will never play again. And they have an off season 10% exemption to cover that.
- MJL

So why not just cut out the rest of the non sense and just let it go? I think well all understand the Cap needs for the NHL and accounting for salary is a major part of it. They can easily account for the salaries of players like Pronger without the smoke and mirrors they're forcing on the teams and players.

It's all about the stupid flexing and pretense that's going on. Let the guys retire with their salaries intact. Account for that against the cap however you want and stop the stupid LTIR for non returning players. It's logical and easily doable.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/24470769/kings-gm-canadian-dollar-will-keep-salary-cap-below-initial-projection
- JAKEw1234

Ouch.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/24470769/kings-gm-canadian-dollar-will-keep-salary-cap-below-initial-projection
- JAKEw1234

Epic. Gravy days of huge yearly growth could finally be over.... strong CAD was masking so many fundamental underlying problems with the league.

Yes, it is -- that's been reported previously.
- AllInForFlyers

I believe that insurance pays around 70%, the Flyers pay the rest.

Fiddler would be a nice and cheaper replacement for Downie. He's an excellent penalty killer, can play all 3 forward positions and has a bit of skill as well
- BiggE

I was kinda hoping they'd give themselves an alternative like that yesterday, someone who's low-maintenance but a bit faster than Adam Hall.

Let's be honest: We're screwed if the Phantoms can't start producing at least fourth-line players. I mean, seriously -- Steve Downie's got some skills, and he's not somebody who a team should just discard for the hell of it. The guy is an NHL player.

But it's disappointing that it appears that nobody on the Phantoms can even challenge for one of these fourth-line jobs well enough to take it.

Just take it out of escrow, like they do for any salary overage now.
- Tomahawk

They would have increase the amount of escrow taken out of players checks. The NHLPA would not go for that.

So why not just cut out the rest of the non sense and just let it go? I think well all understand the Cap needs for the NHL and accounting for salary is a major part of it. They can easily account for the salaries of players like Pronger without the smoke and mirrors they're forcing on the teams and players.

It's all about the stupid flexing and pretense that's going on. Let the guys retire with their salaries intact. Account for that against the cap however you want and stop the stupid LTIR for non returning players. It's logical and easily doable.
- mayorofangrytown

The problem here is the part of it being stupid. It's really not. It makes perfect sense why it's done that way. There is no nonsense invoilved. It's actully pretty simple.

I was kinda hoping they'd give themselves an alternative like that yesterday, someone who's low-maintenance but a bit faster than Adam Hall.

Let's be honest: We're screwed if the Phantoms can't start producing at least fourth-line players. I mean, seriously -- Steve Downie's got some skills, and he's not somebody who a team should just discard for the hell of it. The guy is an NHL player.

But it's disappointing that it appears that nobody on the Phantoms can even challenge for one of these fourth-line jobs well enough to take it.
- AllInForFlyers

I think they hope Cousins could fill a bottom 6 role by 15-16, perhaps Leier as well. I'm really not sure what their long term plan for McGinn is.

Isn't insurance paying for Pronger?
- PhillySportsGuy

Probably.

They would have increase the amount of escrow taken out of players checks. The NHLPA would not go for that.
- MJL

Why would the amount have to change? Whether Pronger is on permaLTIR or just listed under a different column of players share, he would count the same. He would still get paid in full, and his salary would still be replaced by the same amount. Only difference is, Flyers would have more offseason flexibility, and Pronger could have his news conference.

And doesn't escrow change every season depending on projected revenues already?

Star Wars blows.
- mayorofangrytown

Doing a bit of back reading so excuse how delayed this is but..

There must be an election coming up because you are living up to your handle today

No, you're penalized because the player can't retire -- that's what we've been saying.

Marc Savard can't retire and collect his salary -- and his career was ended. Same with Pronger.

Nobody wants LTIR to be abused with "back injuries." But catastrophic injuries are different, and LTIR shouldn't be used for players whose careers are medically determined to be over -- they can't even get clearance to play.
- AllInForFlyers

No team is penalized because a player hasn't retired. And the player can retire anytime he chooses to.
Every player who is placed on LTIR, whether it is a career ending injury or not, is not cleared to play. It is an injured list. LTIR has to be used for all players with long term injuries.

They would have increase the amount of escrow taken out of players checks. The NHLPA would not go for that.
- MJL

So its not possible is what you're saying? Pronger will be on LTIR because the league is incapable of finding a way to deal with the money?

They have several intelligent people working for the NHL. I imagine there is some way to fix this situation instead of going through this charade every season. It sure would be nice to enter the season without having to send players down to sign in with the phantoms then bring them back up once the season starts.

Meanwhile, a hall of fame player checks in for his yearly physical instead of being able to retire gracefully.

Why would the amount have to change? Whether Pronger is on permaLTIR or just listed under a different column of players share, he would count the same. He would still get paid in full, and his salary would still be replaced by the same amount. Only difference is, Flyers would have more offseason flexibility, and Pronger could have his news conference.

And doesn't escrow change every season depending on projected revenues already?
- Tomahawk

I'm not sure how exactly how much escrow is taking out of the players salary is calculated. But we're talking about millions of dollars here. Pronger's salary is 7M. The escrow amount would have ot be increased. Players won't go for that. Players want to be paid, not pay for other players. Escrow is players money. Not owners money.

I think they hope Cousins could fill a bottom 6 role by 15-16, perhaps Leier as well. I'm really not sure what their long term plan for McGinn is.
- BiggE

True -- and really, no organization is perfect. Developing a steady pipeline of prospects...if it was easy, everybody would do it.

But it would be nice for some of these guys on the Phantoms to earn looks with the team, so the Flyers don't always have to spend that little bit extra on free agents. Hell, we're seeing it now -- the Cap's going to be a little bit tighter, which means that you need some low-cost alternatives who are actually viable.

So its not possible is what you're saying? Pronger will be on LTIR because the league is incapable of finding a way to deal with the money?

They have several intelligent people working for the NHL. I imagine there is some way to fix this situation instead of going through this charade every season. It sure would be nice to enter the season without having to send players down to sign in with the phantoms then bring them back up once the season starts.

Meanwhile, a hall of fame player checks in for his yearly physical instead of being able to retire gracefully.
- PhillySportsGuy

It doesn't need to be fixed. That is the whole point. It works exactly how it is supposed to work. And it makes perfect sense in a Cap environment. Hate the cap all you want, but that's what it is all about. Limiting player spending, and insuring the HRR is split evenly.
Just because the fans don't like it, doesn't mean it doesn't work correctly with what it's designed to do.

No team is penalized because a player hasn't retired. And the player can retire anytime he chooses to.
Every player who is placed on LTIR, whether it is a career ending injury or not, is not cleared to play. It is an injured list. LTIR has to be used for all players with long term injuries.
- MJL

Seriously?

OK: Yes. You are correct: Chris Pronger can retire at anytime. Nothing's stopping Chris Pronger from actually retiring.

But. In reality.

Chris Pronger can't retire. Because he won't collect his full salary that is due him. And you already know this, so why even make me say it?

I'm not sure how exactly how much escrow is taking out of the players salary is calculated. But we're talking about millions of dollars here. Pronger's salary is 7M. The escrow amount would have ot be increased. Players won't go for that. Players want to be paid, not pay for other players. Escrow is players money. Not owners money.
- MJL

It's just a mechanism to ensure the 50/50 split, mostly to absorb LTIR replacement salary and bonus overages.

I think the % escrow is pegged to level of expected revenue.

The problem here is the part of it being stupid. It's really not. It makes perfect sense why it's done that way. There is no nonsense invoilved. It's actully pretty simple.
- MJL

No it's stupid and it's about as complex as they could possibly make it.

We should just force Bettman to fight in the kumite. That would solve a lot.

I'm not sure how exactly how much escrow is taking out of the players salary is calculated. But we're talking about millions of dollars here. Pronger's salary is 7M. The escrow amount would have ot be increased. Players won't go for that. Players want to be paid, not pay for other players. Escrow is players money. Not owners money.
- MJL

Prongers salary next year is 4million it then drops to 550k for the last 2 years. 4 million is about 133k per team and 550k is less than 20k per team. I don't see how those numbers significantly impact escrow on a league wide basis.

So here's what I threw together in 4 seconds:

Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Claude Giroux ($8.275m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m) / Vincent Lecavalier ($4.500m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Michael Raffl ($1.500m) / Sean Couturier ($1.750m) / Matt Read ($3.625m)
Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m) /
Brayden Schenn ($3.000m) /
Scott Laughton ($0.894m) /

DEFENSEMEN
Mark Streit ($5.250m) / Chris Pronger ($4.941m)
Braydon Coburn ($4.500m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m) / Erik Gustafsson ($1.000m)
Andrew MacDonald ($5.000m) /

GOALTENDERS
Steve Mason ($4.100m)

SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $69,835,595; CAP SPACE (20-man roster): $1,264,405

So, this is with Grossmann under contract, and Pronger NOT LTIR'd

I feel like it could be a possibility that Kimmo comes back at about 5 mil ALONG WITH MacDonald.

Another possibility is they go out and drop 5.5+ on Niskanen.

Either way, that's an extra 10ish mil, whether we see a back end with Kimmo and AMac or Nisk and AMac. LTIRing Pronger gives us about 5 mil back, and trading Grossmann gives us back another 3.5. At that point, the team is about 2 mil over the cap.

Something's gonna have to give. Does Homer keep the D as it is right now?

It's just a mechanism to ensure the 50/50 split, mostly to absorb LTIR replacement salary and bonus overages.

I think the % escrow is pegged to level of expected revenue.
- Tomahawk

I think it is also. Like I said, I don't know the exact formula in determing how much salary to withhold.