we traded a valid NHL contract the Kings make up some poop to smear Richard's reputation and pulled a classless move on him
why haven't the hawks terminated Kane's contract HMM HMMM????
- 2Real

If it was an active Flyers player why was he hired by the NHL

Wrong. Edmonton wanted MR at the draft before his mishap at the border.
- KINGS67

Sure, and EDM were getting significant attachments in picks/prospects to take Richards because he is a complete liability.

we traded a valid NHL contract the Kings make up some poop to smear Richard's reputation and pulled a classless move on him
why haven't the hawks terminated Kane's contract HMM HMMM????
- 2Real

Because Kane has value, MR doesn't with LA.

wonder if its bonus heavy?
- DDM-Coga

Ehrhoff is not eligible for bonuses in his contract.

This is a nice signing - low risk - some reward -hopefully he can stay relatively healthy - His style will fit nicely as the Kings play such a stingy D game - interesting to see who his partner will be - overall nice move -

hmmm, was that confirmed or just speculated? I thought it wasn't confirmed
- DDM-Coga

Yes, Rich Hammond said it in an article a few months back about the options available to the Kings for Mike Richards, prior to the whole termination fiasco.

Because Kane has value, MR doesn't with LA.
- KINGS67

Every player has value. It's not Richard's fault Lombardi and crew did a horrible job of managing him.

If it was an active Flyers player why was he hired by the NHL
- VANTEL

haven't you heard of player coaches before?

Wrong. Edmonton wanted MR at the draft before his mishap at the border.
- KINGS67

I don't know that I would say that the Oilers wanted Mike Richards. The Oilers wanted the add-ins that they could get by taking Mike Richards from the Kings. "They wanted to trade for MR" would probably be more accurate.

You people worry too much about what the Kings and Richards are doing. This poop will get handled one way or another. Whether his termination is upheld or not. My god you people are so sensitive

Every player has value. It's not Richard's fault Lombardi and crew did a horrible job of managing him.
- 2Real

Not with LA he doesn't, which is what I said.

Solid.

Very impressive move by the Kings.

Not with LA he doesn't, which is what I said.
- KINGS67

Mike Richards gave his life and body to the LA Kings to win cups and this is how they repay him. That knowledge of how to win has no value to the Kings. Wow I guess they don't value winning much. Can't wait to see Jones shut up the King every game this season.

haven't you heard of player coaches before?
- 2Real

Player coaches don't hand out fines and suspensions to entire player association

Player coaches don't hand out fines and suspensions to entire player association
- VANTEL

can't find anywhere where he solely made a decision to fine/suspend a player

Mike Richards gave his life and body to the LA Kings to win cups and this is how they repay him. That knowledge of how to win has no value to the Kings. Wow I guess they don't value winning much. Can't wait to see Jones shut up the King every game this season.
- 2Real

The Kings repaid Richards by giving him another chance and not using a compliance buyout on him last off-season, a choice that pretty much everyone bashes with their hindsight goggles. Richards abused that chance, and as Lombardi said in his pre-termination interview, "In a cap world, you can't have any heart and soul." So when DL was presented with the border-incident news a few weeks later, he checked his heart and soul at the curb and terminated Richards' contract.

Mike Richards gave his life and body to the LA Kings to win cups and this is how they repay him. That knowledge of how to win has no value to the Kings. Wow I guess they don't value winning much. Can't wait to see Jones shut up the King every game this season.
- 2Real

You aren't the brightest in your family are you?

The Kings repaid Richards by giving him another chance and not using a compliance buyout on him last off-season, a choice that pretty much everyone bashes with their hindsight goggles. Richards abused that chance, and as Lombardi said in his pre-termination interview, "In a cap world, you can't have any heart and soul." So when DL was presented with the border-incident news a few weeks later, he checked his heart and soul at the curb and terminated Richards' contract.
- tkecanuck341

Plenty of people thought the Kings would regret not using that compliance buyout on Richards when it happened.

Plenty of people thought the Kings would regret not using that compliance buyout on Richards when it happened.
- jfkst1

Kings fans knew it wasn't going to be good.

Don't need someone telling us that. Sorry.

Kings fans knew it wasn't going to be good.

Don't need someone telling us that. Sorry.
- KINGS67

Good example of why a GM needs to be heartless when dealing with player decisions, and why they have to forget about the past, and focus on what can you do for me now.

Good example of why a GM needs to be heartless when dealing with player decisions, and why they have to forget about the past, and focus on what can you do for me now.
- MJL

Yeah.

Most people learn from their mistakes I think DL will use a compliance buyout on any ? Guys from here on out.

can't find anywhere where he solely made a decision to fine/suspend a player
- 2Real

If Pronger had gone on to work in a coaching or administrative role with the Flyers, then I think less people would have a problem with it. However, he went on to take a position (with different compensation) with a different organization, while still under contract with the team. He has also been been selected to enter the Hall of Fame, an honor normally reserved for players that are two-years retired. If he has indeed retired, the contractually correct thing to do would be to make his retirement official, which would mean that the Flyers (and now the Coyotes) would no longer benefit from LTIR relief for his contract, and would have to keep the entirety of his $4.9M cap hit on the books.

I don't fault the Flyers for what is an obvious case of cap circumvention. Of course they are going to do everything in their power to ice the best possible team, which includes getting cap relief for a player that doesn't deserve it. The fault here lies with the league, who is allowing it.

If you look at the situation from all parties' perspectives though, who is going to challenge it? The players association certainly isn't going to because their player is getting paid out his full contract, despite actually being retired. The Flyers aren't going to contest it because they are getting their cap relief, and other NHL owners aren't going to contest it, because they want to have a precedent for cap relief the next time that there is a circumvention issue, this time affecting their team. I wouldn't be surprised if Bettman got all the owners in a room and essentially said, "How do you guys want me to handle this?", and they all agreed to let Pronger live out the remainder of his contract on LTIR.

However, the "player coach" argument is a pretty awful one. Try harder next time.

Yeah.

Most people learn from their mistakes I think DL will use a compliance buyout on any ? Guys from here on out.
- KINGS67

There are no more compliance buyouts available to any team under the current CBA. They can exercise a regular buyout if they choose to on a player.

If Pronger had gone on to work in a coaching or administrative role with the Flyers, then I think less people would have a problem with it. However, he went on to take a position (with different compensation) with a different organization, while still under contract with the team. He has also been been selected to enter the Hall of Fame, an honor normally reserved for players that are two-years retired. If he has indeed retired, the contractually correct thing to do would be to make his retirement official, which would mean that the Flyers (and now the Coyotes) would no longer benefit from LTIR relief for his contract, and would have to keep the entirety of his $4.9M cap hit on the books.


- tkecanuck341

I personally felt there was a conflict of interest there. How can a player who is still a member of the NHLPA, and still being represented by the NHLPA, be involved in working with the NHL, and disciplining players? The NHLPA didn't seem to have an issue with it though.

I don't fault the Flyers for what is an obvious case of cap circumvention. Of course they are going to do everything in their power to ice the best possible team, which includes getting cap relief for a player that doesn't deserve it. The fault here lies with the league, who is allowing it.


- tkecanuck341

You'll have to explain how it is an obvious case of cap circumvention. The Flyers received the LTIR exemption for Pronger, when he was a Flyer, due to a legitimate injury. They traded Pronger, with the approval of the NHL to Arizona. There is no rule in the CBA preventing a team from trading an injured player. So how did the player not deserve it? It was all legitimate.

If you look at the situation from all parties' perspectives though, who is going to challenge it? The players association certainly isn't going to because their player is getting paid out his full contract, despite actually being retired. The Flyers aren't going to contest it because they are getting their cap relief, and other NHL owners aren't going to contest it, because they want to have a precedent for cap relief the next time that there is a circumvention issue, this time affecting their team. I wouldn't be surprised if Bettman got all the owners in a room and essentially said, "How do you guys want me to handle this?", and they all agreed to let Pronger live out the remainder of his contract on LTIR.


- tkecanuck341

You're incorrect here. Pronger is not actually retired. Retiring is a formal process by which a player follows a process and officially retires. That has not happened with Pronger

Why would a player with a legitimate injury, be kept from "living" out the remainder of his contract on LTIR. The owners have nothing to do with it. It is in the agreed upon and negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement between two parties.

However, the "player coach" argument is a pretty awful one. Try harder next time.
- tkecanuck341

Agreed, it was stupid.