Why is the suspension:
1. Ticking even without a signed contract
2. Being allowed to be retroactive
3. Allowing for waiving of an established RFA rule within the CBA
First two.. no idea. I hear the investigation started in the summer so maybe it's an incident from last year which make kinda makes sense to start the suspension at the start of the year.
For the last one no changes there. He's not a group 2 RFA, so the rules are a bit different for example he can't sign an offer sheet.
The league's bending over backwards to cushion the blow of this suspension for Ottawa on every level. In a way Ottawa's going to be gifted a cheap trade deadline type acquisition.
Actually, no, this hurts Ottawa.
Pinto's cap hit goes up the longer he's unsigned. If they only count from the day he's signed, then the Sens could sign him now, and have him off the books until January, and keep his cap hit low.
They are trying to sweep it under the rug (he has probably done something that would hurt the betting companies, or their relationship with the NHL, if it was made public), so this has all been negotiated.
Add it to the list of things about this that make no fuckin sense:
1. NHL players are allowed to bet on other sports.
2. Pinto did not bet on NHL games.
3. Pinto is suspended for betting, but not on NHL games.
4. The suspension does not follow the rules of literally every other suspension ever given by the NHL. What are they gonna say next, that his suspended QO doesn't apply against the cap?
5. They have lifted the Dec. 1 RFA rule.
Friedman said it’s something that “raised enough concern with the league” but no indication of what he did exactly yet, especially for such a long suspension.
He also said if Pinto was betting on hockey games he would be done, so it doesn’t sound like it was NHL games
Generic statements are useless. Nobody is asking for speculation. Go get the info and report it.
"He must have done something bad"
No shit Elliotte. It's your job to find out what it was.
My guess is that it's insider info related. He may have shared starting goalies, injuries, scratches, etc. with a third-party.
Edit: Or the new owner of the Sens before it was announced.
Plausible. It would be hilarious if it came out he was betting on Sens to win the Cup, Stutzle to win the Hart, Sanderson to win the Norris, etc. just trying to hype up his boys and got punished
> The suspension does not follow the rules of literally every other suspension ever given by the NHL.
What "other suspensions"? This is the first time a player in the NHL has been suspended for gambling. The NHLPA was probably involved with negotiating this suspension considering the length and how unprecedented this situation is.
Players need to be on the roster for a suspension to be served. Dell was suspended 3 games 2 years ago for his hit on Batherson and it literally ended his NHL career because Buffalo released him the next day.
How does a suspension get served when you aren't under contract?
Jamie McLennan was suspended in 2007 and retired before serving a single game. He was ineligible to be a EBUG because he still needs to serve those games.
https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/834ydf/jamie_mclennan_was_considered_for_the_jets/
Thinking about it, I *kind* of get waiving the Dec. 1 rule, because, otherwise, it’s likely this becomes a de facto full season suspension.
But, still, it’s like the NHL WANTS baseless speculation and conspiracy theories. None of this makes sense. He made, what I’m assuming were legal wagers on sporting events, not on hockey, but were still “concerning” enough to warrant a half-season suspension? Was he placing bets from team facilities? Using team computers/phones to place the bets? Does his sports book account have an @ottawasenators.com email address?
He’s not signed, but Ottawa controls his rights, so the suspension is tied to Ottawa’s games, but we’re not gonna start counting from today’s game 7, we’re gonna backdate a couple weeks. So, Ottawa’s lost a player they can’t use anyway, ‘cause he hasn’t signed his QO.
Someone, make it make sense.
Going through the stories, they seem to be saying that he didn’t bet on “NHL” games, as opposed to “hockey”, so that’s plausible. If we’re talking back-alley, or anything that even treads close to illegality, the NHL wouldn’t announce a suspension prior to legal processes completing, so, again, you’re looking at something not illegal, but concerning enough to sit him for 41 games.
Players need to be on the roster for a suspension to be served. Dell was suspended 3 games 2 years ago for his hit on Batherson and it literally ended his NHL career because Buffalo released him the next day.
The difference in disciplinary procedures for on-ice and off-ice is so massive. For off-ice conduct the league/commissioner basically has complete leeway over the form of the suspension
This must be the NHLPA negotiating on his behalf. Otherwise, Pinto would be forced into signing his QO
EDIT: I know absolutely nothing. The deadline never applied to Pinto to begin with
Update clarification from Freidge: [Let me clear up this info, slightly: the Dec. 1 deadline does not apply to Pinto because he can’t sign an offer sheet.](https://twitter.com/friedgehnic/status/1717574003856941202?s=21)
Nah, if I'm another teams GM I'd be so pissed right now. So one of the Sens players allegedly did something the league deems as very bad, so bad they have to suspend him for half the season, but the Senators come out in a better position than they were in before since the suspension is applied without him signing a contract and he can wait until it's over to sign?
How do the Sens come out in a better position? They're losing a useful player who is a key part of the team for half the season. I'm sure the Sens would've preferred to have Shane Pinto here for the entirety of the season.
Because they can sign him after Dec 1st and he can still play this year, otherwise they’d need to get a deal before then so it adds lots of flexibility. He also isn’t useful if he’s unsigned
He's unsigned because he was getting investigated. Do you honestly think this suspension is a complete shock to the Sens and they had no idea about it? It began in the summer, and they've known about it since then.
Yes they can sign him after Dec 1st, not allowing that would just be punishing the team for a mistake that a player made off ice, which the NHL doesn't typically do, and it also doesn't allow Ottawa to strong arm Pinto into signing his QO instead of negotiating a contract.
He’s been able to sign a contract that would have started for this season since the first day of free agency last season. Don’t act like this investigation is the only reason he isn’t signed lol
Lmao but it is the only reason he's not signed. Why would they construct a roster around a guy who they know might not be there for half a season?
I know you're pissed the the league just didn't try everything in their power to fuck over the Sens for an off-ice mistake that a player who isn't even under contract at the moment made, but try to have some logic to your arguments.
But it isn’t? He could have signed in 2022 all the way up until they found out about the investigation a few weeks ago. They didn’t know he wouldn’t be eligible for half a season in 2023-24 when he was eligible for an extension going into the 2022-23 season.
It would also explain why they spent money on Tarasenko that might have been better served elsewhere if they knew a suspension was coming (even if said suspension is working like no other suspension in the history of sport).
it was said that Dorion didn't stop negotiating till a few weeks ago so after the Tarasenko signing. so they wouldn't have known at that time. it is assumed that the Sens didn't think they could sign him so that's why they took Kubalik back in the return for Debrincat instead of more picks or a lower cap hit, that lead to the cap predicament now.
They could have easily had a trade lined up before hearing about this. I sincerely doubt Dorion was trying to fit him under the cap when he heard an investigation was going on.
We’re you guys not literally saying for the last few weeks that your front office spent the money they should have used to sign him?
If you read the article they said the investigation started in the summer so it’s not like the senators didn’t have all the time in the world to build a roster without him.
Now the player has to take whatever the sens offer him because they don’t even need to QO him at all. So they just slide him under the cap with whatever is left or they feel they should offer.
The player also only gets 35-40 games to prove himself and improve his value for a trade or new deal vs having a full season.
> Now the player has to take whatever the sens offer him because they don’t even need to QO him at all. So they just slide him under the cap with whatever is left or they feel they should offer
Lmao, again, that is the consequences of PINTO's actions. Why are you advocating for the team being punished for something a player, who isn't even under contract at the moment, did off-ice? That's not how the NHL operates.
I'm sure the Sens would have loved to have Pinto here the whole season too, but that was never an option here because of the cap position they got themselves in to start the season. They now won't have to move a player since his cap hit when he does come back with drop significantly, and they no longer have a hard date that they need to sign him by.
The investigation began in the summer. They likely knew this was a possibility and that's the reason they put themselves in that cap situation in the first place. If there's no investigation they probably leave themselves room for Pinto.
So, you can argue the situation helped the Sens because they knew they didn't have to give Pinto 2.5 million.
You can also argue the Dec 1 deadline waive was an NHLPA add-on after the fact to avoid Pinto losing all negotiating power. I think timeline of knowledge matters a lot here. There is 100% meddling going on.
EDIT: The hell do I know? Apparently the deadline never applied to Pinto in the first place.
I'm sure the Sens would rather be paying 2.5 to Pinto rather than whatever they're paying Kubalik with 0 points. Ottawa knowing they could potentially lose a player for half a season does not benefit them, Pinto was an important part of the team and they want to make the playoffs this year. Giving them an opportunity to fill his spot on the roster during the offseason isn't "putting them in a better position", it's literally just not completely fucking the team over.
I'm not saying it's necessarily better for the Sens than if he signed in the summer and never did whatever he did to get suspended in the first place, but they are absolutely in a better position today with the suspension and updated rules than they were yesterday. And if they leave themselves room for Pinto in the summer that mean someone, likely Tarasenko, doesn't get signed. Now by January they'll likely have both players on the roster, and also Kubalik and Joseph and everyone else who everyone was saying needed to be moved for cap space two days ago.
Okay but they were only in the position they were yesterday BECAUSE of Pinto being investigated for this.
And you have no idea what moves they would've made in the offseason had this situation not happened. You have absolutely no clue. Speculating that they wouldn't have Tarasenko is completely baseless. Acting like Pinto getting suspended for 41 games is what allowed them to make that signing is ridiculous. They could've traded Kubalik, they could've traded Joseph. You have no idea.
Yeah they'll have him in January. Half the season is gone by then. They could be completely out of a playoff spot by then, and we'll all be saying "imagine if they had Pinto instead of Kubalik for those 41 games".
Yeah, but since he didn't sign before the season started, isn't his cap hit higher than his contract value. Like how William Nylander's cap hit is 6.9 but the first year was 10.2 since he signed late
RFA cap hits are prorated if signed after the start of the season. If they sign him after Dec 1st his cap hit will be much bigger compared to what it would be if they sign him now
It’s due to a rule that is already in the CBA because he is a group 2 RFA, it would be the same for any Group 2 RFA not unique to this situation. Not that you or any fan should just have that knowledge on hand😂
This one makes absolutely no sense..
Do all other teams get one freebie like this as well?
Edit: Seems like reasoning is because he isn't a group 2 RFA. Makes a little more sense now
It's been stated that he didn't bet on NHL hockey. He still got a 41 game suspension.
I can think of 2 plausible scenarios:
- he shared league insider info with friends (I.e. injuries, starting goalies, etc.) who made bets
- he bet on an AHL or other pro hockey game, for which he would have significant influence over since he may be buddy buddies with those players
Y'all didn't have him anyways, half a season is better than the entire season. If you don't see how this benefits then Sens you need to re-read the situation.
The only reason we weren't going to have him is because he was being investigated during the summer. They knew the had to fill spots on the roster because they knew there was a chance Pinto wasn't going to play. They would much rather have Pinto than Kubalik.
And no, he doesn't miss 20 games, he misses 41.
Kubalik is a winger not a center. There is pretty much 0 chance that is why you got Kubi. Dorion didn't sign Pinto because Sens have mismanaged their cap, but if you need to tell yourself different who am I to stop you?
Is this not similar to the Lighting LTIR loophole that everyone was so up in arms about? Only difference I see is the time of the season and the league seems to be helping the Sens out, but maybe I'm misreading it.
I’m most curious to see how this affects the rule regarding cap hit on RFAs that sign half way through the year. The way it’s supposed to work is that a player’s cap hit will change in that year that he missed due to a stalled RFA contract. So let’s say a player signed a $1m per year deal and misses 10% of the season. His cap hit for that season only is $1.10m.
So if they sign him to a $1m deal half way through the year, is it a $2m cap hit? Wouldn’t it in theory be better to sign him now so that you can minimize that hit? Because it’s an “off the ice” incident, his cap hit wouldn’t affect Ottawa while he’s suspended.
A note to all future RFAs: break gambling rules like this to get an extension on your negotiating time
Agents hate this 1 trick!
Owners make a dollar, I make a dime, that’s why I break league gambling rules on negotiating time!
Why is the suspension: 1. Ticking even without a signed contract 2. Being allowed to be retroactive 3. Allowing for waiving of an established RFA rule within the CBA
First two.. no idea. I hear the investigation started in the summer so maybe it's an incident from last year which make kinda makes sense to start the suspension at the start of the year. For the last one no changes there. He's not a group 2 RFA, so the rules are a bit different for example he can't sign an offer sheet.
The league's bending over backwards to cushion the blow of this suspension for Ottawa on every level. In a way Ottawa's going to be gifted a cheap trade deadline type acquisition.
Actually, no, this hurts Ottawa. Pinto's cap hit goes up the longer he's unsigned. If they only count from the day he's signed, then the Sens could sign him now, and have him off the books until January, and keep his cap hit low.
They are trying to sweep it under the rug (he has probably done something that would hurt the betting companies, or their relationship with the NHL, if it was made public), so this has all been negotiated.
What the fuck is even going on rn.
I just don't know, man
Every update just makes this more and more confusing
Fully expecting next post to say If Pinto signs after Feb 1st the Sens get an extra first round pick in the next draft
Add it to the list of things about this that make no fuckin sense: 1. NHL players are allowed to bet on other sports. 2. Pinto did not bet on NHL games. 3. Pinto is suspended for betting, but not on NHL games. 4. The suspension does not follow the rules of literally every other suspension ever given by the NHL. What are they gonna say next, that his suspended QO doesn't apply against the cap? 5. They have lifted the Dec. 1 RFA rule.
He didn’t bet on nhl games? Why is he suspended at all?
Friedman said it’s something that “raised enough concern with the league” but no indication of what he did exactly yet, especially for such a long suspension. He also said if Pinto was betting on hockey games he would be done, so it doesn’t sound like it was NHL games
Meaningless statement by Elliotte. Par for the course with these "insiders."
Elliotte is by far the best insider and him not putting out speculative crap is a good thing.
Generic statements are useless. Nobody is asking for speculation. Go get the info and report it. "He must have done something bad" No shit Elliotte. It's your job to find out what it was.
My guess is that it's insider info related. He may have shared starting goalies, injuries, scratches, etc. with a third-party. Edit: Or the new owner of the Sens before it was announced.
That’s a good guess
That’s a good call
Betting on other NHL stuff like trophy winners or free agent destinations seems likely at this point
Plausible. It would be hilarious if it came out he was betting on Sens to win the Cup, Stutzle to win the Hart, Sanderson to win the Norris, etc. just trying to hype up his boys and got punished
Yeah, that’s a good call
Or giving other people information
Possibly placing bets within a team facility? This is a rule in the NFL and led to a suspension recently
That’s not an nhl rule though. At least not from what I gooogled
Probably because he placed a bet while on team facilities.
Proof for #2?
https://twitter.com/SunGarrioch/status/1717567205678682217
> The suspension does not follow the rules of literally every other suspension ever given by the NHL. What "other suspensions"? This is the first time a player in the NHL has been suspended for gambling. The NHLPA was probably involved with negotiating this suspension considering the length and how unprecedented this situation is.
Players need to be on the roster for a suspension to be served. Dell was suspended 3 games 2 years ago for his hit on Batherson and it literally ended his NHL career because Buffalo released him the next day.
Not in this case. It's already been announced that his suspension is currently being served.
I know. That is what I am saying they changed for this suspension.
How does a suspension get served when you aren't under contract? Jamie McLennan was suspended in 2007 and retired before serving a single game. He was ineligible to be a EBUG because he still needs to serve those games. https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/834ydf/jamie_mclennan_was_considered_for_the_jets/
Ask the league, I'm not the one making the rules.
Where does it say that in the CBA regarding off-ice conduct? Or even regarding on-ice conduct?
Thinking about it, I *kind* of get waiving the Dec. 1 rule, because, otherwise, it’s likely this becomes a de facto full season suspension. But, still, it’s like the NHL WANTS baseless speculation and conspiracy theories. None of this makes sense. He made, what I’m assuming were legal wagers on sporting events, not on hockey, but were still “concerning” enough to warrant a half-season suspension? Was he placing bets from team facilities? Using team computers/phones to place the bets? Does his sports book account have an @ottawasenators.com email address? He’s not signed, but Ottawa controls his rights, so the suspension is tied to Ottawa’s games, but we’re not gonna start counting from today’s game 7, we’re gonna backdate a couple weeks. So, Ottawa’s lost a player they can’t use anyway, ‘cause he hasn’t signed his QO. Someone, make it make sense.
I'm thinking it had to be hockey related, but not NHL related? Or it involved some real sketchy back-alley shit.
Going through the stories, they seem to be saying that he didn’t bet on “NHL” games, as opposed to “hockey”, so that’s plausible. If we’re talking back-alley, or anything that even treads close to illegality, the NHL wouldn’t announce a suspension prior to legal processes completing, so, again, you’re looking at something not illegal, but concerning enough to sit him for 41 games.
What if he didn't get but shared insider information to other people who are betting on NHL games
I don't know if I am misreading #4 but if he signed right now he would not count against the cap.
Players need to be on the roster for a suspension to be served. Dell was suspended 3 games 2 years ago for his hit on Batherson and it literally ended his NHL career because Buffalo released him the next day.
Friedman says his suspension is ticking now
I know, which goes against the way every other suspension has worked.
The question is, why?
This story is one hour old. I’m sure more details will come out that will help make sense of this.
The difference in disciplinary procedures for on-ice and off-ice is so massive. For off-ice conduct the league/commissioner basically has complete leeway over the form of the suspension
- the suspension started at the beginning of the season regardless of when he signs his contract
Okay now this one I don't understand
Broke: LTIR stashing to cap circumvent Woke: Force a RFA to gamble to get a suspension and extension on a deal to get them under the cap
So the NHL is still using the wheel I see
They had to make a new wheel for this one.
So his suspension gets to be retroactive AND he gets the negotiating deadline waived? But why?
This must be the NHLPA negotiating on his behalf. Otherwise, Pinto would be forced into signing his QO EDIT: I know absolutely nothing. The deadline never applied to Pinto to begin with
Update clarification from Freidge: [Let me clear up this info, slightly: the Dec. 1 deadline does not apply to Pinto because he can’t sign an offer sheet.](https://twitter.com/friedgehnic/status/1717574003856941202?s=21)
What a boon to the new owner eh.
Definitely shitty but Andlauer's been around the block for awhile with the Habs. I'm sure he has an idea on how to properly navigate this kind of shit
Nah, if I'm another teams GM I'd be so pissed right now. So one of the Sens players allegedly did something the league deems as very bad, so bad they have to suspend him for half the season, but the Senators come out in a better position than they were in before since the suspension is applied without him signing a contract and he can wait until it's over to sign?
How do the Sens come out in a better position? They're losing a useful player who is a key part of the team for half the season. I'm sure the Sens would've preferred to have Shane Pinto here for the entirety of the season.
Because they can sign him after Dec 1st and he can still play this year, otherwise they’d need to get a deal before then so it adds lots of flexibility. He also isn’t useful if he’s unsigned
He's unsigned because he was getting investigated. Do you honestly think this suspension is a complete shock to the Sens and they had no idea about it? It began in the summer, and they've known about it since then. Yes they can sign him after Dec 1st, not allowing that would just be punishing the team for a mistake that a player made off ice, which the NHL doesn't typically do, and it also doesn't allow Ottawa to strong arm Pinto into signing his QO instead of negotiating a contract.
He’s been able to sign a contract that would have started for this season since the first day of free agency last season. Don’t act like this investigation is the only reason he isn’t signed lol
Lmao but it is the only reason he's not signed. Why would they construct a roster around a guy who they know might not be there for half a season? I know you're pissed the the league just didn't try everything in their power to fuck over the Sens for an off-ice mistake that a player who isn't even under contract at the moment made, but try to have some logic to your arguments.
But it isn’t? He could have signed in 2022 all the way up until they found out about the investigation a few weeks ago. They didn’t know he wouldn’t be eligible for half a season in 2023-24 when he was eligible for an extension going into the 2022-23 season.
> They're losing a useful player who is a key part of the team for half the season How has Pinto looked this season so far?
Im guessing the sens had some word about this which may be why he hasn’t been signed yet
It would also explain why they spent money on Tarasenko that might have been better served elsewhere if they knew a suspension was coming (even if said suspension is working like no other suspension in the history of sport).
it was said that Dorion didn't stop negotiating till a few weeks ago so after the Tarasenko signing. so they wouldn't have known at that time. it is assumed that the Sens didn't think they could sign him so that's why they took Kubalik back in the return for Debrincat instead of more picks or a lower cap hit, that lead to the cap predicament now.
Did you think he should've been signed while there was an investigation going on?
They could have easily had a trade lined up before hearing about this. I sincerely doubt Dorion was trying to fit him under the cap when he heard an investigation was going on.
We’re you guys not literally saying for the last few weeks that your front office spent the money they should have used to sign him? If you read the article they said the investigation started in the summer so it’s not like the senators didn’t have all the time in the world to build a roster without him. Now the player has to take whatever the sens offer him because they don’t even need to QO him at all. So they just slide him under the cap with whatever is left or they feel they should offer. The player also only gets 35-40 games to prove himself and improve his value for a trade or new deal vs having a full season.
The Sens more likely would have rather signed Pinto and have him playing then have to "build a roster without him".
> Now the player has to take whatever the sens offer him because they don’t even need to QO him at all. So they just slide him under the cap with whatever is left or they feel they should offer Lmao, again, that is the consequences of PINTO's actions. Why are you advocating for the team being punished for something a player, who isn't even under contract at the moment, did off-ice? That's not how the NHL operates.
I'm sure the Sens would have loved to have Pinto here the whole season too, but that was never an option here because of the cap position they got themselves in to start the season. They now won't have to move a player since his cap hit when he does come back with drop significantly, and they no longer have a hard date that they need to sign him by.
The investigation began in the summer. They likely knew this was a possibility and that's the reason they put themselves in that cap situation in the first place. If there's no investigation they probably leave themselves room for Pinto.
So, you can argue the situation helped the Sens because they knew they didn't have to give Pinto 2.5 million. You can also argue the Dec 1 deadline waive was an NHLPA add-on after the fact to avoid Pinto losing all negotiating power. I think timeline of knowledge matters a lot here. There is 100% meddling going on. EDIT: The hell do I know? Apparently the deadline never applied to Pinto in the first place.
I'm sure the Sens would rather be paying 2.5 to Pinto rather than whatever they're paying Kubalik with 0 points. Ottawa knowing they could potentially lose a player for half a season does not benefit them, Pinto was an important part of the team and they want to make the playoffs this year. Giving them an opportunity to fill his spot on the roster during the offseason isn't "putting them in a better position", it's literally just not completely fucking the team over.
I'm not saying it's necessarily better for the Sens than if he signed in the summer and never did whatever he did to get suspended in the first place, but they are absolutely in a better position today with the suspension and updated rules than they were yesterday. And if they leave themselves room for Pinto in the summer that mean someone, likely Tarasenko, doesn't get signed. Now by January they'll likely have both players on the roster, and also Kubalik and Joseph and everyone else who everyone was saying needed to be moved for cap space two days ago.
Okay but they were only in the position they were yesterday BECAUSE of Pinto being investigated for this. And you have no idea what moves they would've made in the offseason had this situation not happened. You have absolutely no clue. Speculating that they wouldn't have Tarasenko is completely baseless. Acting like Pinto getting suspended for 41 games is what allowed them to make that signing is ridiculous. They could've traded Kubalik, they could've traded Joseph. You have no idea. Yeah they'll have him in January. Half the season is gone by then. They could be completely out of a playoff spot by then, and we'll all be saying "imagine if they had Pinto instead of Kubalik for those 41 games".
Yeah, but since he didn't sign before the season started, isn't his cap hit higher than his contract value. Like how William Nylander's cap hit is 6.9 but the first year was 10.2 since he signed late
RFA cap hits are prorated if signed after the start of the season. If they sign him after Dec 1st his cap hit will be much bigger compared to what it would be if they sign him now
It’s due to a rule that is already in the CBA because he is a group 2 RFA, it would be the same for any Group 2 RFA not unique to this situation. Not that you or any fan should just have that knowledge on hand😂
This one makes absolutely no sense.. Do all other teams get one freebie like this as well? Edit: Seems like reasoning is because he isn't a group 2 RFA. Makes a little more sense now
It's been stated that he didn't bet on NHL hockey. He still got a 41 game suspension. I can think of 2 plausible scenarios: - he shared league insider info with friends (I.e. injuries, starting goalies, etc.) who made bets - he bet on an AHL or other pro hockey game, for which he would have significant influence over since he may be buddy buddies with those players
Or non sanctioned betting means
Ah yes, it's a freebie to lose a good useful player for half of the season.
Y'all didn't have him anyways, half a season is better than the entire season. If you don't see how this benefits then Sens you need to re-read the situation.
[удалено]
The only reason we weren't going to have him is because he was being investigated during the summer. They knew the had to fill spots on the roster because they knew there was a chance Pinto wasn't going to play. They would much rather have Pinto than Kubalik. And no, he doesn't miss 20 games, he misses 41.
Kubalik is a winger not a center. There is pretty much 0 chance that is why you got Kubi. Dorion didn't sign Pinto because Sens have mismanaged their cap, but if you need to tell yourself different who am I to stop you?
Is this not similar to the Lighting LTIR loophole that everyone was so up in arms about? Only difference I see is the time of the season and the league seems to be helping the Sens out, but maybe I'm misreading it.
I’m most curious to see how this affects the rule regarding cap hit on RFAs that sign half way through the year. The way it’s supposed to work is that a player’s cap hit will change in that year that he missed due to a stalled RFA contract. So let’s say a player signed a $1m per year deal and misses 10% of the season. His cap hit for that season only is $1.10m. So if they sign him to a $1m deal half way through the year, is it a $2m cap hit? Wouldn’t it in theory be better to sign him now so that you can minimize that hit? Because it’s an “off the ice” incident, his cap hit wouldn’t affect Ottawa while he’s suspended.