The officials manipulate the game and often times swallow the whistle during the playoffs, NHL officiating In the second season Is atrocious at best and based on these facts don't blame the players for crossing the line they are just doing what the officials are allowing, Example. Bennett's big hit.

In fact, the definition of 'circumvention' even describes such:

"the action of overcoming a problem or difficulty, typically in a clever and surreptitious way"

- MaximumBone

Yet there is no rule against it. Circumvention is just being used as a vague buzz word to make it sound more sinister than it is. Having a player return within the expected recovery time isn't against any rule let alone some mythical "circumvention" law. Will the league look at why they allow the salary cap to be ignored in the playoffs? Probably, but that is something that has been there and used in the playoffs before.

Point the finger at the league and their rules, not the team playing by them.

Yes, the officials really let this game get out of control to where players started taking things into their own hands. But, holy crap was that an exciting game! I saw an amazing (imo) fact that this game was only the fourth time in NHL history where a playoff came had four lead changes during the game.
Bennett is going to be suspended, I find it laughable that McDonagh isn’t scheduled for the same type of meeting with the League office. Both hits were equally dangerous and both were only given a minor penalty. I think both could easily have been called major penalties. FL has to do a better job of staying out of the box or this series won’t last very long. Want to be the Champs, you gotta knock off the current Champs. Can’t wait for game 2!

Yet there is no rule against it. Circumvention is just being used as a vague buzz word to make it sound more sinister than it is. Having a player return within the expected recovery time isn't against any rule let alone some mythical "circumvention" law. Will the league look at why they allow the salary cap to be ignored in the playoffs? Probably, but that is something that has been there and used in the playoffs before.

Point the finger at the league and their rules, not the team playing by them.
- Izzo

Pretty much.

it's bullpoop, but it's not against the rules and it's not Tampa's fault that they're allowed to do it.

Not like the Blackhawks didn't use this to try and keep their teams alive yet.

I dont see any issues with what TB is doing.

1) Its not like Kuch was healthy all season and he was held out to stay under the cap

2) LTIR space was used as intended

3) You also need to look at it from a team point of view. They used the LTIR space to Ice a team, they were compliant with Kucherov injured. One might think well if you know he's going to be back they should have to be compliant at playoff time as well except it isnt that simple. Just because Kucherov had an estimated timeline for a return, that isnt set in stone. He could have set backs. When you consider a typical playoffs is 2 months after the Trade Deadline, how can you expect a team to suddenly become compliant? You are basically telling a team they cant use the LTIR space because their player MIGHT be back for playoffs.

Well the only thing I think is they said he's been skating for over a month during the game last night. So he's been training for awhile.

Well the only thing I think is they said he's been skating for over a month during the game last night. So he's been training for awhile.

Yes however... skating on your own wearing a no-contact jersey or skating off on the side during practice, and participating in full practice taking shots to your surgically repaired hip are two different animals. Kuch had been skating for the past few weeks on his own and under assistance coach supervision, and just recently in the past week did he actually start being a full participant in team practices.

Kucherov entering arena last night

https://twitter.com/BillT.../1394315525002518528?s=20

He claims to know something was wrong in the 5OT game vs CBJ on Aug 11. He called his agent after the game and said something wasn't right. Then he finishes the playoffs, which finished on Sept 28. Then the team waits until Dec 28 (3 months) to have the surgery which typically carries a 4 month recovery time for double hip surgery and UP TO 4 months for single. He was reportedly skating almost 2 months ago on his own. Then began skating with a no contact jersey about a month ago. I bet if the league sent in a private dr 3 weeks ago, he would have been deemed fit to play, therefore ineligible for LTIR. LTIR is supposed to be for players unfit to play, not to bury a contract so a player is 110% come playoffs. Cap manipulating. Fine the team and take away their 1st.

Kuch shouldn't be eligible. Clear manipulation of the cap. The league better investigate this.
- wreckage

Rolls eyes shut whatevah

Uh, Jan Rutta?
- gergeswillems

Sorry just couldn’t follow who u met. Difficult with all the whiney cap circumvention people

So all the cap circumvention crazed peeps. Did you expect Kucherov to have surgery immediately after winning the cup? He will want to party for awhile in Tampa. Then go home for a bit. Have his day with the cup. All the “Dr. Cap Circumvention whiners” Kucherov returned to Tampa later in the year. Then had the surgery arranged. Recovery is 3-4 months for some lazy goof that doesn’t get off the sofa. But an elite athlete it’s 4-6 months to play and it truly takes 12 months from surgery to feel well again.
Happily will watch all the whiney cap circumvention posters. Your team doesn’t do everything they can to win. Be mad with your team. Stop. Whining.

We haven't even seen Kucherov's final form.

I bet if the league sent in a private dr 3 weeks ago, he would have been deemed fit to play, therefore ineligible for LTIR.
- wreckage

Well damn dude you bet. I mean if wreckage bets then case closed. Kucherov was ready to go.

It doesn't matter what anybody here thinks or bets, It was all within the expected outcome of the surgery. Both Point and Gourde had the exact same surgery and recovered in pretty much the exact same time frame in previous seasons. Kucherov "reportedly" skating months ago doesn't mean anything significant to your case. Go ask anybody who has had similar surgeries, they push you to start working on it very shortly afterwards. When Stamkos broke his leg, they put a titanium rod in it and he was walking on it like a week after the event. My dad who's 80 had knee replacement surgery and within 2-3 days he was walking on it and doing therapy exercises with it. A young athlete like Kucherov obviously would have been working on strengthening it shortly after. That doesn't mean he was anywhere near ready to start playing NHL games.

So again, it doesn't matter what people here think, there's nothing to be had other than showing your own saltyness by trying to make this into some grand conspiracy theory.

So all the cap circumvention crazed peeps. Did you expect Kucherov to have surgery immediately after winning the cup? He will want to party for awhile in Tampa. Then go home for a bit. Have his day with the cup. All the “Dr. Cap Circumvention whiners” Kucherov returned to Tampa later in the year. Then had the surgery arranged. Recovery is 3-4 months for some lazy goof that doesn’t get off the sofa. But an elite athlete it’s 4-6 months to play and it truly takes 12 months from surgery to feel well again.
Happily will watch all the whiney cap circumvention posters. Your team doesn’t do everything they can to win. Be mad with your team. Stop. Whining.
- Justbecause

Riiiiight

I've always felt the best thing a GM could do was intentionally sit the team's best player an entire regular season.

I've always felt the best thing a GM could do was intentionally sit the team's best player an entire regular season.
- DrBassie

Not only that, but a top-5 elite player with generational skill. Let's sit him out.

He claims to know something was wrong in the 5OT game vs CBJ on Aug 11. He called his agent after the game and said something wasn't right. Then he finishes the playoffs, which finished on Sept 28. Then the team waits until Dec 28 (3 months) to have the surgery which typically carries a 4 month recovery time for double hip surgery and UP TO 4 months for single. He was reportedly skating almost 2 months ago on his own. Then began skating with a no contact jersey about a month ago. I bet if the league sent in a private dr 3 weeks ago, he would have been deemed fit to play, therefore ineligible for LTIR. LTIR is supposed to be for players unfit to play, not to bury a contract so a player is 110% come playoffs. Cap manipulating. Fine the team and take away their 1st.
- wreckage

You’re right. No player has ever tried to rehab something before taking the surgery route.

Riiiiight
- Aetherial

Paranoia mind destroyer

Other GM's and coaches on Kuch and the cap - https://archive.is/yIaF0