Here's a scary little tidbit for you:

According to TSN, Tampa has four of the top thirteen players in the league.

Want to hear something scarier?

Stamkos isn't one of them.
- Atomic Wedgie

If it bleeds, we can kill it.

It may be semantics, but let us say the League chose to look the other way, despite it being obvious that it was circumvention. It may have been different had the team been say Toronto or NYR IMO. Here is one other thing to consider. Tampa lost money last season despite winning the cup. Because of the league's revenue sharing policy, teams like Toronto, Montreal, NYR will send money to Tampa to help pay for their cheating and salary spending that they couldn't afford, but knew they could recover through NHL welfare.
- winsix

This is the part that may actually lead to some changes that remove the ability for teams to do this crap. The big boys of the league from an ownership perspective are likely furious that they are funding Tampa's success and may (hopefully) collectively impose their will on Gary to make it stop.

And before you say it CC - yes it will require CBA changes and renegotiations.

Plus nobody ever brings up Tampa's unfair advantage of drafting great players in random rounds and developing talent.
- AdamFrench

Just for poops and giggles, I took a look at their record:

https://www.hockeydb.com/...aft/teams/dr00008385.html

They've been poop for the last few years.

This is the part that may actually lead to some changes that remove the ability for teams to do this crap. The big boys of the league from an ownership perspective are likely furious that they are funding Tampa's success and may (hopefully) collectively impose their will on Gary to make it stop.

And before you say it CC - yes it will require CBA changes and renegotiations.
- Cush29

I doubt it.

For years, the league was run by the Bruins' (Jacobs) and the Flyers' (Snider) owners.

They allowed this to happen.

MLSE didn't say poop in the last lockout. Apparently they were begging teams to come to the table and make a deal, but they never actually flexed their muscles.

I doubt it.

For years, the league was run by the Bruins' (Jacobs) and the Flyers' (Snider) owners.

They allowed this to happen.

MLSE didn't say poop in the last lockout. Apparently they were begging teams to come to the table and make a deal, but they never actually flexed their muscles.
- Atomic Wedgie

Don't you rain on my hope parade Wedgie (chugs another big old glass of hope koolaid) - it's going to happen and the Leafs are winning the cup!

It's been a long wait.....

I'm already over it.

I'm not over people saying "it's speculation."

It's not. We know they cheated.

They got away with it, Bettman handed them the trophy, they printed the t-shirts. It's over.

But don't expect me to swallow the crap that we didn't know they cheated.

I'm over the USSR hockey team winning all those gold medals at the Olympics from the 1950s-90s - but it doesn't change the fact they cheated with respect to "amateur status."
- Atomic Wedgie

Sorry but the rules don’t say if he’s skating around he can play. The rules say he doesn’t play until he’s medically cleared. The rules are dumb but we’re collectively bargained. Gary could hire docs to go up against Kuch’s docs but he’d lose because Kuch has better doc and they had been treating him all year and tie goes to “it’s better to be safe.”

Sorry but the rules don’t say if he’s skating around he can play. The rules say if he doesn’t play until he’s medically cleared. The rules are dumb but we’re collectively bargained. Gary could hire docs to go up against Kuch’s docs but he’d lose because Kuch has better doc and they had been treating him all year and tie goes to “it’s better to be safe.”
- Canada Cup

Still cheating.

Still cheating.
- bixll

The old follow the rules trick

The old follow the rules trick
- Canada Cup

Even bragged about it.

Sorry but the rules don’t say if he’s skating around he can play. The rules say he doesn’t play until he’s medically cleared. The rules are dumb but we’re collectively bargained. Gary could hire docs to go up against Kuch’s docs but he’d lose because Kuch has better doc and they had been treating him all year and tie goes to “it’s better to be safe.”
- Canada Cup

Was it the Leafs, Montreal, Boston or the League's doctors declaring Kuch fit to play? Or was it Tampa's "cleaner than clean, no vested interest, cleaner than a million virgins" management paying those doctor's fees?

The Leafs cheated, albeit on a much, much smaller scale.

And it's too bad that there wasn't a stronger rule in place, because it would have prevented us from making that horrendous Foligno trade.

It's funny nobody is talking about that one - top 5 worst trades in Leafs history.
- Atomic Wedgie

its so bad
and watching the leaf doc thing, he was broken down when he got to the leafs...what a waste

its so bad
and watching the leaf doc thing, he was broken down when he got to the leafs...what a waste
- senstroll

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

Rentals suck. Do not spend significant assets on rentals, please.

Plus nobody ever brings up Tampa's unfair advantage of drafting great players in random rounds and developing talent.
- AdamFrench

No one is saying they don't. But they have unfair advantage in being able to afford to keep that talent when other teams would have lost more significant pieces without being to offer the tax breaks.

They are a well run organization, but don't ignore the obvious financial advantages they have and the fact that the NHL would have levied a firm circumvention penalty if one of the perceived "have" teams had tried to pull the same crap.

its so bad
and watching the leaf doc thing, he was broken down when he got to the leafs...what a waste
- senstroll

I thought he got injured when he made that awkward stop in the crease? ( when he was a leaf )

Was it the Leafs, Montreal, Boston or the League's doctors declaring Kuch fit to play? Or was it Tampa's "cleaner than clean, no vested interest, cleaner than a million virgins" management paying those doctor's fees?
- winsix

It would be the doctors set out in the CBA which they followed. Why is it so hard to understand that the problem is the rules that everyone agreed to, not the outcome we don’t like when someone pushed the rules to the limit?

its so bad
and watching the leaf doc thing, he was broken down when he got to the leafs...what a waste
- senstroll

He was exactly what the leafs needed heading into the playoffs, he ended up being hurt and completely useless.

I liked the trade when it happened but it just sucks when things turned out like that. Not to mention losing your captain 10 mins in.

Hindsight looks bad but I would’ve made that trade every time.

The Leafs cheated, albeit on a much, much smaller scale.

And it's too bad that there wasn't a stronger rule in place, because it would have prevented us from making that horrendous Foligno trade.

It's funny nobody is talking about that one - top 5 worst trades in Leafs history.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yeesh, Wedgie. Getting a little hyperbolic this lunch hour? Have a Snickers.

It was a good trade that addressed a need. He got hurt. It sucks.

We gave up more for Owen Nolan, but likewise it was a good deal at the time.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

Rentals suck. Do not spend significant assets on rentals, please.
- Leafs43

im not against a rental, I think in certain cases they can be a difference maker. but its rare

but a 1st and 2 4rd picks for an old damaged player is wack
he played 11 games for the leafs

I thought he got injured when he made that awkward stop in the crease? ( when he was a leaf )
- Garnie

im sure that injury came out of nowhere ...guy was on the ground in the hallway couldnt walk to the room

im not against a rental, I think in certain cases they can be a difference maker. but its rare

but a 1st and 2 4rd picks for an old damaged player is wack
he played 11 games for the leafs
- senstroll

I would have been fine with Hall given what was traded for him.

I just don't like the 1st round picks going. They are too valuable, and are much better spent on players who have term (Muzzin was a great trade)

It would be the doctors set out in the CBA that they followed. Why is it so hard to understand that the problem is the rules that everyone agreed to, not the outcome we don’t like when someone pushed the rules to the limit?
- Canada Cup

The actual problem here isn't with Tampa for trying it. The problem is that the NHL has specific clauses that allow them to investigate the veracity of these claims and they have not utilized that process despite it being absolutely apparent to everyone everywhere that the process was being exploited.

There is an obvious optics problem and a reality problem that the NHL could have resolved but they didn't even bother.

im not against a rental, I think in certain cases they can be a difference maker. but its rare

but a 1st and 2 4rd picks for an old damaged player is wack
he played 11 games for the leafs
- senstroll

That’s where the Amazon series false short. What was the debate about other players? We’re they considering Hall? The only bit was Dubas agreeing to a ‘22 4th instead of a ‘23.

That’s where the Amazon series false short. What was the debate about other players? We’re they considering Hall? The only bit was Dubas agreeing to a ‘22 4th instead of a ‘23.
- Canada Cup

I think there are tampering considerations there. I'm pretty sure they can't really let it be known who they were considering or how they felt because if they don't (or didn't) have the player under contract, they couldn't publicly talk about liking them.

I think there are tampering considerations there. I'm pretty sure they can't really let it be known who they were considering or how they felt because if they don't (or didn't) have the player under contract, they couldn't publicly talk about liking them.
- Monkeypunk

I understand but it would have added a lot.

The Leafs cheated, albeit on a much, much smaller scale.

And it's too bad that there wasn't a stronger rule in place, because it would have prevented us from making that horrendous Foligno trade.

It's funny nobody is talking about that one - top 5 worst trades in Leafs history.
- Atomic Wedgie

Had he not injured his back twice (Reg and playoffs) he would have been a good addition.....and had the leafs not choked in the first round. Either way dubie did overpay.