the MLB

Frontload Threat: Smokescreen for Definition

by on August 11, 2010- 308 Comments

*Warning:  More analysis and opinion concerning the Kovalchuk decision. For those who want to talk hockey, as opposed to the now perpetual indiscretions of the league office etc. Alex has a post beneath.

When Richard Bloch decided to rule in the favour of the NHL in the case of Ilya Kovalchuk and the ridiculous contract, he set in place a new precedent that the league hope will stem the flow of cap-circumventing front loaded contracts. In lieu of a concrete definition, the cover-all bases nature of Bloch’s ruling was expected to draw a line under the types of long, frontloaded contracts the NHL saw as detrimental to the spirit of equality the CBA and its salary cap was supposed to theoretically harbour.

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Not Enough Money To Go Around

Not Enough Money To Go Around

by on July 5, 2010- 827 Comments

Even with news breaking this afternoon of Ilya Kovalchuk's new $60 million contract extension (potentially) with the New Jersey Devils, this 2010 free agency period has been one of the most uneventful and slow-developing offseasons in recent memory. The reason being? Despite a mediocre at best free agent group, there simply isn't enough money to pay these guys what they're probably worth. As one unnamed NHL General Manager put it last week: "The teams with cap don't have cash and the teams with cash don't have cap". The Maple Leafs however, are fortunate enough to have both, and have the opportunity to exploit the market to their advantage. [more…]

The Big Lie

by on January 24, 2009- 4,296 Comments

When it comes to trade rumours, generally the first thing we look at is the salary cap, and how much cap space the teams in question have available.  But how important is the cap, in order for potential trades to become reality?

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