Quoting: krakowitz
@HawksFan28 if Hossa's contract could just simply go on LTIR like you've been saying, why did this trade go down?
I can't wait to see you hide from the forums here when Chicago craps the bed AGAIN this year. You were wrong, admit it. This is the worst team in the division on paper. The worst. But they're going to hit 100 points, right? They're going to be legit contenders in the West, right? You crack me up sometimes.
It could have gone on LTIR.......The entire situation is explained IN DETAIL here:
http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/07/06/marian-hossa-contract-and-its-affect-on-chicago-blackhawks-roster-moves/
"LTIR Questions
The ability for a team to use the LTIR is a given. Most believe that the team does not get cap relief during the off-season. This is why fans were only told that the Blackhawks had $9 million plus in cap space available instead of nearly $15 million factoring in the Hossa contract. In reality, NHL teams do have LTIR cap relief during the off-season. This was proven last season by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The previous use of LTIR by the Leafs has bordered on creative “Shenanigan’s” to say the least. Check this out from Arvind from S.B. Nation:
So, James Mirtle of The Athletic dropped a bit of a bomb on everyone on Tuesday afternoon, when he wrote an article arguing that the Leafs are not actually up against the cap. His argument is that LTIR can be used in the offseason, and he quotes NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly as evidence.
“Yes, they can,” Daly said when asked if teams were permitted to access additional cap room in this fashion long before the season started. “Same as in-season.”
Salary Cap LTIR Education
For a complete and thorough education on LTIR and its effect on the salary cap check this out from CapFriendly.com :
“Can LTIR be used in the off-season?”
“Yes, LTIR can be used in the off-season while the 10% off-season cushion is active. LTIR in the off-season is calculated using the basic equation outlined above, which permits a team to exceed the off-season salary cap. To use off-season LTIR the team must provide doctors proof that the player in question will continue to be injured at the beginning of the regular season for 10 NHL games and 24 calendar days.”
“At the start of the season the teams LTIR relief & ACSL is recalculated when the 10% cushion is removed.”
Cap Hit Or No Cap Hit?
This discovery actually creates more questions than answers for Blackhawk fans. If the LTIR provides cap relief during the off-season, why wasn’t this something used when Stan Bowman was signing free agents? Another $5 million plus may have altered the players signed, to say the least. Would Blackhawks fans still be in an uproar if Bowman had signed a top-tier free agent? Maybe, but that is what winning three Stanley Cups in six seasons can do to a fan base. Blackhawk fans expect a Cup run every year, not a rebuild as the team’s core ages.
Future Cap Concerns Ahead
The smart money is that Stan Bowman is preparing for the near future when his younger players will need to be taken care of financially. At the end of 2018-19, there will be numerous players becoming restricted free agents. (RFA’s) These include budding stars Dylan Sikura, Nick Schmaltz, Blake Hillman, Victor Ejdsell, Gustav Forsling, and potential goalie of the future Collin Delia.
This list does not include proven star Alex DeBrincat who led the team in goals last season. DeBrincat becomes an RFA at the end of 2020-21. Vinnie Hinostroza is another key player becoming an RFA at the same time as DeBrincat. You see where this is heading?
Planning and More Planning
Stan Bowman has another major roster problem on the horizon. He will need every spare dollar he can use to lock up the young players. These players will potentially make up the future core of the team very soon and must be taken care of to secure a competitive team going forward. It’s not easy for fans to see past the present where their favourite team did not make the playoffs. They need patience but do however have the right to expect the rebuild to be successful sooner than later as the current core ages. We’ll see what Bowman has in store for the team."