That'd be the day when Eugene Melnyk pays a player not to play for him

There’s a precedent for the league stepping in and stopping something that isn’t technically against the rules, but is viewed as cap circumvention.

Trading a 35+ contract for the purposes of buying him out and then re-signing might be enough for them to stop the deal.

I'm curious what the narrative from the league would be considering that the Orpik deal happened only 6 months ago and why step in now for an exact replica when the precedent was approved?
"The NHL questioned the Washington Capitals about re-signing Brooks Orpik after trading him to Colorado and cleared the Stanley Cup champions of any wrongdoing. General manager Brian MacLellan said the league questioned the Capitals for trading the veteran defenceman and then bringing him back at a cheaper salary after the Avalanche bought him out. MacLellan says the Capitals were above board in everything they did and would face no consequences." - https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nhl-clears-capitals-trading-signing-brooks-orpik-buyout/

I've been trying to make the exact same argument to my fellow leaf fans.

Front loaded contracts were "legal" until Jersey took it took far with Kovulchuk…..the league penalized them with draft picks (later revised to having their pick in the 1st round bumped to the last pick in the round)...but at the next CBA negotiation...they implemented the cap recapture penalty so that all the Luongo and Weber type contracts would have serious negative implications if they retired early (thus making the original contract a means of cap circumvention)




For me there's a one big difference between Orpik and Marleau...and that's the NMC. Orpik, theoretically, didn't have a say in the matter...Washington traded him and a pick away to save cap space and he didn't have much he could do to stop it.

Marleau controls his destination via his NMC....why on earth would he waive him NMC to go to Ottawa? He wouldn't, right? There's no other evidence to suggest he would have any inclination to waie his NMC unless there was a handshake agreement that Ottawa was going to buy him out and the leafs would re-sign him...and that, right there, is clear cut cap circumvention

The league investigated the Orpik situation....it smelled..but they ultimately let it go....if the Leafs tried the same with Marleau I think the odour would be overpowering

If Dubas can assure him they will sign him to 1M just like he assured Levio that Levio would he traded if he wasn’t playing. Marleau also makes an extra million which could be another selling point.

It’s not a matter of selling it to marleau. It’s selling the league that it isn’t cap circumvention. Which it clearly is