The Daily: Fixing LTIR Issue Isn’t Easy; Hirose Goes Abroad

The increasing desire by NHL general managers to reform the NHL’s LTIR system doesn’t mean this would be an easy fix.

LTIR (Long Term Injured Reserve) is designed to provide relief to NHL teams overrun by injuries.  A player who will miss 10 games and 24 days can be placed on LTIR. This gives teams the chance to replace those players by going beyond the salary cap limits. However, teams must be salary cap compliant when they activate the player.

The issues that bothers many GMs is how some teams have been using the LTIR to gain a playoff advantage.

With no salary cap restrictions in the playoffs, teams can activate an LTIR without getting cap compliant. In several instances, players who weren’t deemed healthy to return to active duty during the regular season, which would have forced the team to get compliant with their salary, suddenly get healthy for the playoffs.  The LTIR player can play Game 1, and team can carry a roster well beyond the salary cap limit.

Playoff Advantage

In the playoffs, some teams have ended up with whopping salary cap advantages in the postseason.

Sportsnet talked to Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly for a story about the issue. Daly told Sportsnet that a fix isn’t as simple as extending the salary cap constraints into the postseason

“So you can pick up an expensive contract at the end of its term and your cap only gets charged a certain amount,” Daly told. “But all of a sudden if that $1 million, say, you assume becomes $5 million on Game 1 of the playoffs and you can’t play that player as a result, I’m not sure that’s a fair result because teams complied within the rules.”

A change would require opening the CBA, which expires after the 2025-26 season. The NHL has informed the NHL Players Association about GM concerns, but Daly said he is not sure how players feel about it.

Wings In Case You Missed It

A handful of former Red Wings are in training camps on PTOs. Adam Erne is with the New York Rangers, Matt Luff is with the Florida Panthers and Gus Lindstrom and Mark Pysyk are wit the Anaheim Ducks.

Former Red Wings forward Taro Hirose signs with Munich Red Bull in German League.

Axel Sandin Pellikka is coming off the Skelleftea injury list in Champions League Play.

Red Wings Offseason

In case you have lost that of the Grand Rapids Griffins comings and goings, know that Josiah Didier is back on defense and as the team’s captain. Also, Tyler Spezia has signed with the Toledo Walleye. He had spent five seasons with the Griffins.

Reason number 1,000,000 we are happy Josiah Didier is captain of the Grand Rapids Griffins…he sticks up for his teammates!

Check out the rest of the interview: https://t.co/Uyaqu8ts6k#GoGRG #LGRW #THPN pic.twitter.com/Z5SHZCgK8u

— Hockeytown West Podcast (@HockeytownWpod) September 7, 2024

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