The NHL Is Attempting To Screw The Blackhawks And Hossa, Again

Since Marian Hossa's health condition was announced in June there have been rumors about the NHL "investigating" the situation. It should come as no surprise to hockey fans that the NHL is up to no good and is now looking to get an independent physical examination. If the league finds something in their favor it could stop the Blackhawks from using the LTIR and receiving salary cap relief. The Athletic's James Mirtle stated in article yesterday, "This isn't the first time this has happened. One source called these medical reviews “common,” although it's unclear what exactly that means. (Other sources disputed that these medical reviews happen regularly.) What's interesting is that two are happening at the same time this year: One with Lupul and another with Marian Hossa in Chicago. With Hossa's case, a lot of other teams complained the Blackhawks were getting cap relief." The same source told Mirtle "Essentially it's a safeguard in the CBA to make sure long-term injured reserve is not abused by the clubs." What a load of crap. Hossa has a real condition that has limited him from practice and games for seasons now. The Blackhawks most likely have piles of files from multiple physicians. This isn't an abuse of the LTIR. There weren't any investigations against Chris Pronger being on LTIR for almost five years while simultaneously having jobs with the NHL and other teams. I'm not downplaying Pronger's injury symptoms but I'm accentuating the league's ability to turn a blind eye, except in the situation of the Blackhawks. If they somehow find that Hossa doesn't qualify to be put on the LTIR, it would be the second time they've changed or altered rules to hurt the Blackhawks salary cap and it involved Hossa. Hossa signed a front-loaded contract in 2009 that saw his salary decrease every few years over the 12 years. At the time this was an acceptable practice and the cap hit was only what that player would make in that individual season. During the 2012-13 lockout this was a subject of debate and Hossa's name was frequently tossed around with Pronger as examples. Well, that lockout ended and a new CBA was signed, with the elimination of front-loaded contracts. By the old rules, Hossa would only have a $1 million cap hit this season. Thanks to the new CBA rules, Hossa carries a $5.275 cap hit now. It's crazy how the NHL and some teams want to the keep the Blackhawks down. Everyone is benefiting when they're winning and making money thanks to the CBA. The league has no problem using them for countless nationally televised games and more specifically, outdoor games. The CBA is kind of like The Constitution in the fact that everyone only uses the parts that benefit them, while dismissing other portions. Teams that don't make or spend any money complain about the Blackhawks "abusing" the LTIR but have no problems cashing checks from them as a result of the CBA. Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks news and musings.