Last week, when Dean Lombardi shed light onto the decision to stand pat in the absence of Jonathan Quick, he didn't bemoan the Los Angeles Kings' position under the salary cap.
That would bring attention to his failure to preserve financial flexibility to compensate for a loss. Instead, he touched on the pitfalls of acquiring a player to be plucked in the expansion draft, and reluctance on the part of teams to move their own safety valves.
These reasons are valid. That said, exhausting his resources isn't something Lombardi should hide. Spending to the limit is precisely what teams with title aspirations must do in today's NHL. Show us a franchise that's not, and we'll show you one with other intentions.
This isn't to say Lombardi hasn't made unwise financial decisions. He has. But while Dustin Brown's and Marian Gaborik's albatross contracts do more harm than good, it's not like the millions tied up in those deals would be in safekeeping instead. The money would likely be tied up in Milan Lucic.
Not even teams built to nearly unanimous approval are safe from catastrophe. Take the Tampa Bay Lightning, who sunk fast after Steven Stamkos damaged his knee.
In the NHL, there's no coverage for those who design rosters to be competitive. There's only opportunity for lesser clubs to take advantage. This is wonderful for parity. Not so much for that two-month tournament come spring.
Why is that not the focus?
Well, hold on. There is a loophole that can benefit an enterprising entry in the event of injury - when the circumstances are just right. Salary parameters don't apply in the playoffs. So, a team like the Chicago Blackhawks, who lost leading scorer Patrick Kane to a broken collarbone a few seasons back, can tap into long-term injury relief to find a replacement, then re-insert their star into an augmented postseason roster.
Aside from the looming threat of expansion (and, we suppose, one player being an MVP candidate), timing is the only thing separating Quick's injury from Kane's. Because of this arbitrary mandate, the Kings are fighting to tread water, while those Blackhawks, with the luxury of loading up at the trade deadline, rode the wave to a third title in six seasons.
Relief shouldn't be circumstantial. It should be available for all teams - for a price.
The NHL would be a better, more competitive league with a small, highly taxed emergency reserve to help teams compensate for unforeseen events. It should function beyond the temporary relief afforded by LTIR, allowing teams to seek out suitable replacements without having to cut salary or worrying about the other associated hazards that come with a player's return.
Just like in the playoffs.
That financial leeway should be granted on a strict, case-by-case basis that is transparent, objective, and investigative. (It's for Quick's damaged groin and Stamkos' torn meniscus, not whatever it is that's ailing Joffrey Lupul.)
Further, teams must spend the emergency relief on a comparable player, and never spend beyond a fixed upper limit or the value of the injured asset. Depending on that percentage ceiling, the Kings could, in theory, pry Marc-Andre Fleury away from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It's paramount that this functions as a "luxury." Each dollar spent beyond the standard limit should be taxed at an increasing rate, so the cost in real dollars is well beyond the value of the purchased replacement. The high interest won't deter big markets, but the price of tapping into this reserve has to be significant enough to give managers real pause.
Considering the circumvention of the current collective bargaining agreement, the method would have to be seal-tight - professional in its meticulousness. This isn't hiding anchors on the payroll; it's protecting what ambitious teams have built.
It's about time the league incentivized winning, not losing. A little insurance for unforeseen circumstances is a good place to start.
The Ten
10) Anders Lee - Four goals in four games this week to make 11 from his last 14. Lee hadn't scored in 14 straight before catching fire.
9) Ottawa Senators - Claimed wins over the Blackhawks, Islanders, and Devils this week, and collected seven of a possible eight points since Guy Boucher's first tirade in Ottawa.
8) Eric Staal - You really can't help but root for him. The veteran center has been reinvigorated with the Wild, and has been especially hot of late. He scored three goals and added two assists as the Wild went 3-0 this week.
7) Justin Schultz - Raising his game to another level in the absence of Kris Letang, Schultz has two goals and six points, including three on the power play, and averaged almost 22 minutes over the last four games.
6) Andrew Cogliano - He scored the opening goal in a contest that gave him the fifth longest ironman streak in NHL history - and the longest in 23 years. He hasn't missed a single game in his career.
5) John Tortorella and the Columbus Blue Jackets - Make it 10 straight wins for the Blue Jackets, who have - incredibly - taken points from 25 of 30 games. Tortorella also became the first U.S.-born coach to collect 500 NHL wins, and just so happened to do it against the Canucks. If it made it that much sweeter, the suddenly mellow bench boss sure didn't show it.
4) Roberto Luongo and Henrik Lundqvist - Luongo matched Terry Sawchuk for fifth on the all-time wins list, while Lundqvist caught Dominik Hasek.
3) Artemi Panarin - The week's offensive leader cashed four goals and nine points to total 12 points on a six-game scoring surge.
2) Jaromir Jagr - Having matched Mark Messier for the second-most points all time, the ageless one will accomplish his greatest individual achievement with his next appearance on the scoresheet.
1) Craig Cunningham - A Christmas miracle, indeed.
More Takes
1) Chicago's sacrificed some outstanding talent over the last decade. But with the way things are going, Panarin may wind up being the best of the bunch.
2) His "Bobblebread," by the way, is the bobblehead that should really end all bobbleheads.
3) It's too bad about Rick Nash and his uncooperative groin. He's been a force in all situations for the Rangers after his miserable 2015-16 season, showing the high-grade talent that got him to Broadway. This near-impossible short-side snipe versus Nashville was sensational.
4) Likewise for Jimmy Howard, who can't stay on the ice long enough to truly showcase for Las Vegas.
4) And finally with the Wild, has Bruce Boudreau ever been more on brand?
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