The Philadelphia Flyers have been fined an undisclosed amount by the NHL for traveling on Dec. 26 – a day when the NHL supposedly shuts down for Christmas holidays.
From the league:
The National Hockey League announced today that it has fined the Philadelphia Flyers' organization for the team's travel to Nashville on December 26, 2014. This team activity was in violation of Article 16.5(b) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association.
The League will have no further comment on the matter.
For starters, here’s food for thought … why does the league announce every fine with players from a monetary perspective, but won’t say how much the Flyers were fined?
Anyway, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston had the details on why the Flyers drew the NHL’s scorn:
The team departed for Nashville at 8:24 p.m. ET on Dec. 26, according to their flight log on FlightAware, during what is considered a restricted period for team activity in the CBA.
Article 16.5 (b) in that document states: “December 24, Christmas Day, and December 26 shall be off-days for all purposes, including travel.”
First off, the whole ‘you can’t travel during the league shutdown’ is somewhat dumb. Making teams travel the day of their Dec. 27 games is just bizarre and puts the visiting team at a decently-sized disadvantage.
Plus, do we really think the Flyers were the only team that did this? Maybe owner Ed Snider’s um … close … relationship with commissioner Gary Bettman made him feel more apt to test these waters.
Also, other teams were investigated for informal skates during the break, such as the Ducks and the Devils. Who knows which other squads did this as well. Those were the only two who got quasi-caught.
There is some reasoning that Flyers general manager Ron Hextall gave us ... whether you want to believe it or not, he is quoted in the Philadelphia Daily News:
"I'm not going to get into details," Hextall said in a conference call with reporters.
Hextall said he was approached by Flyers players before the trip, asking if they could fly to Nashville on Dec. 26 on the night before the team's matchup against the Predators on Dec. 27. Normal team custom would have been to fly in the afternoon on Dec. 26, but a mandatory three-day holiday break, as bargained in the CBA, allows players three full days of rest.
Hextall said he approved the team's request.
"We were aware of the rule and we certainly accept the leagfue's decision," Hextall said. "After thought, it was tough to not allow them to do anything possible to win the game.
Hextall said he was approached by Flyers players before the trip, asking if they could fly to Nashville on Dec. 26 on the night before the team's matchup against the Predators on Dec. 27. Normal team custom would have been to fly in the afternoon on Dec. 26, but a mandatory three-day holiday break, as bargained in the CBA, allows players three full days of rest.
Hextall said he approved the team's request.
"We were aware of the rule and we certainly accept the leagfue's decision," Hextall said. "After thought, it was tough to not allow them to do anything possible to win the game.
"Everything just made sense."
Remember when Hextall didn't confirm nor deny an obvious post-game rant at his team earlier this year? Just saying...
If anything, this should basically destroy the myth that the entire NHL ‘shuts down’ during the holidays. Players want to at least skate off their giant Christmas hams. Teams don’t want to wakeup at the crack of dawn to play when the prior day isn’t even a holiday.
And lastly on the fine … why did the NHL announce the Kings were fined $100,000 for Slava Voynov skating with the team, but this is undisclosed? There must be some reason beyond the fact that it always appears that Snider is the NHL's puppet master. Was it ... one million dollars?!? Or even less for that matter.
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