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Gionta Goes On LTIR
by Paul on 03/16/07 at 08:43 AM ET
Comments (5)
from NorthJersey.com,
With his team hit hard by the injury bug and no salary cap room to call up anyone from the minors, Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello decided Thursday to place right wing Brian Gionta on long-term injured reserve retroactive to the last game he played on March 6 in Philadelphia….
“We just looked at the calendar and where Brian is at, we’re certainly not going to rush him,” Lamoriello said. “Brian and I had a conversation [Wednesday]. We’ll put Brian on injured reserve, which will allow us to put pressure on some of the young players. It also will give Brian time, so he doesn’t have to put pressure on himself.”
Filed in: New Jersey Devils | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
Good to see the automatic slag on the Devils has gone from “THE TRAP IS KILLING HOCKEY!!!” to “LOU CHEATS THE CBA!!!”
Posted by Greg Wyshynski from DC on 03/16/07 at 11:03 AM ET
Greg, he does utilize the LTI exemption more often than any other team. None of us have all the details, but it does look suspect. Matvichuk especially.
Posted by Ninja on 03/16/07 at 12:13 PM ET
Greg-
You have to admit it’s an irresistable response to Lou. He helped write the CBA (or so it is alleged) and the first guy to find a way to get out of real tight spot is none other than Lou! Certainly he needed the Sharks help, but what’s the price of cap space to get into compliance? Wasn’t it a first round pick? Even the most die-hard Devil-colored glasses-wearing fan has to admit that was cap circumvention at its best.
Who blamed the Trap on Lou? Lemaire helped, there was the Left Wing Lock, but I personally hold the Czechs and Soviets responsible. Those Red teams were so damn fast and so damn skilled that the poor Czechs responded with the Neutral Zone Trap. I think the lack of enforcement of holding and obstruction interference only made a trapping system more effective. So there!
Posted by snafu from Michigan on 03/16/07 at 01:22 PM ET
Glad to know you know your trap history. 
Luckily for Lindy Ruff, trap-bashing seems to have ended with the lockout.
As for the LTI exemption, I agree that Lou’s been able to use it to the team’s advantage. And who knows how much input he had in that part of the CBA. But the rules are the rules, and Lou has found a way to use them to his advantage until they’re changed. Hey, wouldn’t be the first time the Devils have caused new legislation to be enacted—maybe they’ll put a trapazoid around the LTI exemption…
Posted by Greg Wyshynski from DC on 03/16/07 at 03:06 PM ET
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Right! And I fully expect the NHL to crack down on Lou when Gionta is ready to return right as the playoffs start. (Also meaning when the salary cap calculations for the season are done.)
Lou has no cap space to deal with injuries? Oh really? Let’s see how we circumvent the CBA on that one…
Posted by snafu from Michigan on 03/16/07 at 09:54 AM ET