I think the thing that sounds crappy is that his entire salary still counts towards the cap of the Bruins. I don't mind that he wants to sit out for the season, but he should at least retire or void his contract in some way. That way, the team can compete without taking the $5 hit to the cap. Just my .02 cents.
I don't think this is true. IIRC, Scott Niedermayer was technically under suspension by the Ducks when he sat out the first third of the 07-08 season, and his salary didn't count against the cap. If the B's do the same thing, I'm guessing Thomas' salary will also not count towards the cap.
Since Thomas signed his contract after turning 35 years old, if he actually retired, the Bruins would have to pay off the rest of his contract (or at least some percentage of it, I don't remember..). Sounds like this is a way for him to hang 'em up and not leave the team stranded.
I thought that if you signed after a certain age (as Comrade mentioned 35) retirement through anything other than injury meant that salary still had to be paid/counted against the cap as a way of stopping teams front loading contracts until players were like 50? Not too knowledgable of the salary cap and the CBA though so may well be wrong. Even buying out a contract still counts towards the cap doesn't it, just means that money is off their books in one lump sum and they can forget about it. Wondering if there is any way to void a contract as Nightfall said? (Sorry still not great with peoples actual names and their profile names.) Only way I can think of is if one or the other of the party breaks contract rules and they have a legal opportunity to terminate a contract. However still don't know how that will affect the CBA as it could still require them to pay towards the cap.
Very weird move by Thomas but quite simply, I think he doesn't really enjoy it much anymore. I gave up playing soccer because I simply lost interest in it, some of the time it happens. But then again soccer is rapidly falling apart so it was an easy decision
EDIT: Forgot to mention, with the Long-term IR, I wonder if a team could lobby on grounds of mental health? Has that ever been done before. I think with a lot of hockey players untimely deaths recently and some having suspicious circumstances surrounding them, that a team could put together a good case for a player needing time off such as this. Would have to be strictly enforced though to stop teams getting big contracts off their books.
Because Tim Thomas Inc. reserves the right to consider any contract signed by Tim Thomas Inc. null and void. Additionally, Tim Thomas Inc. never claimed to have strong bonds of affection for the city of Boston, teammates, or the employers for which Tim Thomas Inc. temporarily associated itself. Team play, hard work, and sacrifice have always been considered of secondary importance to Tim Thomas Inc. whose only true goal has been the promotion of Tim Thomas Inc. from relative obscurity to a household brand much the same as Coca Cola Inc. Further clarification concerning the decisions of Tim Thomas Inc. will be delivered via internal memo to the employees of Tim Thomas Inc., however the content of said memo should not be released to the public for any reason whatsoever.
Tim Thomas Inc. and its licensed publicist will release a statement to the public tomorrow via facebook to help clarify some common misconceptions about the intent of Tim Thomas Inc.
Further information can be obtained by visiting the website www.GIANTDOUCHEBAG.timthomas.org.
This is bullplop... Coca Cola has never been known as 'Coca Cola Inc.' but is traded as a public company under the name 'The Coca Cola Company'... Jeez get it right!
Edited by Wing Across The Pond, 02 June 2012 - 06:44 AM.
