Golden Knights circumvent salary cap rules again

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The Vegas Golden Knights should be writing a novel.

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They could call it “Cheating Within The Rules” or something a little snappier that says the same thing.

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The prized possession of former attorney Bill Foley, the Golden Knights are again tip-toeing around the NHL’s lawbook.

Specifically the edict touching on a salary cap that only is in play during the regular season.

In the playoffs, it disappears, just like players’ paycheques.

This is a loophole that has been exploited a few times before, and owners chose to leave it open.

As a result, Vegas could soon enough go from being the fastest team to win a Stanley Cup (in their sixth year) to the fastest team to win a couple of them before they turn eight.

And the key to their success could again be their captain.

Everyone knew the multi-dimensional Mark Stone would significantly increase the Golden Knights championship chances when they obtained him from the Ottawa Senators for a carton of gum, bag of pucks and box of white hockey tape on Feb. 25, 2019.

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But the thinking was it would just be with his on-ice talents: The incredible hockey sense, deft puck-stealing abilities and overall leadership skills.

Overlooked was Stone’s uncanny sense of timing.

Last season, his problematic back flared up just in time for the Golden Knights to afford some pre-trade deadline rentals: Winger Ivan Barbashev, centre Teddy Blueger and goalie Jonathan Quick.

Blueger only played six post-season games, scoring a goal and an assist, while Quick, the 2012 Conn Smythe Award winner who also led the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup in 2014, was a tremendous insurance policy who didn’t see the crease because Adin Hill played so well.

But Barbashev — who was acquired for AHLer and ex-Gatineau Olympique Zach Dean in case Stone’s season was done — chipped in with 18 points that tied him for eighth in playoff scoring with Leon Draisaitl, just two behind Connor McDavid.

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Sure the Oilers had 10 fewer post-season games than the Golden Knights, but maybe that wouldn’t have been the case had they nabbed Barbashev before Vegas did.

Oh and Stone, whose last regular-season game was Jan. 12, returned just in time to play all 22 post-season games. He had 24 points (11 goals), tied for third most in playoff scoring, and was key in the team raising Lord Stanley’s coveted mug for the first time.

The question is … does history repeat itself this spring?

The Golden Knights placed Stone on long-term injured reserve at the end of February when he suffered a lacerated spleen — an injury that is certainly nothing to sneeze at — two weeks before the trade deadline.

That started eyes rolling and heads shaking across the hockey world, as the move conveniently freed up over $9 million in salary cap space for Vegas to add a couple of impact players.

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Cynics suggested the Golden Knights were circumventing the cap again.

With a scoff, wink and some newfound cash in their jeans, the Golden Knights responded by trading for not one, not two but three veteran players who could very well be difference makers: A big scoring winger in Anthony Mantha, a solid, top-pairing defenceman in Noah Hanifin and, minutes before the deadline, talented two-way centre Tomas Hertl.

A former first-round pick (2012) and fifth-leading scorer in Sharks history, Hertl has not yet made his Golden Knights debut as he is recovering from a knee injury.

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But he is expected back in time for the playoffs.

Just like Stone.

Give Foley credit for being a quick learner.

In 2015, before entering the fraternity, he had to notice the Chicago Blackhawks place Patrick Kane on injury reserve with an ailment that occurred down the stretch.

With some wiggle room, they traded for defenceman Kimmo Timonen and centre Antoine Vermette.

Kane returned early in the playoffs and wound up tied for the post-season scoring title with Tampa’s Tyler Johnson as the ’Hawks went on to win the Cup.

A handful of seasons later, the Lightning was $18 million over the cap before they allowed Nikita Kucherov to spend the entire season on LTIR.

He came back just in time to win the playoff scoring race by a full nine points as the Bolts went on to beat the Carolina Hurricanes, the Presidents Trophy winners, in Round 2 and then the Montreal Canadiens, who snuck in the post-season tournament, in the Cup final.

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“We had a great season,” Hurricanes defenceman Dougie Hamilton said snidely at the time. “We lost to a team that’s $18 million over the cap, or whatever they are, unbelievable goalie and all that stuff. But we played them pretty close.”

Is the NHL going to close this loophole or continue to keep it open for the most daring to jump through?

What if the Golden Knights make it back-to-back titles in June?

And what if they three-peat 15 months from now, this time after, say, Hertl is conveniently injured before the deadline?

Hertl has six years remaining on a $8.1375 million AAV, which the Sharks will retain 17% of for the remainder of the contract.

Still, he’ll take up a sizeable chunk of the Vegas cap space going forward — but only if he’s A) healthy and B) playing.

If he’s A) and not B), he could be C) resting an injury and off the books.

That could allow the Golden Knights to afford any missing pieces they might need.

The current Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire in September 2026.

Expect someone to try to stop the Cheating Within The Rules at that time, if not before.

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