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Former Detroit Red Wings executive lands in trouble with NHL for Collective Bargaining Agreement violation

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Jack Sutherland
December 29, 2024  (12:40)
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Former Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill, now the GM of the Dallas Stars, has landed in hot water with the NHL after the team held practice on a prohibited date on the calendar.

The Dallas Stars have been fined by the National Hockey League for a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The Stars are led by general manager Jim Nill, who was an assistant general manager with the Red Wings for years and helped the team win the Stanley Cup on four separate occasions.

The specific violation wasn't because of an illegal contract or maneuver around the salary cap, but rather for holding an optional practice during the NHL's mandated holiday break.

The Stars held an optional practice on December 26, which is the day after Christmas and the final day of the NHL's holiday break as outlined by the CBA.

According to https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6023307/2024/12/28/nhl-stars-cba-violation-practice/:

December 24, Christmas Day, and December 26 shall be off-days for all purposes, including travel, and no Club may request a Player's consent to practice on such days for any reason.

Stars head coach Peter DeBoer explained that the practice session was optional.

I was at the rink yesterday. We had an optional, and of course the young guys all show up for the optional like, you know, they're supposed to do.

Meanwhile, Minnesota Wild head coach John Hyne seemed to be willing to give DeBoer the benefit of the doubt.

Obviously the rules are in place for a reason. The league is so competitive and so tight in terms of the schedule, you'd like everyone on an even playing field. The rules are the rules, right?

But, again, I don't know exactly what he meant. I've got a lot of respect for Pete, so I would lend myself to think that maybe he made a mistake.

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DECEMBRE 29   |   84 ANSWERS
Former Detroit Red Wings executive lands in trouble with NHL for Collective Bargaining Agreement violation

How big of a mistake was it to allow Jim Nill to depart the Red Wings?

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