Touching CBA Extract #1

It may weigh in at 472 pages, but never let it be said that the CBA between the NHL and the Players Association is insensitive to the game’s sentimental side.

Buried in its turgid prose is the good news that certain “traditional hockey practices” won’t count towards the salary cap. Yes, once the playoffs are over it will be time to pile the golf clubs and Christmas gifts into the convertible and set out on a father-son road trip:

50.2(a)(ii)(B) This Article 50 does not prohibit certain “Traditional Hockey Practices,”…including, without limitation, parental travel to an Entry Level Player’s first NHL game (not to exceed $5,000), golf outings, father-son road trips, seasonal events and seasonal gifts…and milestone gifts, so long as such milestone gifts do not exceed $7,500 (U.S.) in the aggregate per Player per League Year.