Lightning benefit from exploiting cap loophole with Kucherov

Nikita Kucherov would have much rather ground through the season with his Tampa Bay Lightning teammates than sit out all 56 games while recovering from hip surgery. "Missing a whole year, you ask any player, you don't want to be that guy," Kucherov said.

Kucherov was that guy. The leading scorer on Tampa Bay's 2020 Stanley Cup run didn't play a game after he hoisted that trophy in September until mid-May, when the playoffs began.

In between, the Lightning were able to get an exemption for Kucherov's salary cap hit, which allowed them to keep their core group of players together and — with some gymnastics — even add an important player at the trade deadline.

It all meant that Kucherov was back for the first game of the playoffs, when the collective bargaining agreement that has been in place since 2005 stipulates the cap does not count because players only draw salaries during the regular season. He now leads all scorers in the postseason as the stacked Lightning try to win back-to-back titles.

"Sometimes the stars align for you," general manager Julien BriseBois said. "I didn't know how things would unfold. Luckily for me and for our organization, I don't think they could have unfolded any better."

It didn't unfold so well for the Florida Panthers, who lost to Tampa Bay in six games in the first round, or the Carolina Hurricanes, who were ousted 4-1 in the second.

"We had a great season," Carolina defenseman Dougie Hamilton said. "We lost to a team that's $18 million over the cap or whatever they are, unbelievable goalie and all that stuff. We played them pretty close."

That is not necessarily a complaint by Hamilton but rather his way of expressing how steep the climb was for the Hurricanes against the Lightning. Members of the Panthers and now the New York Islanders, who are facing the Lightning in the semifinals, have been careful not to make Kucherov's situation a point of contention.

"I'm not a 'capologist,' I'm a coach, but I can tell you Kucherov is a tremendous player," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "His skill set is off the charts. He's got a lot of deception, his release.

There's so many dangerous aspects that he's one of the superstars in the league."

New York GM Lou Lamoriello chose to echo Trotz, saying of Kucherov: "He's a tremendous hockey player. I don't think you need to say anymore. Certainly his past and his success speaks for itself."

Florida coach Joel Quenneville during the first round went even further about the Panthers "not complaining" about Kucherov. "It's the way it is," he said. "That's one of the rules, and you deal with it."

Quenneville's Chicago Blackhawks did something similar with Patrick Kane in 2015, putting him on long-term injured reserve during the season and making deadline moves to gear up for another Cup run. Kane, like Kucherov, was back for the playoffs.