2018 WJC Scandal: four players face life-changing sanctions
Four of the five NHL players from Canada's gold medal-winning 2018 World Junior team won't be allowed back in the United States of America for the time being.
According to Rick Westhead, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod won't be allowed back into the country for now. The exception is Cal Foote because he's a dual citizen, so he's in the clear.
My understanding is that they won't have to do that because they are not considered to be flight risks.
It is still possible, however, that any or all of the players could be refused entry to the U.S.
Border Bound: Travel Restrictions Hit NHL Players:
For Formenton, who played in Europe, this isn't a big deal. Yet for Dube, being on the Calgary Flames means he's stuck in Canada and can't even travel with his team north of the border. It's a significant blow for the Flyers since Hart is their starting goaltender. However, there's no telling when or if they'll be allowed back anytime soon.
Salary Cap Shuffle: Impact on Teams and Rosters:
As for their contracts, they'll still be getting paid while they sit out. Hart, being the highest-paid among them, rakes in around $4.479 million this season. Yet even though he's on leave, his salary still counts against the Flyers' salary cap. However, since he's labeled as "nonroster," he doesn't eat up one of the 23 spots on the team roster.
So, they could fill his spot with someone from the AHL. The same goes for the Devils and Flames dealing with their absences. It's tough for the teams to cut these players loose until they're convicted. However, all players are free agents after the season, so, it might not be such a big deal.
| POLL | ||
Should the Four Members Involved in the 2018 WJC Scandal Face Life-Changing Sanctions? | ||
| Yes, they deserve it | 672 | 51.5 % |
| No, it's too severe | 271 | 20.8 % |
| Unsure | 362 | 27.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
