Breadcrumb Trail Links
SportsHockeyNHLVancouver Canucks
Patrick Johnston: The Canucks appealed to the league for a roster rule exemption. They were turned down but they’ve made change before …
Get the latest from Patrick Johnston straight to your inbox Sign Up
Published Oct 21, 2025 • 3 minute read
You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.
Defenceman Victor Mancini was at the centre of a request for a player swap currently not allowed under the NHL collective bargaining agreement. Photo by Elsa /Getty ImagesArticle content
Two years ago, the Vancouver Canucks were dinged by the league for breaking post-season practice rules. But the NHL did end up changing the rules because of it.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account
or
Article content
Could the Canucks now end up changing the league’s new roster rules, for practical reasons?
Article content
Article content
The short version of the fine from 2023 was that, following the end of the 2022-23 NHL season, the Canucks kept Rogers Arena available to the players for a few extra weeks so those players who were bound for the World Championships — Canada’s Tyler Myers and Ethan Bear, the USA’s Conor Garland — plus a couple players recovering from injury, could remain active with the team’s help.
The problem was the Canucks allowed a member of the team’s staff to direct those skates, which under the collective bargaining agreement was a no-no. Teams are allowed to have their facilities open and to have staff on hand to assist players with off-season training, but the rules prevented coaches from directing training sessions. The CBA has long been clear about how firm the boundaries for work time and personal time are, and allowing a coach to direct off-season preparations has been restricted to the official pre-season.
Canucks Report
Thanks for signing up!
Article content
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
They have been in place to prevent teams from placing pressure on personnel when they aren’t at work and to create a clear definition between what is and isn’t working hours. The rules are also in place to keep the off-season training field between teams somewhat level. In a league with a few very rich teams and a number of not-so-rich teams, some might be able to employ more training personnel than others.
After the Canucks’ fine, which the team said they were surprised by as they thought they were abiding by the spirit of the rules, the NHL and players’ association got together and came up with a logical solution, that players could request time with a team-employed skills coach during the off-season. Those requests would have to go through the NHLPA, which would then communicate with the league.
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
The Canucks didn’t get their fine waived, but they still did initiate change for the better.
On Monday, they repeated this lesson of “bring up the issues in practical terms and see what they really mean.” Faced with a bit of an injury crisis following Sunday’s game in Washington, Canucks GM Patrik Allvin called up the NHL with a query: Under the revised terms of the newly signed collective bargaining agreement, which will come into force over this season and the next, teams can no longer shuttle players between the NHL and AHL daily in order to save money on the salary caps. With more and more teams basing their AHL teams within driving distance of the NHL team, it had become a regular habit for teams to send their spare players down to the AHL roster for a day or two, just to reduce their daily cap burden and increase their accrued cap space later in the season.
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
That practice has been banned. Players must now spend a game in the minors when they are sent down.
In this case, Allvin asked the NHL and NHLPA if the team could get an exemption. They wanted to play Victor Mancini in the NHL, but because of his cap hit and the team’s desire to move Nils Hoglander to long-term injured reserve so they could take advantage of LTIR’s salary relief provisions, it would be optimal if they could swap Mancini and minor leaguer Jimmy Schuldt, who had a slightly lower cap hit.
Allvin confirmed the request, although he didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of what they were asking for. But it’s pretty clear that they asked if they could, for practical reasons, make an old-fashioned paper exemption, simply so they could get the optimal amount of relief from Hoglander’s contract.
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Presumably the point was made to the NHLPA that if they were allowed to make this move, which was not to save money against the cap, that Mancini would make more money on the aggregate too, since his minor league salary is far smaller — and the union is in the business of getting their members as much NHL salary as possible.
At the moment the answer is no, but you can’t help but wonder if, in the long run, other teams ponder the practical reality of what the Canucks were facing here and start talking about making an exemption to the current rule. That is what happened with the Canucks’ 2023 practice rule violation.
Read More
Canucks’ CBA fine leads to trial of players skating with coaches in off-season
Nothing but concern about quartet of Canucks injuries
Article content
Share this article in your social network