Woe vs. Wade
Every now and again the league changes the rules because of one player’s influence on the game. Sean Avery‘s attempt to distract Martin Brodeur in the playoffs back in 2007 saw the league quickly re-interpret existing laws, Martin Brodeur himself saw the introduction of the trapezoid to limit his ability to play the puck.
In the case of Wade Redden – and in the second instance, Scott Gomez – the league has made two changes. The first rule change was instituted in the new CBA, preventing teams from burying unwieldy contracts down in the AHL to circumvent the Cap. Under the new CBA, Redden’s contract would count against the Cap, regardless of where he played, or for that matter, whether he played at all.