LAS VEGAS (AP) — Boos began raining down on Golden Knights captain Mark Stone at American Airlines Center in Dallas the moment he first touched the puck. They didn't let up whenever the first-round series was in Dallas.
Stars fans weren't happy that the poster boy of all that is questionable with how long-term injured reserve operates was back on the ice just in time for the playoffs.
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Boos began raining down on Golden Knights captain Mark Stone at American Airlines Center in Dallas the moment he first touched the puck. They didn't let up whenever the first-round series was in Dallas.
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) celebrates after scoring against the Dallas Stars during the third period in Game 6 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Friday, May 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (36) celebrates with Mark Stone (61), Noah Hanifin (15) and Zach Whitecloud (2) after Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Monday, April 22, 2024. The Golden Knights won 4-3. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Dallas Stars in the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Dallas, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone looks on during the second period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Again.
No team is more scrutinized than Vegas for how it uses LTIR. To critics and skeptical fans, it looks very much like manipulation of the salary cap — even though the NHL has steadfastly maintained it is fine with it all.
Stone has gone on LTIR each of the past three seasons, which allows the Golden Knights to exceed the cap by roughly the amount of his salary until the playoffs begin. The Knights have taken advantage by acquiring players such as Jack Eichel, Ivan Barbashev, Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin. It was Hanifin's goal Friday night that forced a Game 7 against Dallas.
The past two years — after back surgery in 2023 and recovering from a lacerated spleen this season — Stone was activated off LTIR for the postseason opener.
As many fans around the league howled at the remarkable timing of Stone's recovery, a smiling Hayley Thompson posed with a fan wearing her husband's No. 61 jersey with LTIR on the nameplate.
Vegas is hardly alone in using LTIR to its benefit. PuckPedia's Hart Levine said 69% of teams used LTIR this season to exceed the cap, which is $83.5 million this season. The website that tracks salaries around the league also lists 10 playoff teams ending the regular season having exceeded the cap, with the Toronto Maple Leafs ($14.15 million over) and Tampa Bay Lightning ($10.27 million) topping the list.
Vegas is third at $8.72 million above the cap. The team gets attention because it has used LTIR every year to seek talent at the trade deadline. Unprompted, general manager Kelly McCrimmon took a few moments to address the issue before the postseason began. He said "the NHL is 100% involved” in all matters involving LTIR.
McCrimmon said the league had complete access to Stone's medical information and NHL doctors communicated with the surgeon and the Golden Knights' medical staff.
“That's what keeps the system legitimate,” McCrimmon said. “They are the people that are fully involved in this. I don't know maybe fans or media understand the degree to which these injuries are scrutinized. We've had the situation with Mark. Ironically, it's the same player. We talked openly what his surgery was a year ago. This year was a freak accident.”
Levine noted that a timeline of Stone's recovery had to be provided to the league and the process documented. He also said there are parts of the process open to interpretation.
“The fact that (Stone) was magically healed and ready to go for Game 1 of the playoffs for the second year in a row obviously leaves a poor taste in everybody's mouth," Levine said. “I certainly think it's a bad look and it does lead to frustration among fans, which is important. I don't think anything was done that was against the rules. No one cheated or anything. It's just using the rules as they are and living in a bit of the gray area.”
Chicago star Patrick Kane was placed on LTIR in 2015 with a broken clavicle, the Blackhawks added three players at the trade deadline and he returned in time for the playoffs. The Blackhawks went on to beat the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.
Tampa Bay used the rule to its advantage when Nikita Kucherov missed the pandemic-shortened season because of hip surgery and Steven Stamkos went on LTIR with a lower-body injury before the trade deadline. Each player returned in time to help the Lightning repeat as champions.
“We had a great season,” Carolina defenseman Dougie Hamilton said back in 2021 after the Hurricanes were eliminated by Tampa Bay in the second round. “We lost to a team that’s $18 million over the cap.”
Fans accused the Blackhawks and Lightning of circumventing the cap, much like the criticism of Vegas in recent years.
It’s unclear if the league and NHL Players’ Association will discuss the matter again as soon as this summer, though it has been on the radar as a topic. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said to this point there has been no groundswell of opposition demanding change.
Levine said there are possible solutions, such as limiting a team exceeding the cap to replacing only 50% of the lost annual salary. He added that things need to be simplified; how much of a salary gets freed up depends on a complicated formula that is not spelled out in the collective bargaining agreement.
“It's in memos and verbal discussions with the league,” Levine said. “There are many front-office people who manage the cap that really don't have a great handle on all the intricacies.”
He said no other major sport leagues use this kind of system where an injury can end up benefiting a team when the postseason begins.
“I would say there's definitely a possibility of a change because I do think it's rather embarrassing for the league,” Levine said.
AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed.
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers with right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) and defenseman Matt Dumba (24) during the third period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) celebrates after scoring against the Dallas Stars during the third period in Game 6 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Friday, May 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (36) celebrates with Mark Stone (61), Noah Hanifin (15) and Zach Whitecloud (2) after Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Monday, April 22, 2024. The Golden Knights won 4-3. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Dallas Stars in the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Dallas, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone looks on during the second period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
PEZINOK, Slovakia (AP) — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico ’s condition was serious but stable Saturday as the man accused of trying to assassinate him faced his first court appearance.
Two hours of surgery Friday to remove dead tissue from Fico's multiple gunshot wounds led to a good prognosis for his recovery but he was still not well enough to travel to a hospital in the capital, Bratislava, government ministers said outside University F. D. Roosevelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica, where Fico was taken by helicopter after the shooting.
“Several miracles have occurred in Banska Bystrica in recent days coming from the hands of doctors, nurses and the personnel at the Roosevelt Hospital," Defense Minister Robert Kalinak said.
Fico, 59, was attacked as he greeted supporters following a government meeting Wednesday in the former coal mining town of Handlova. The suspect was tackled to the ground and arrested.
The update on Fico’s health was issued as the man accused of attempting to assassinate him made his first court appearance, according to Slovak state media.
Prosecutors were seeking an order from Slovakia’s Specialized Criminal Court to detain the suspect.
Prosecutors told police not to publicly identify the man or release other details about the case, but unconfirmed media reports said he was a 71-year-old retiree known as an amateur poet who may have once worked as a mall security guard in the country’s southwest.
Government authorities gave details that matched that description. They said the suspect didn’t belong to any political groups, though the attack itself was politically motivated.
The courthouse in Pezinok, a small town outside the capital, Bratislava, was guarded by officers wearing balaclavas and carrying rifles. News media were not allowed in and reporters were kept behind a gate outside.
Police on Friday had taken the suspect to his home in the town of Levice and seized a computer and some documents, Markiza, a Slovak television station reported. Police didn’t comment.
With police remaining largely silent about the case, it was not clear how the suspect came to possess a firearm.
Slovakia has strict rules on firearms and gun owners must have a good reason to possess one and are required to pass a test.
As a consequence, Slovakia has one of the lowest gun ownership rates in Europe. It was ranked 23rd out of 27 European Union countries with a gun ownership rate of 6.5 per 100 people, according to the Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the EU.
World leaders have condemned the attack and offered support for Fico and Slovakia.
Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and beyond. His return to power last year on a pro-Russia, anti-American platform led to worries among fellow European Union and NATO members that he would abandon his country’s pro-Western course, particularly on Ukraine.
At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Slovakia was one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters, but Fico halted arms deliveries to Ukraine when he returned to power, his fourth time serving as prime minister.
Fico’s government has also made efforts to overhaul public broadcasting — a move critics said would give the government full control of public television and radio. That, coupled with his plans to amend the penal code to eliminate a special anti-graft prosecutor, have led opponents to worry that Fico will lead Slovakia down a more autocratic path.
Thousands of demonstrators have repeatedly rallied in the capital and around the country of 5.4 million to protest his policies.
Fico said last month on Facebook that he believed rising tensions in the country could lead to the killing of politicians, and he blamed the media for fueling tensions.
Before Fico returned to power last year, many of his political and business associates were the focus of police investigations, and dozens have been charged.
His plan to overhaul the penal system would eliminate the office of the special prosecutor that deals with organized crime, corruption and extremism.
Associated Press reporters Karel Janicek in Vsetin, Czech Republic, and Brian Melley in London contributed to this report.
A general view of the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital, where Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot and injured, is being treated, in Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. The man accused of attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made his first court appearance Saturday as the nation's leader remained in serious condition recovering from surgery after surviving multiple gunshots, Slovak state media said. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
A couple walk towards a building at the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital, where Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot and injured, is being treated, in Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. The man accused of attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made his first court appearance Saturday as the nation's leader remained in serious condition recovering from surgery after surviving multiple gunshots, Slovak state media said. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
Policemen guard the area as they wait for the suspect, in shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, to be brought to court in Pezinok, Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Officials in Slovakia say Prime Minister Robert Fico has undergone another operation two days after his assassination attempt and remains in serious condition. (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)
Policemen guard the area as they wait for the suspect, in shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, to be brought to court in Pezinok, Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Officials in Slovakia say Prime Minister Robert Fico has undergone another operation two days after his assassination attempt and remains in serious condition. (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)
A car supposedly carrying the suspect, in shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, arrives at court in Pezinok, Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Officials in Slovakia say Prime Minister Robert Fico has undergone another operation two days after his assassination attempt and remains in serious condition. (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)
Members of the media film outside the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital, where Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot and injured, is being treated, in Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. The man accused of attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made his first court appearance Saturday as the nation's leader remained in serious condition recovering from surgery after surviving multiple gunshots, Slovak state media said. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
Journalists gather as they wait for the suspect, in shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, to be brought to court in Pezinok, Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Officials in Slovakia say Prime Minister Robert Fico has undergone another operation two days after his assassination attempt and remains in serious condition. (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)
Policemen guard the area as they wait for the suspect, in shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, to be brought to court in Pezinok, Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Officials in Slovakia say Prime Minister Robert Fico has undergone another operation two days after his assassination attempt and remains in serious condition. (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)
Policemen guard the area as convoy brings the suspect, in shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, to court in Pezinok, Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Officials in Slovakia say Prime Minister Robert Fico has undergone another operation two days after his assassination attempt and remains in serious condition. (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)
FILE - Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during a press conference with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. A man charged with attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was escorted by police to his home on the morning of Friday, May 17, 2024, with media saying that it was part of a search for evidence. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File)
Policemen guard the area as convoy brings the suspect, in shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, to court in Pezinok, Slovakia, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Officials in Slovakia say Prime Minister Robert Fico has undergone another operation two days after his assassination attempt and remains in serious condition. (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)
