Is Lou cheating?

The much media esteemed NJ Devils GM is at it again. I've questioned his finagling of the CBA, in particular his Mogilny magic trick, erasing a crippling contract and thus allowing his team to continue its dominant trap-style play in the Atlantic division. If Mogilny's contract had been applied to the cap, it is elementary to assume the Devils would not be where they are today, leading their division by a healthy margin in the era of three point games.

It seems competing GMs are again questioning Lou's adherence to the CBA, this time in regard to long-healed defender Richard Matvichuk. According to sportsline.com's rumor mill(02/12/07 update) :

The New York Post reports aboux six clubs have asked the NHL to investigate the status of Richard Matvichuk. The Devils were granted a long-term injury exemption toward their cap, but it is believed Matvichuk has recovered from his back injury and is ready to play.

Hmm. Matvichuk declared himself fit to play some time ago, and yet somehow the LTI exemption is allowed to remain in effect. Fellow GMs are right to be upset about this blatant and overt disregard of the CBA's intent. However, Lou has out-flanked his colleagues yet again. According to this NY Post article, Lou doesn't have to make a move.

Lou Lamoriello has received break after break from the league on his cap mess, but it's hard to believe even he would go back to that well again, even as the NHL allows him to keep Richard Matvichuk off the cap, regardless of whether or not he is still injured.

Lamoriello doesn't have to remove Matvichuk from the Long-Term Injury exemption until he finds cap space. The league will not determine, whether the summertime back surgery has been rehabilitated and will not force Lamoriello to make space for Matvichuk. Once LTI is granted, the team decides when it's over.

It's unlikely a long-ready Matvichuk will play until only nickels remain on his $1.36 million salary and cap liability. Once the playoffs start the cap no longer applies, so the Devils can suit him up, although Matvichuk must be activated before the season's end, a minimum of one game or a couple rust-removers at some 16.6G per against the cap. Peanuts.

Bollocks is more like it.