Jean-Francois C.
@jeanfrancoiscba.bsky.social
Capologist and LTIR expert. I fight hockey
misinformation about the CBA and NHL rules. Je parle francais.
misinformation about the CBA and NHL rules. Je parle francais.
Injured players fully count towards the cap at all time no matter what so Laine is already included in the cap hit of the team
January 24, 2026 at 11:24 PM
Injured players fully count towards the cap at all time no matter what so Laine is already included in the cap hit of the team
Usually, teams spend all their cap space because placing a player on LTI so the ACSL is very close to the cap.
Montreal have a bad ACSL. It’s more than a million away from 95.5M.
Maybe they simply have to go under the cap, not under their ACSL
Montreal have a bad ACSL. It’s more than a million away from 95.5M.
Maybe they simply have to go under the cap, not under their ACSL
January 20, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Usually, teams spend all their cap space because placing a player on LTI so the ACSL is very close to the cap.
Montreal have a bad ACSL. It’s more than a million away from 95.5M.
Maybe they simply have to go under the cap, not under their ACSL
Montreal have a bad ACSL. It’s more than a million away from 95.5M.
Maybe they simply have to go under the cap, not under their ACSL
When a team place their first player on LTI, their salary cap is no longer 95.5M. Their new salary cap is called ACSL. To calculate it, it’s the salary minus the cap space they had at the time of the placement.
When the team is over their ACSL, they are using LTI space even if they are under 95.5M
When the team is over their ACSL, they are using LTI space even if they are under 95.5M
January 20, 2026 at 1:38 AM
When a team place their first player on LTI, their salary cap is no longer 95.5M. Their new salary cap is called ACSL. To calculate it, it’s the salary minus the cap space they had at the time of the placement.
When the team is over their ACSL, they are using LTI space even if they are under 95.5M
When the team is over their ACSL, they are using LTI space even if they are under 95.5M
Usually, the ACSL is very close to the salary cap so when a team stop using LTI, they are usually below their ACSL.
Both possibilities would make sense because the ACSL is only there for the time a team have players on LTI.
Both possibilities would make sense because the ACSL is only there for the time a team have players on LTI.
January 19, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Usually, the ACSL is very close to the salary cap so when a team stop using LTI, they are usually below their ACSL.
Both possibilities would make sense because the ACSL is only there for the time a team have players on LTI.
Both possibilities would make sense because the ACSL is only there for the time a team have players on LTI.
I will add that, as far I know, teams have to be under their ACSL to activate their final player. However, the CBA doesn’t say anything about it and it’s rare to see a team with a bad ACSL.
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are OK to activate him without any moves
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are OK to activate him without any moves
January 19, 2026 at 11:51 PM
I will add that, as far I know, teams have to be under their ACSL to activate their final player. However, the CBA doesn’t say anything about it and it’s rare to see a team with a bad ACSL.
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are OK to activate him without any moves
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are OK to activate him without any moves
Usually, the ACSL is very close to the salary cap so when a team stop using LTI, they are usually below their ACSL.
Both possibilities would make sense because the ACSL is only there for the time a team have players on LTI.
Both possibilities would make sense because the ACSL is only there for the time a team have players on LTI.
January 19, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Usually, the ACSL is very close to the salary cap so when a team stop using LTI, they are usually below their ACSL.
Both possibilities would make sense because the ACSL is only there for the time a team have players on LTI.
Both possibilities would make sense because the ACSL is only there for the time a team have players on LTI.
I will add to all of this that, as far I know, teams have to be under their ACSL to activate their final player. However, the CBA doesn’t say anything about it and it’s rare to see a team with a bad ACSL.
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are OK to activate him without any moves
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are OK to activate him without any moves
January 19, 2026 at 11:47 PM
I will add to all of this that, as far I know, teams have to be under their ACSL to activate their final player. However, the CBA doesn’t say anything about it and it’s rare to see a team with a bad ACSL.
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are OK to activate him without any moves
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are OK to activate him without any moves
Montreal is not under the cap. Their team cap hit is currently 97.25M.
Newhook could be placed on LTI or Montreal could loan 2 players to Laval to activate Dach. Montreal would be below the cap.
If Laine is ready to return, they will need to loan 2 players anyway.
Newhook could be placed on LTI or Montreal could loan 2 players to Laval to activate Dach. Montreal would be below the cap.
If Laine is ready to return, they will need to loan 2 players anyway.
January 18, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Montreal is not under the cap. Their team cap hit is currently 97.25M.
Newhook could be placed on LTI or Montreal could loan 2 players to Laval to activate Dach. Montreal would be below the cap.
If Laine is ready to return, they will need to loan 2 players anyway.
Newhook could be placed on LTI or Montreal could loan 2 players to Laval to activate Dach. Montreal would be below the cap.
If Laine is ready to return, they will need to loan 2 players anyway.
It’s PuckPedia version of CapFriendly’s Armchair GM. On mobile, you need to press on the three bars to open the menu. PuckGM is at the bottom of the menu.
Testing moves and seeing by yourself what happens can definitely help some people instead of simply reading a few numbers.
Testing moves and seeing by yourself what happens can definitely help some people instead of simply reading a few numbers.
January 18, 2026 at 3:16 PM
It’s PuckPedia version of CapFriendly’s Armchair GM. On mobile, you need to press on the three bars to open the menu. PuckGM is at the bottom of the menu.
Testing moves and seeing by yourself what happens can definitely help some people instead of simply reading a few numbers.
Testing moves and seeing by yourself what happens can definitely help some people instead of simply reading a few numbers.
CapFriendly had their LTI summary which was helpful to follow the cap situation. The current cap space was also 0$ when a team was using LTI space.
Todays Cap Hit - LTI Usage = ACSL
99 838 424- 18 338 758 = 81 499 666
PuckGM can help. MTL is displayed with -427k of projected cap space in PuckGM.
Todays Cap Hit - LTI Usage = ACSL
99 838 424- 18 338 758 = 81 499 666
PuckGM can help. MTL is displayed with -427k of projected cap space in PuckGM.
January 18, 2026 at 3:07 PM
CapFriendly had their LTI summary which was helpful to follow the cap situation. The current cap space was also 0$ when a team was using LTI space.
Todays Cap Hit - LTI Usage = ACSL
99 838 424- 18 338 758 = 81 499 666
PuckGM can help. MTL is displayed with -427k of projected cap space in PuckGM.
Todays Cap Hit - LTI Usage = ACSL
99 838 424- 18 338 758 = 81 499 666
PuckGM can help. MTL is displayed with -427k of projected cap space in PuckGM.
To activate Dach, they will need to get back below their ACSL first. Loaning Bolduc and waiving Veleno/Blais would clear enough cap space.
After activating Dach, their salary cap will return to 95.5M. This is not the case right now.
After activating Dach, their salary cap will return to 95.5M. This is not the case right now.
January 18, 2026 at 2:51 PM
To activate Dach, they will need to get back below their ACSL first. Loaning Bolduc and waiving Veleno/Blais would clear enough cap space.
After activating Dach, their salary cap will return to 95.5M. This is not the case right now.
After activating Dach, their salary cap will return to 95.5M. This is not the case right now.
PuckPedia is not perfect when a team use LTI. They don’t display ACSL for example.
It’s a bit clearer in PuckGM and even then, there’s a disclaimer that the cap space may vary slightly.
Montreal lost around 1.5M of cap space when they were placed on LTI.
It’s a bit clearer in PuckGM and even then, there’s a disclaimer that the cap space may vary slightly.
Montreal lost around 1.5M of cap space when they were placed on LTI.
January 18, 2026 at 2:49 PM
PuckPedia is not perfect when a team use LTI. They don’t display ACSL for example.
It’s a bit clearer in PuckGM and even then, there’s a disclaimer that the cap space may vary slightly.
Montreal lost around 1.5M of cap space when they were placed on LTI.
It’s a bit clearer in PuckGM and even then, there’s a disclaimer that the cap space may vary slightly.
Montreal lost around 1.5M of cap space when they were placed on LTI.
They don’t have the cap room. Their annual team cap hit is at 97.246M. They need to be below 95.5M to activate him.
January 18, 2026 at 2:34 PM
They don’t have the cap room. Their annual team cap hit is at 97.246M. They need to be below 95.5M to activate him.
Activating Evans decrease how much they could their team cap hit could raise. This is why Fowler and Beck were sent down.
They will also have to send down 2 players to activate Dach.
They will also have to send down 2 players to activate Dach.
January 18, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Activating Evans decrease how much they could their team cap hit could raise. This is why Fowler and Beck were sent down.
They will also have to send down 2 players to activate Dach.
They will also have to send down 2 players to activate Dach.
Yep, that’s right. If we simplify how LTI works, it simply allows you to exceed the cap during the time of the injury if you have no cap space left.
A bit like using a credit card if you don’t have enough in your bank account
A bit like using a credit card if you don’t have enough in your bank account
January 18, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Yep, that’s right. If we simplify how LTI works, it simply allows you to exceed the cap during the time of the injury if you have no cap space left.
A bit like using a credit card if you don’t have enough in your bank account
A bit like using a credit card if you don’t have enough in your bank account
Injured players fully count against the cap at all time. LTI doesn’t remove the cap hit of the player
January 18, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Injured players fully count against the cap at all time. LTI doesn’t remove the cap hit of the player
Any games played under an emergency recall count towards the 10/30. Days on emergency recall doesn’t count towards the 10/30.
Games played under a regular recall doesn’t count toward the 10GP for emergency recall
Games played under a regular recall doesn’t count toward the 10GP for emergency recall
January 7, 2026 at 2:39 AM
Any games played under an emergency recall count towards the 10/30. Days on emergency recall doesn’t count towards the 10/30.
Games played under a regular recall doesn’t count toward the 10GP for emergency recall
Games played under a regular recall doesn’t count toward the 10GP for emergency recall
Yes, it doesn’t start over. This is what CapFriendly had too.
PuckPedia disagrees. I will ask a NHL source to make sure.
PuckPedia disagrees. I will ask a NHL source to make sure.
January 7, 2026 at 2:04 AM
Yes, it doesn’t start over. This is what CapFriendly had too.
PuckPedia disagrees. I will ask a NHL source to make sure.
PuckPedia disagrees. I will ask a NHL source to make sure.
It begins at the time he is re-claimed. It’s exactly like if he would have clears waivers in October and would have been recalled for the first time in December
December 27, 2025 at 7:45 PM
It begins at the time he is re-claimed. It’s exactly like if he would have clears waivers in October and would have been recalled for the first time in December
Effectivement. Cela a le même effet que si Blais n’avais pas été réclamé en Octobre et que le Canadien venait simplement de rappeler Blais.
Il est exempt du ballotage pour la même période de temps qu’habituellement.
Il est exempt du ballotage pour la même période de temps qu’habituellement.
November 28, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Effectivement. Cela a le même effet que si Blais n’avais pas été réclamé en Octobre et que le Canadien venait simplement de rappeler Blais.
Il est exempt du ballotage pour la même période de temps qu’habituellement.
Il est exempt du ballotage pour la même période de temps qu’habituellement.
It would only be true if it’s a conditioning loan which would require to activate him. If it’s a LTI conditioning loan, it’s 3 games or 6 days. They can also ask for a 2 games extension if it wasn’t enough to see if he is fit to return.
November 20, 2025 at 2:44 AM
It would only be true if it’s a conditioning loan which would require to activate him. If it’s a LTI conditioning loan, it’s 3 games or 6 days. They can also ask for a 2 games extension if it wasn’t enough to see if he is fit to return.
And yes, I understand it better than you. You don’t understand that there’s no 30 days or games period.
November 9, 2025 at 2:17 AM
And yes, I understand it better than you. You don’t understand that there’s no 30 days or games period.
The player arrives on the NHL roster and the team has the choice to send him down or not. Carolina sent him down.
November 8, 2025 at 10:29 PM
The player arrives on the NHL roster and the team has the choice to send him down or not. Carolina sent him down.
That’s incorrect. There’s no 30 days, 31 days, 10 games or anything.
If Toronto placed him on waivers at any point of the season, if Carolina was claiming him and were the only team to claim, they had the ability to send him down without waivers.
It’s not automatic either.
If Toronto placed him on waivers at any point of the season, if Carolina was claiming him and were the only team to claim, they had the ability to send him down without waivers.
It’s not automatic either.
November 8, 2025 at 10:28 PM
That’s incorrect. There’s no 30 days, 31 days, 10 games or anything.
If Toronto placed him on waivers at any point of the season, if Carolina was claiming him and were the only team to claim, they had the ability to send him down without waivers.
It’s not automatic either.
If Toronto placed him on waivers at any point of the season, if Carolina was claiming him and were the only team to claim, they had the ability to send him down without waivers.
It’s not automatic either.
Because LTI have nothing to do with the playoffs.
Placing a player on LTI allows you to exceed the cap if you have no cap space left. Vegas had 0$ of cap space when the season started. The only way for them to replace Stone is to place him on LTI
Placing a player on LTI allows you to exceed the cap if you have no cap space left. Vegas had 0$ of cap space when the season started. The only way for them to replace Stone is to place him on LTI
November 5, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Because LTI have nothing to do with the playoffs.
Placing a player on LTI allows you to exceed the cap if you have no cap space left. Vegas had 0$ of cap space when the season started. The only way for them to replace Stone is to place him on LTI
Placing a player on LTI allows you to exceed the cap if you have no cap space left. Vegas had 0$ of cap space when the season started. The only way for them to replace Stone is to place him on LTI