Maple Leafs fined $100,000 for violating collective bargaining agreement
The NHL announced Wednesday that the Toronto Maple Leafs have been assessed a $100,000 fine. The Maple Leafs were fined because the team travelled to St. Louis on December 26 when they were supposed to wait until the next day.
The NHL rule book explicitly states, “December 24, Christmas Day, and December 26 shall be off-days for all purposes, including travel, and no Club may request a Player’s consent to practice on such days for any reason, provide, however, if December 26 falls on a Saturday and the league has scheduled NHL games on such date, December 23 may be substituted as an off-day for all purposes, including travel, instead of December 26.”
The Leafs left for St. Louis at 10:30 PM EST on December 26, when they should have left after midnight, according to Elliotte Friedman. This team activity was in violation of Article 16.5(b) of the collective bargaining agreement.
The money from this hefty fine will go to the NHL Foundation.
Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe has been fined $25,000 for a separate incident by the league. During the St. Louis Blues/Toronto Maple Leafs game on December 27, Keefe acted with demeaning conduct towards the on-ice officials. This marks the first head coach fine this season.
The $25,000 fine will be donated to the NHL Foundation.
The Maple Leafs are in the middle of potentially one of the most successful seasons in franchise history. They currently sit in second place in the Atlantic Division, behind only the Boston Bruins. They have a record of 22-7-6 for 50 points through 35 games.
The Maple Leafs are enjoying highly impactful seasons from Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares as well as their goalies Ilya Samsonov and Matt Murray.