Former NHL GM reveals 'tampering running rampant' during free agency

The NHL is facing a significant tampering issue, with a former General Manager revealing that the problem has reached an all-time high. The league's decision to remove the one-week negotiation window from the collective bargaining agreement has led to a free-for-all, with teams ignoring the rules and speaking to upcoming free agents before the official deadline.

In the past, the negotiation window allowed players and teams to discuss potential deals, giving players more time to make informed decisions. However, with the removal of this window, teams are now free to tamper with players still under contract, revealing details of deals before the official deadline. This has led to a situation where over 20 deals were revealed before the July 1st deadline, despite players still being under contract with their previous teams.

The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers, who were involved in the Stanley Cup finals, were at a significant disadvantage due to this tampering. The league's lack of enforcement has led to a situation where teams are circumventing the contract, and it's unclear what the consequences will be. The NHL needs to make a definitive statement on this issue, either allowing teams to continue tampering or enforcing the rules set out in the collective bargaining agreement.

If the league fails to address this issue, it will only lead to further problems, with teams feeling emboldened to ignore the rules. The NHL must take action to ensure that teams abide by the rules and respect the contracts of players. The league's integrity is at stake, and it's time for them to take tampering seriously.

Sources: Blade of Steel
NHL source reveals 'tampering running rampant' during free agency