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NHL Announces Stiff Punishment to Coyotes For Combine Violation

The NHL handed down their punishments to the Arizona Coyotes for violating their league’s combine policy when it comes to testing players.

The NHL has handed down their punishments to the Arizona Coyotes for violating the league’s combine policy when it comes to testing players. The team will lose a 2nd-rounder this year and 1st next year as part of the punishment.

As per CapFriendly, as a result of today’s sanctions the club now finds itself without a 1st, 2nd or 3rd RD pick in the 2020 draft. They also do not have a 1st or 3rd in 2021 IF they re-sign Taylor Hall, they will not have a 1st or 2nd in 2021.

Ouch.

The NHL wrote in a statement release on Wednesday:

The National Hockey League has sanctioned the Arizona Coyotes for violating the NHL’s Combine Testing Policy during the 2019-20 season, directing the forfeiture of the Club’s 2nd-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and 1st-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

The statement goes on to further explain that the sanctions were announced by Commissioner Gary Bettman. Bettman convened a hearing on the matter on August 6 which included testimony from representatives of the Coyotes and the NHL. The Coyotes did acknowledge during that hearing that the club had violated the Policy by conducting physical testing on 2020 draft-eligible players prior to the Combine.

It adds:

In reaching his decision, Commissioner Bettman outlined key reasons for the Policy’s prohibition on physical testing prior to the Combine: to ensure competitive fairness among Clubs with respect to evaluating and drafting prospects and to avoid subjecting prospects to repeated and duplicative testing procedures.”

Per the NHL release, there is no individual discipline being handed out as part of the penalties.

NHL Sends A Strong Message

This is pretty significant punishment and with it, the NHL has delivered a strong message. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that early feedback from GM’s is the forfeiture of a 2nd and a 1st is appropriate and should prevent this from happening again.

Will Coyotes Trade For Picks?

What should be interesting to watch out of all of this is what the Coyotes will do to try and recoup their picks. This might be a good opportunity for other teams to see a way to pluck good players from the organization.

Next: Multiple Failed Trades Led to Kapanen Deal With Penguins [Report]

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