REPORT: Flyers broke the dumbest NHL rule, could be fined!

The Philadelphia Flyers broke an NHL rule over the holidays, and now it may cost them. According to the CBA, the NHL does not allow for games, practices, travel or any team activity to take place on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or December 26. Here is the relevant portion of the NHL's collective bargaining agreement: 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, provided, 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 reason the rule is in place is to keep every team on an even playing field. By banning the Flyers from traveling on December 26, the NHL was forcing them to travel on a game day. If the reason this rule exists for competitive balance, then forcing teams to travel on game day is more of a competitive balance issue than letting teams fly the night prior. It gave more of an advantage to Nashville than anything the Flyers could have done, just as it was an advantage for the 11 other teams that played opponents who traveled long distances hours before taking the ice on the 27th. This is just an unbelievably stupid rule that needs to be rethought.