The NHL has handed out a fine of $100,000 to the Dallas Stars for violating the rules of the league’s collective bargaining agreement by practicing during a holiday break.
Dallas reportedly hosted a practice on the day after Christmas to prepare for a December 27 matchup against the Minnesota Wild, which is a violation of the regulations set by the league.
Article 16.5 (b) of the NHL collective bargaining agreement states that “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,” according to USA Today.
Stars coach Peter DeBoer discussed the fine and said he knew that the league would be upset about the voluntary practice, clarifying that it was a “voluntary ice” instead of a mandatory practice.
“I was at the rink yesterday. We had an optional, and of course, the young guys all show up for the optionals, like they’re supposed to do,” he said before the game against Minnesota, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The $100,000 fine will be donated to the NHL Foundation, which attempts to “build and promote healthy and vibrant communities through the game of hockey.”
This fine comes as the Stars are in the midst of an up-and-down season, with the team enduring multiple stretches of both winning and losing through the first portion of this season.
Dallas currently sits at just 21-13 on the season, ranking seventh in the Western Conference, with the team behind the Colorado Avalanche by only one point and the Edmonton Oilers by just two points.
The good news for the Stars is that the team will begin a three-game home stand against the Buffalo Sabre on Tuesday evening, followed by matchups against the Ottawa Senators and the Utah Hockey Club on January 2 and 4. Although stringing together three consecutive wins is never easy in the NHL, the Stars could do so this week to move higher in the standings, as these next three opponents have a combined record of only 49-48.