BREAKING: Gary Bettman Shuts Down The Philadelphia Flyers' Trade

After days of anticipation, the Philadelphia Flyers' trade deal involving Tony DeAngelo and the Carolina Hurricanes has hit a roadblock. According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the delay is likely due to the NHL's apprehension regarding potential cap circumvention.

The initial plan was for DeAngelo to return to Carolina with the Flyers retaining a portion of his salary. However, the fact that DeAngelo was traded by the Hurricanes less than a year ago raised concerns about skirting the salary cap regulations.

LeBrun highlights the unusual circumstances surrounding this situation. DeAngelo was traded as a restricted free agent (RFA), and the Flyers' general manager, Daniel Briere, wasn't even in office when Philadelphia signed the contract. There is no clear instance of cap circumvention, but rather a case of a player wearing out his welcome and a team seeking to create cap space.

The league is expected to convene with both teams during the upcoming draft in Nashville. They will have to make a decision: either grant early approval or require the teams to wait until July 9, marking a full calendar year since last summer's trade.

Although the trade still appears likely to proceed, a two-week delay at this time of year could significantly alter the outcome.