The Dallas Stars have been fined $100,000 for violating the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Dallas held an optional practice on Dec. 26, which was in violation of Article 16.5(b) of the CBA, the NHL said in a statement.
The league also revealed that the fine money will go to the NHL Foundation.
Article 16.5 (b) 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 practise on such days for any reason.”
Stars coach Pete DeBoer revealed some details about the practice ahead of the team's game last Friday against the Minnesota Wild.
"I was at the rink yesterday. We had an optional, and of course, the young guys all show up for the optional, like, you know, they’re supposed to do," he told reporters.
It was reported by The Athletic on Saturday that the NHL was investigating the matter, and that Dallas was also "conducting an internal investigation into the matter and is fully cooperating with the NHL.”
This isn't the first case of a team violating the holiday break rules, as the Toronto Maple Leafs were fined $100,000 in 2022 for having players travel on Dec. 26, and the Philadelphia Flyers were fined an undisclosed amount for early travel in the 2014-15 season.
The Stars currently hold a 21-13-1 record, which has them in the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference. They ultimately lost to the Wild on Friday before bouncing back to beat the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-1, on Sunday.
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