As reported by TSN's Darren Dreger on Thursday, the NHL is currently investigating the Arizona Coyotes organization, following allegations that the club conducted physical testing on draft-eligible Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players prior to the draft.
The physical testing of players prior to the NHL Combine is expressly prohibited. If the Coyotes organization is found guilty following the investigation, they could face heavy fines, upwards of $250,000 per incident, at the discretion of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
The three leagues that make up the CHL--The OHL, WHL, and QMJHL--require their junior teams to report any contact from NHL clubs. Leading up to the investigation, it had been confirmed that multiple CHL teams have received contact from the Coyotes organization.
Report: NHL investigating Coyotes over alleged recruiting violations https://t.co/YoQMj4vVgS pic.twitter.com/ZwLv5lXq5z— theScore NHL (@theScoreNHL) January 30, 2020
The Arizona Coyotes organization issued a fairly sparing comment on the investigation;
Arizona Coyotes:
“We are aware of the reports. We have discussed the matter with the NHL and we will have no further comment at this time.” https://t.co/fMdlErMKn6— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) January 31, 2020
