The Jonas Frogren debacle isn't as complicated as some are making it out to be.
For starters, according to the National Hockey League, there was no arbitration in this case. The $500,000 fine and forfeiture of a fourth round draft pick was determined by the league based on the Leafs attempt to circumvent the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Frogren was not entitled to the $755,000 signing bonus he received.
He wasn't enitled to the signing bonus because this payment wasn't permitted by the terms of the contract Toronto filed with the NHL.
Frogren's contract permitted payment once the contract was registered, however the contract was never registered, it was rejected because of his entry status at the time, but Toronto paid the signing bonus anyway, violating the rules of the collective bargaining agreement.
Determining discipline in this case has been slow because of the steps involved in the process.
The two year contract Frogren agreed to last summer was grieved and wasn't registered until the National Hockey League Players Association settled the grievance in November.
Having to forfeit a fourth round pick is also considered by the Maple Leafs to be stiff punishment, although the NHL says the fact this pick was acquired through a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning many have viewed as salary dump is purely coincidental.
Toronto traded American League defenseman Richard Petiot to the Tampa Bay for Olaf Kolzig, Jamie Heward and Andy Rogers in a swap that relieved the Lightning of salary in exchange for a fourth round draft pick that now no longer exists, allowing all teams in the draft to move up a spot in the fourth round compliments of the Leafs mistake.