"It's Just Business" - How the NHL Hides Behind Its Favorite Excuse

Every player who's been traded, buried, or cast aside has heard it: "It's just business." But there's a troubling asymmetry in how that phrase gets weaponized in professional hockey. Organizations use it as a shield to deflect accountability while players absorb the human cost of these cold calculations. This deep dive exposes the uncomfortable truth about how the league's most convenient excuse protects front offices while leaving careers in ruins.