I would be willing to bet that most, if not all clubs, big or small dangle the carrot. Some clubs use it more than others, depending on how tired they are of losing. I believe a few are the norm. If a team is rostering a large amount of kids, that would be a good indication as to how desperate a team is. On paper the financial assistsnce program looks great. But just like Socialism, SOMEONE eventually has to pay. In carrying too many kids, sadly the bottom half of the roster pays not only with $$ but little ice time.