Quote:
Originally Posted by T@T
A college player can't sign a pro contract so every college player who played 4 years after being drafted could be a UFA. I think they closed the "loophole" and tacked a year on after the player declares he's leaving college. the way I understand anyway. could be wrong though.
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A college player is the property of his drafting team until August 15th of his college class's graduating year. If a player leaves college prior to graduating, he remains the property of his drafting team until June 1 four years after he was drafted (if a player starts playing his fourth college season, he is considered to have played through his graduating year).
For example, John Ramage had already played a year at Wisconsin when he was drafted in 2010. His college class graduates in 2013, so he is Flames' property until August 15, 2013 (only 3 years after his draft). If he had left college early, he would have been Flames' property until June 1, 2014 (4 years after his draft).
Most players start college right after they are drafted (like Jankowski, Gaudreau, Gillies, and DeBlouw), so if they stay in College to graduation, they remain their team's property until August 15 four years after their draft. If they leave college early, they only gain a month and half of potential free agency, being their team's property until June 1 four years after their draft. But, if they did that, they wouldn't be able to play anywhere other than with their drafting team (or Europe, I suppose) until the four years were up.
Schultz was able to do what he did because he started college a year after he was drafted. He was drafted in 2008, but started college in 2009. This allowed him to leave college in 2012 and become a UFA on June 1 (actually a few weeks later because of when he declared he was leaving). Had he stayed one more year in college, he would have remained Ducks' property until August 15, 2013.
Unlike CHL players, as long as a player wishes to remain NCAA-eligible, he can only have limited communication with his drafting team, and he can't hire an agent or sign a contract. Schultz lied to the Ducks and told them he was going to stay in College through graduation. Once he declared that he was leaving, there wasn't much the Ducks could do to salvage things.
If Gaudreau decides to turn pro at the end of this season or next, he will have to do so with the Flames, or he won't be able to sign anywhere in North America until June 1, 2015.