Quote:
Originally Posted by SebC
Perhaps a simple solution then is to tighten up the rules for all prospects, e.g. put in place a qualifying offer system for rookies.
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There is a qualifying system, hence the 2 year re-draft rule. But the NCAA doesn't allow players to sign qualifying offers or any sort of promise of payment or they lose their scholarships and are disqualified from NCAA competition, even if they won't be paid a cent until they actually step on the ice in a Flames jersey.
No doubt the NHL would like to have the contract rules for players coming in to be all the same, but they can't because each organization has their own rules. But the NCAA's are especially strict.
A solution might be for the NHL to increase the draft age as the college kids would be leaving school while still within the 4 years. Not sure how much that would help but it's probably the most the NHL could do outside of changing rights for NCAA draftees, the negatives of which I have laid out a few times.