Quote:
Originally Posted by Radically Red
Yah I get that. It's an option available to them. and why not. gets you one year closer to being a UFA again.
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It doesn't actually get them closer to UFA status. All of these guys are over 20, so they'll all reach UFA status at the age of 27 no matter what kind of deal they sign this year.
What it does do is get them out of the entry-level system sooner, so they can sign any contract they want at the end of their entry-level deal. It also allows them to sign a contract with a signing bonus, which will be paid in full after they sign the contract (and can be up to 10% of the value of the contract). Then, they'll receive another signing bonus on July 1 for the second season of their deal.
This can be short-sighted sometimes because it gets them out of the entry-level system earlier, but there's a good chance they'll be looking for a new contract when they still haven't established themselves on the NHL roster, so their second contract is likely closer to league-minimum than their first ELC-maximum contract. It's that second contract that will see them start getting NHL playing time and collecting an NHL paycheque.