NHL makes significant revision to free-agent interview period rule (June 25- June 30)

[sureLoss]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/263862641.html

Last year if you remember, Commissioner Gary Bettman sent a last-second memo reminding clubs that they could not discuss contract parameters at all during the interview period prior to free agency, which begins this year on July 1.

In the June 18 memo (read over the phone to me by an agent), the league states, “After discussions with a number of general managers, we have revised and hopefully clarified with regard to last summer the permissible parameters of player contract and communication during the applicable interview periods.

“Please be advised that clubs are permitted to discuss the potential interest in as well as general parameters of a potential future contractual relationship with another club’s pending RFA or UFA during the applicable interview periods. The clubs may not enter any agreements or make any binding offers, promises, … oral or written concerning the terms of a potential SPC (standard players contract) with another club’s pending RFA or UFA.”

So in other words, teams and agents can now discuss the general parameters of a deal, as in, “I’ll be looking for a seven-year deal at around $5 million annually,” etc., meaning now players and agents at least know where each other is at heading into July 1 and know who’s in the game and who isn’t.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

So in other words, teams and agents can now discuss the general parameters of a deal, as in, “I’ll be looking for a seven-year deal at around $5 million annually,” etc., meaning now players and agents at least know where each other is at heading into July 1 and know who’s in the game and who isn’t.

Hmm,

“I’ll be looking for a seven-year deal at around $5 million annually,”
"Well that's close, we are looking at a 5 year deal but might be willing to go a little higher."
"5 years at 5.5M would interest me"
"We'll discuss it on July 1st" :wink:

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Jacks

Hmm,

“I’ll be looking for a seven-year deal at around $5 million annually,”
"Well that's close, we are looking at a 5 year deal but might be willing to go a little higher."
"5 years at 5.5M would interest me"
"We'll discuss it on July 1st" :wink:

Yup essentially FA starts June 25th for all intents and purposes

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Yup essentially FA starts June 25th for all intents and purposes

There wouldn't be any confirmed deals until July 1st though. It will all be rumors and speculation until the contracts are officially signed.

[Oil Stain]

Good change. I assumed they could talk about contracts last year as well.


Pretty dumb to have an interview period if you can't talk about the most important issue for almost everyone. Dollars and cents.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

There wouldn't be any confirmed deals until July 1st though. It will all be rumors and speculation until the contracts are officially signed.

So? If a player gets the $, term that he is looking for from a team he wants to go to, the signing is all but done.

[albertGQ]

The Flyers/Lecavelier contract was all but reported before July 1 last year.

[HUSKER4FLAMES]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

So? If a player gets the $, term that he is looking for from a team he wants to go to, the signing is all but done.

OR the bidding starts and it drives up the price of a free agent.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

So? If a player gets the $, term that he is looking for from a team he wants to go to, the signing is all but done.

Right, but from a fans standpoint not much has changed as we won't know until it's official. More deals will be negotiated by July 1st which means more than the usual amount of contracts will be announced on July 1st.

[calumniate]

Good to see the good old handshake deal live on!

[gpflamesfan]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

The Flyers/Lecavelier contract was all but reported before July 1 last year.

If I recall correctly it was done before July 1 but that is because be was bought out and had not contractual obligations to any team. So, we could sign Booth if we wanted to today.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/263862641.html

I think we will see what you do in the NBA because of their "interview period", which is more sign and trades.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

So? If a player gets the $, term that he is looking for from a team he wants to go to, the signing is all but done.

It does leave 5 more days for another team to pony up though.

[JD]

The article's title says "significant revision", but is it really? Isn't it just an acknowledgment of what is happening already? Just a clarification?

To me, a "significant revision" is something that alters the way the business is conducted. This will not do that. Anyway, I guess semantics are the only thing to discuss at this point. At least the draft is around the corner. It's late August when things get really dry around here.

[FAN]

Makes sense. Before it's like hey I am interested in signing you. I might be interested if the deal is right. I am not allowed to tell you what I can offer but it's a good one. Well I can't tell you how many years or how much I want but it has to be long and lots of money. Well ok.

Now I think the biggest worry is that there doesn't arise a situation where a player or team relies on discussions occurring before July 1st.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I think we will see what you do in the NBA because of their "interview period", which is more sign and trades.

In the NBA, a sign-and-trade deal is built into the CBA to allow teams to acquire players under terms that they would not normally be allowed to sign that player to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_and_trade

The NHL CBA doesn't have any such provision. NBA teams have a soft-cap, NHL is hard-cap.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

In the NBA, a sign-and-trade deal is built into the CBA to allow teams to acquire players under terms that they would not normally be allowed to sign that player to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_and_trade

The NHL CBA doesn't have any such provision. NBA teams have a soft-cap, NHL is hard-cap.

fair enough, can't say I know the finer points of the NBA CBA. I just knew they can negotiate before free agency starts and there si alot of sign and trades

[Anduril]

One thing I hope this helps eliminate is the media circus show with team execs and alumni lining up meeting the top UFAs. Certainly love the speculation and tidbits of news of teams' interest but something like the Richards situation a couple years back was silly.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

In the NBA, a sign-and-trade deal is built into the CBA to allow teams to acquire players under terms that they would not normally be allowed to sign that player to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_and_trade

The NHL CBA doesn't have any such provision. NBA teams have a soft-cap, NHL is hard-cap.

The sign a trade would allow an nhl player to get an extra year of term on his deal. So I suspect you will see it in the future.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by GGG

The sign a trade would allow an nhl player to get an extra year of term on his deal. So I suspect you will see it in the future.

Possibly but I don't see it happening. Teams can still just acquire a player's rights and then sign them to a 8 year contract. I believe in the NBA only a player's current team can offer them a better contract.

For example if some GM went crazy and wanted Cammalleri on an 8 year deal they could trade for his rights from the Flames before July 1st and then attempt to sign him. There is no need for the Flames to sign him first and then make the trade.