2014 Salary Arbitration - Joe Colborne Settles Before Arb

[sureLoss]

Team Elected:
Colorado - Ryan O'Rielly Last year's salary: $6.5 mil
Winnipeg - Michael Frolik Last year's salary: $1.9 mil


Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
COL has, in fact, elected club salary arbitration on Ryan O'Reilly. Had to be filed by 5 pm ET today. And it was.

Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
BTW, a team could still file an offer sheet on Ryan O'Reilly between July 1 and July 5. In old CBA, that wasn't possible but it was changed.

Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
WPG also filed club-elected salary arbitration on RFA Michael Frolik.


Player elected:
Arizona Coyotes: Brandon McMillan (settled 1 yr, $625k, 2 way)
Boston Bruins: Matt Bartkowski (settled 1yr, $1.25mil)
Calgary Flames: Joe Colborne
Dallas Stars: Cameron Gaunce, Antoine Roussel
Florida Panthers: Jimmy Hayes
Los Angeles Kings: Dwight King
Minnesota Wild: Justin Fontaine
Montreal Canadiens: Lars Eller, P.K. Subban
Nashville Predators: Mattias Ekholm (settled 2yrs, $1.1M aav)
New York Islanders: Kevin Poulin
New York Rangers: Derick Brassard, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello
Ottawa Senators: Derek Grant
Pittsburgh Penguins: Nick Spaling
San Jose Sharks: Jason Demers (settled 2 yrs, $3.4M aav)
Toronto Maple Leafs: Cody Franson (settled 1 yr, $3.3M aav), James Reimer

The deadline for Club-Elected Salary Arbitration notification is July 6, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Hearings will be held in Toronto from July 20 to August 4, 2014.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Someone remind me:

How and when is arbitration binding?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Someone remind me:

How and when is arbitration binding?

iirc it's never completely binding for anybody. Teams can walk away from the decision, making the player a UFA. In addition, the player also has the right to turn down the contract even if the team accepts it, resulting in the player becoming a UFA. Not 100 percent sure though, but that's how I remember it.

[Da_Chief]

I don't think the player has that option...

[MissTeeks]

From Wikipedia:

http://wikipedia.org/wiki/NHL_salary_cap

A player can only be subjected to a team-elected arbitration one time in his career, while a player may elect arbitration as many times as possible, provided that a qualifying offer has been made. After a qualifying offer is made, an eligible player can elect to go through the arbitration process, where the team and the player each make an argument for a certain contract size. An independent arbiter hears the arguments and decides on a fair contract amount. If the player has elected arbitration, and the award is more than $3,500,000 (from 2005-2012, the threshold was $1,042,173), a team has 48 hours to "walk away" from the arbitration award, making the player an unrestricted free agent. If the team has elected arbitration, the arbitrator's award is binding regardless of the amount.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

I don't think the player has that option...

you're right, I read it wrong.

also I think the above only applies to player elected arbitration. Don't think a club can walk away from club elected arbitration.

[Ashasx]

Well it's nice to see that Feaster's mistake is screwing with the Avalanche.

[dino7c]

he will prob get 6+ in arbritration

[wretched34]

So if a player takes the team to arbitration, the team can walk away if they don't like the ruling? But if a team elects arbitration the player doesn't have the ability to walk away if they aren't happy? That doesn't sound right, although, I doubt Colorado would elect arbitration if O'Rielly could just say no, and become UFA, so that must be the case.
Colorado is basically giving all the other NHL teams a 5 day window to put in an offer sheet. If I understand correctly, once there is a ruling, O'Rielly can agree to a 1 year, or 2 year deal, which would shorten his term before becoming UFA, I'd suspect this ordeal would put a strain on the relationship and he'd elect a 1 year.
I just don't get why Colorado would do this, either way, they will lose O'Rielly early, so it must just be a way to draw offer sheets to collect draft picks.

[Yrebmi]

If the player initiates the arbitration the team must accept the ruling or allow the player to be UFA

If the team initiates the arbitration both parties must accept the ruling. The teams only recourse would be trade I assume.

So... If it comes to arbitration, the player must accept the ruling regardless.

Interesting if I understand this correctly. I wonder what happens if a team initiated arbitration results in a ruling the team cannot afford or become cap compliant with. Could make for some dramatic emergency deals.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

If the player initiates the arbitration the team must accept the ruling or allow the player to be UFA

Actually in the new CBA teams can only walk away from a player initiated salary arbitration if the award is more that $3.5 million/year. One of the reasons why Feaster didn't want to inherit a possible salary arbitration with Russell.

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

Interesting if I understand this correctly. I wonder what happens if a team initiated arbitration results in a ruling the team cannot afford or become cap compliant with. Could make for some dramatic emergency deals.

That is why Club - elected arbitration is much more rare than player elected. A lot of potential to change the team's salary cap situation. There is also the option of a 2nd buyout period that opens up for teams with more than 2 salary arbitration in the same year

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by wretched34

it must just be a way to draw offer sheets to collect draft picks.

I think it's the opposite.

I think they want to avoid any protracted contract negotiations like last time and I figure given where they probably think they are in the win cycle they likely would want some NHL assets over just draft picks so they probably would rather avoid the offer sheet.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

As I understand it, for most RFAs, the club must offer a qualifying offer of base salary plus % (10 or 15% IIRC), is that the case for club initiated arbitration? Seems risky that they might lose him to UFA, if the arbitrated number is 6-7 mil. Great player, but not likey at that number.

[sureLoss]

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
James Reimer among the first players to file for salary arbitration. Numbers do not need to be exchanged yet, but deadline is Saturday.

[lazypucker]

Since ROR's arbritration is team-elected. So if the judge somehow award a contract worth 10m per year, the Avs is on the hook for it as well with no way of getting out? Even if it means going over the cap?

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Since ROR's arbritration is team-elected. So if the judge somehow award a contract worth 10m per year, the Avs is on the hook for it as well with no way of getting out? Even if it means going over the cap?

If they didn't sign the awarded contract he would become a UFA.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

As I understand it, for most RFAs, the club must offer a qualifying offer of base salary plus % (10 or 15% IIRC), is that the case for club initiated arbitration? Seems risky that they might lose him to UFA, if the arbitrated number is 6-7 mil. Great player, but not likey at that number.

Just going off memory but they only need to qualify +10% up to a certain salary. I think anything over 6M they can qualify at the old salary? not 100% sure though.

Originally Posted by Komskies

If they didn't sign the awarded contract he would become a UFA.

Club elected arbitration, don't think they have the option to walk away no matter what the award.

[JJ1532]

I can't imagine any team chooses arbitration unless they were sure the maximum awarded amount wouldn't destroy them in terms of the cap.

[Massonite]

Originally Posted by Komskies

If they didn't sign the awarded contract he would become a UFA.

I bet this was all an elaborate plan to have this arbitration come up, he get released by the Avs due to them not agreeing with the arbitrator and the Flames get him without having to compensate the Avs.

The swerve is in!

[sureLoss]

Larry Brooks @NYP_Brooksie
Brassard, Zuccarello, Kreider have filed for salary arbitration though all will continue to negotiate for long term deals. #NYR