BonkTastic
ಠ_ಠ
This is the first time we've seen so many rumored pieces to expansion all in one article that is being claimed as "Confirmed", and the news outlet that is reporting it is pretty legitimate (RDS), so here we go folks... expansion.
RDS Saying that Las Vegas bid, and only the Las Vegas bid, has now been approved by the NHL behind the scenes, and will be ratified tomorrow. <--- psst, this is a link
Highlights of the article:
- Vegas will start play in 2017/18
- Play in the Pacific division
- Leading candidate for team name is "Black Knights", though not yet confirmed.
- Expansion draft will be next off-season, BEFORE the Entry Draft (June 20th)
- Apparently have already completed negotiations with the NHLPA regarding expansion rules. That's done. Both sides have agreed.
- Expansion draft protection list follows previously rumored format: 7F/3D/1G or "Any 8".
- Teams will be forced to protect players with No-Move Clauses. Not forced to protect players with No-Trade Clauses.
- The NHL has dropped the "Teams must leave 25% of their payroll unprotected" criteria that had been previously discussed.
- Players with 2 or less Pro Seasons will be exempt from the draft.
- Players who have retired due to injury but still have active contracts (Pronger, Horton, etc...) will be exempt from the draft.
- All teams are required to leave at least 2 F and 1D who are under contract for the 2017/18 season unprotected, who played at least 40 games last year (or 70 games over the last 2 years).
- Las Vegas will draft 30 players, at least 20 of whom MUST be under contract for the 2017-18 season (to reduce the likelihood of shenanigans)
- Las Vegas will NOT be allowed to buy out any players in it's first season (to reduce the likelihood of shenanigans).
REGARDING QUEBEC CITY:
- Will be excluded from this round of expansion
- Economics of hockey in Quebec not favorable fr a team at the moment, but Quebecor made a very good impression on the NHL.
- Possibility that this isn't a hard "no", but a "let's wait and see".
- Quebec possibly the leading candidate in case a team needs to be moved.
And yes, I know this is a lot of stuff we've been talking about for months now, it sounds familiar, but this is really the first time we've seen it all in one place, with someone saying "CONFIRMED" (though obviously until the league puts out the press release, skeptics will skept). It's big to see it presented like this.
Makes sense to have a dedicated thread for this, IMO.
RDS Saying that Las Vegas bid, and only the Las Vegas bid, has now been approved by the NHL behind the scenes, and will be ratified tomorrow. <--- psst, this is a link
Highlights of the article:
- Vegas will start play in 2017/18
- Play in the Pacific division
- Leading candidate for team name is "Black Knights", though not yet confirmed.
- Expansion draft will be next off-season, BEFORE the Entry Draft (June 20th)
- Apparently have already completed negotiations with the NHLPA regarding expansion rules. That's done. Both sides have agreed.
- Expansion draft protection list follows previously rumored format: 7F/3D/1G or "Any 8".
- Teams will be forced to protect players with No-Move Clauses. Not forced to protect players with No-Trade Clauses.
- The NHL has dropped the "Teams must leave 25% of their payroll unprotected" criteria that had been previously discussed.
- Players with 2 or less Pro Seasons will be exempt from the draft.
- Players who have retired due to injury but still have active contracts (Pronger, Horton, etc...) will be exempt from the draft.
- All teams are required to leave at least 2 F and 1D who are under contract for the 2017/18 season unprotected, who played at least 40 games last year (or 70 games over the last 2 years).
- Las Vegas will draft 30 players, at least 20 of whom MUST be under contract for the 2017-18 season (to reduce the likelihood of shenanigans)
- Las Vegas will NOT be allowed to buy out any players in it's first season (to reduce the likelihood of shenanigans).
REGARDING QUEBEC CITY:
- Will be excluded from this round of expansion
- Economics of hockey in Quebec not favorable fr a team at the moment, but Quebecor made a very good impression on the NHL.
- Possibility that this isn't a hard "no", but a "let's wait and see".
- Quebec possibly the leading candidate in case a team needs to be moved.
And yes, I know this is a lot of stuff we've been talking about for months now, it sounds familiar, but this is really the first time we've seen it all in one place, with someone saying "CONFIRMED" (though obviously until the league puts out the press release, skeptics will skept). It's big to see it presented like this.
Makes sense to have a dedicated thread for this, IMO.