Egil
Registered User
A few questions:
#1 Could the NHL have an "optional" draft? Sidney Crosby and SOME of the top picks may skip out and sign as UFA's, but I think most players would volunatirly enter a draft. This would not be restraint of trade (the player can skip), while still allowing teams to draft players (which is a mutually beneficial arangement)?
#2 Could the NHL restructure itself such that ALL player contracts are signed from the NHL head office, with player rights being "loaned" out to teams based on a set of rules (so you could still have trades and such)? Would this not get around the collusion problem, as well as many other legal hurdles? Is their anything that would stop the NHL from doing this?
#3 To get around the draft even further, if the NHL re-organized and had centralized contract negotiations, could they not then implement a draft based on signed NHL (and minor league players on 2 way contracts) players?
BTW, the centralized contract scheme WAS proposed by the NHL in the summer. While I am not sure on all the legal rammifications of it. Is this not a succesful counter to the PA should they try decertification (where you would essentially have everyone as a UFA)?
#1 Could the NHL have an "optional" draft? Sidney Crosby and SOME of the top picks may skip out and sign as UFA's, but I think most players would volunatirly enter a draft. This would not be restraint of trade (the player can skip), while still allowing teams to draft players (which is a mutually beneficial arangement)?
#2 Could the NHL restructure itself such that ALL player contracts are signed from the NHL head office, with player rights being "loaned" out to teams based on a set of rules (so you could still have trades and such)? Would this not get around the collusion problem, as well as many other legal hurdles? Is their anything that would stop the NHL from doing this?
#3 To get around the draft even further, if the NHL re-organized and had centralized contract negotiations, could they not then implement a draft based on signed NHL (and minor league players on 2 way contracts) players?
BTW, the centralized contract scheme WAS proposed by the NHL in the summer. While I am not sure on all the legal rammifications of it. Is this not a succesful counter to the PA should they try decertification (where you would essentially have everyone as a UFA)?