Should the NHL make RFA more appealing?

[Scheifele55]

I find it rare that RFA's receive offer sheets from other teams that must be match. I feel the NHL/NHLPA should make RFA more appealing so that other teams make offers. I feel the best way to do it would be to scale back compensation fractionally to see the results.

Change it from:

Average annual value Compensation
Less than $1,205,377 Nothing
$1,205,377-to-$1,826,328 Third-round pick
$1,826,328-to-$3,652,659 Second-round pick
$3,652,659-to-$5,478,986 First and third-round picks
$5,478,986-to-$7,305,316 First, second and third-round picks
$7,305,316-to-$9,131,645 Two firsts, a second and third-round picks
$9,131,645 or greater Four first-round picks

to:

Average annual value Compensation
Less than $1,205,377 Nothing
$1,205,377-to-$1,826,328 Fourth-round pick
$1,826,328-to-$3,652,659 Third-round pick
$3,652,659-to-$5,478,986 Second and third-round picks
$5,478,986-to-$7,305,316 2 seconds and third-round picks
$7,305,316-to-$9,131,645 First, 2 seconds and third-round picks
$9,131,645 or greater Three first-round picks

Thoughts on adjusting compensation? How would your scale look?

Click to read more...

 

[Romang67]

As a relatively small market team... Why in the world would we want this?

 

[Daximus]

I think a lot of it has to do with not only the compensation often not being worth the player but the fact that you can make enemies very quickly. GM's often have a short shelf life so they try to step on the least amount of toes possible so they can get another job.
But more so the compensation not being worth it... first round picks have so much value in todays NHL.

 

[Jeti]

It'd just lead to more teams overpaying for potential, even for their own draft picks, because the RFA market would be overpaid in general. Take all the insanity of UFA signings and add the fact the players may be totally unproven. It'd be a nightmare. Every good competition has constraints to stop desperation from ruining it for everyone. This is no different.

It would also significantly downplay the parity induced by the draft, so there's no way it's good for the league on that front either.

 

[Gnova]

It is doing what it is intended to, making sure that players get decent wages prior to ufa.

 

[mouser]

It is doing what it is intended to, making sure that players get decent wages prior to ufa.

Yup. It was never about how many players were getting offer sheets. It was about RFA's getting paid. And if we've seen anything under the cap system since 2005 it's that RFA's are getting paid more, earlier in their careers, and on longer contracts then ever before. So in that regard the threat of an offer sheet has to be considered a success, even if we rarely see them signed.

 

[Aavco Cup]

If arbitration gets eliminated n the next CBA then you'd see more offersheets executed. The problem with doing it now is it would have the effect of drving up salaries of young players. Those then get used as comparables in arbitration. The GM's just end up shooting themselves in the foot since all the teams have players on ELC's who will soon be RFA's

The talk that other GM's would be angry with Sweeney if he actually did the Trouba offer sheet is very true. Everyone would get affected eventually. Take away arbitration and the consequences of an offersheet is less. Agents would still try and use those comps but the team doesn't have to accept them. With an arbitrator involved it's out of the GM's hands.

 

[Aavco Cup]

I find it rare that RFA's receive offer sheets from other teams that must be match. I feel the NHL/NHLPA should make RFA more appealing so that other teams make offers. I feel the best way to do it would be to scale back compensation fractionally to see the results.

Change it from:

Average annual value Compensation
Less than $1,205,377 Nothing
$1,205,377-to-$1,826,328 Third-round pick
$1,826,328-to-$3,652,659 Second-round pick
$3,652,659-to-$5,478,986 First and third-round picks
$5,478,986-to-$7,305,316 First, second and third-round picks
$7,305,316-to-$9,131,645 Two firsts, a second and third-round picks
$9,131,645 or greater Four first-round picks

to:

Average annual value Compensation
Less than $1,205,377 Nothing
$1,205,377-to-$1,826,328 Fourth-round pick
$1,826,328-to-$3,652,659 Third-round pick
$3,652,659-to-$5,478,986 Second and third-round picks
$5,478,986-to-$7,305,316 2 seconds and third-round picks
$7,305,316-to-$9,131,645 First, 2 seconds and third-round picks
$9,131,645 or greater Three first-round picks

Thoughts on adjusting compensation? How would your scale look?

Your chart is from 2015 BTW

 

[YWGinYYZ]

As a relatively small market team... Why in the world would we want this?

We don't. This would destroy the NHL in anything other than the largest markets, IMO. Cities like Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Columbus, Phoenix, et al, would become "feeders" for the bigger centres.

Gnova and mouser make very good points as well - the system as it's currently constructed is actually pushing more $$ to RFA's as it is. It's making the league "younger", which I think is exciting.

 

[Daximus]

What if they put some sort of cap on offer sheets for RFA's? Not sure how that would work though. Right now as it stands offer sheets are virtually point less since the half season lockout. You never really win as a GM by offer sheeting. You might as well just have an RFA go straight to arbitration as soon as July 1st hits now.

 

[burnoutberry]

As a draft and develop franchise, now anyway, we wouldn't want anything to give incentive to other teams to drive up the cost of our contract signings.

 

[Nickel eye Heel hers]

I would actually increase it to make it more punishing to any team trying to do a offer sheet. Make it so painful no team would ever be tempted to poach a RFA. Some teams would never have a chance to make the playoffs or be profitable if there was no way to discourage larger market teams.
I even think Entry level contracts should be longer, 4 years instead of 3 for 18-21 years of age. For RFA's I don't think any team should be allowed to do a offer sheet.

 

[raideralex99]

Ouch ... I can't believe a Jet fan or a small market team fan would ever said this.

 

[Daximus]

I would actually increase it to make it more punishing to any team trying to do a offer sheet. Make it so painful no team would ever be tempted to poach a RFA. Some teams would never have a chance to make the playoffs or be profitable if there was no way to discourage larger market teams.
I even think Entry level contracts should be longer, 4 years instead of 3 for 18-21 years of age. For RFA's I don't think any team should be allowed to do a offer sheet.

At that point you might as well just do away with offer sheets entirely. What's the point of having them if they'll never be used? Sure it hurts smaller market teams but if you cap it and raise the compensation amount you might have players getting offer sheets that are accepted for 3 1sts and the small market team might actually come out the winner if the player busts.

 

[Nickel eye Heel hers]

At that point you might as well just do away with offer sheets entirely. What's the point of having them if they'll never be used?

YES YES YES

I am entirely happy with offer sheets being removed from the CBA.
Help protect the small market teams that are drafting and developing.

I don't see a 3 or 4 first round pick happening like that Boston Rumor. No team is likely to do that. The threat of offer sheets just drives up the cost of the player or intimidates the team to try to do a trade.

 

[TheDeuce]

I would actually increase it to make it more punishing to any team trying to do a offer sheet. Make it so painful no team would ever be tempted to poach a RFA. Some teams would never have a chance to make the playoffs or be profitable if there was no way to discourage larger market teams.
I even think Entry level contracts should be longer, 4 years instead of 3 for 18-21 years of age. For RFA's I don't think any team should be allowed to do a offer sheet.

I agree with that plus I'd make draft eligibility start at 19 years of age instead of 18. Less guesswork at the draft plus teams get more value of of the ELC years.



m.

 

[Daximus]

NHLPA and the players would hate that though.

 

[Jetsetter]

As a relatively small market team... Why in the world would we want this?

Absolutely, I'd actually like to go the other way and make it more restrictive.

 

[YetAnotherGM]

I have seen lots of people vote for politicians/political party whose policies would directly hamper their livelihood and I have wondered, shaking my head.

This is right up there. Boggles my mind that a fan of a small market team would want rules that would hurt the team being competitive.

Unless you are a player, How would it benefit the Jets?

 

[Channelcat]

Absolutely, I'd actually like to go the other way and make it more restrictive.

Ya, that was my thoughts. I'm not sure why we would want to drive up salaries and encourage more dumb gm's to enter cap hell.

 

[Daximus]

Ya, that was my thoughts. I'm not sure why we would want to drive up salaries and encourage more dumb gm's to enter cap hell.

Cap hell is awesome. It's the only reason we had Ladd and Buff.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

I miss when ufa was 32 years old.

 

[Daximus]

I think a different system would be better.

A cap on offer sheets of no more than 4 years term and a % of the salary cap. Every year offered must be met with a 1st round pick. So you can only offer based on the amount of 1st rounders you have and cannot exceed a certain amount of money. This gives both teams the flexibility. Most teams would be able to match, or they can take their chances on the draft picks. Some guys will be overpayed, but not by much. It also gives the player incentive to sign with the club that currently owns their rights ,because they can be offered a much more lucrative and higher term contract before they hit FA. But gives the player some flexibility if they aren't to enamored with their current situation.

 

[brock0791]

Offer sheets are just a form of market based arbitration