I'm still trying to work out the legalese the CBA is written in but I think the 4 years you're referring to only applies to players who were drafted as teens and drop-out after January 1st of their 4th year?
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The CBA between the NHLPA and the NHL sets out the terms and conditions of employment for all professional hockey players playing in the NHL, as well as the res
www.nhlpa.com
ARTICLE 8 8.6-8.6
(c) College Players.
(i) If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19 is a bona fide college student at the time
of his selection in the Entry Draft, or becomes a bona fide college student
prior to the first June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft, and
remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college
class, his
drafting Club shall retain the exclusive right of negotiation for
his services through and including the August 15 following the graduation
of his college class. The Club need not make a Bona Fide Offer to such
Player to retain such rights.
(ii) If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19 is a bona fide college student at the time
of his selection in the Entry Draft, or becomes a bona fide college student
prior to the first June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft, and does
not remain a bona fide college student through the graduation of his
college class, his drafting Club shall retain exclusive rights for the
negotiation of his services until the later of: (a) the fourth June 1 following
his selection in the Entry Draft, or (b) thirty (30) days after NHL Central
Registry receives notice that the Player is no longer a bona fide college
student; provided that if the Player ceases to be a bona fide college student
on or after January 1 of an academic year and the Player: (1) is in his
fourth year of college and has commenced his fourth year of NCAA
eligibility, or (2) is in his fourth year of college and is scheduled to
graduate from college at the end of his fourth year, then in the
circumstances described in (1) or (2), the Club shall retain the exclusive
right of negotiation for such Player's services through and including the
August 15 following the date on which he ceases to be a bona fide college
student. The Club need not make a Bona Fide Offer to such Player to
retain such rights.
(iii) If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19, who had received a Bona Fide Offer in
accordance with Section 8.6(a)(ii) above, becomes a bona fide college
student prior to the second June 1 following his selection in the Entry
Draft and remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of
his college class, his drafting Club shall retain the exclusive rights of
negotiation for his services through and including the August 15 following
the graduation of his college class.
(iv) If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19, who had received a Bona Fide Offer in
accordance with Section 8.6(a)(ii) above, becomes a bona fide college
student prior to the second June 1 following his selection in the Entry
Draft and does not remain a bona fide college student through the
graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shall retain exclusive
rights for the negotiation of his services until the later of: (a) the fourth
June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft, or (b) thirty (30) days
after NHL Central Registry receives notice that the Player is no longer a
bona fide college student; provided that if the Player ceases to be a bona
fide college student on or after January 1 of an academic year and the
Player: (1) is in his fourth year of college and has commenced his fourth
year of NCAA eligibility, or (2) is in his fourth year of college and is
scheduled to graduate from college at the end of his fourth year, then in
the circumstances described in (1) or (2), the Club shall retain the
exclusive right of negotiation for such Player's services through and
including the August 15 following the date on which he ceases to be a
bona fide college student.
(v) If a Player drafted at age 20 or older is a bona fide college student at the
time of his selection or becomes a bona fide college student while his
drafting Club retains exclusive rights, then his drafting Club shall retain
those rights until the later of: (a) the second June 1 following the date of
his selection, or (b) thirty (30) days after NHL Central Registry receives
notice that the Player is no longer a bona fide college student; provided
that if the Player: (1) is in his fourth year of college and has commenced
his fourth year of NCAA eligibility and the Player ceases to be a bona fide
college student on or after January 1 of an academic year, or (2) is in his
fourth year of college, is scheduled to graduate from college at the end of
his fourth year and the Player ceases to be a bona fide college student on
or after January 1 of an academic year, or (3) remains a bona fide college
student through the graduation of his college class, then in the
circumstances described in (1) or (2) or (3), the Club shall retain the
exclusive right of negotiation for such Player's services through and
including August 15 of that calendar year.
For purposes of the above provisions, the term "graduation of his college
class" shall mean the class with which the Player is scheduled to graduate
during his final semester of attendance (as opposed to his matriculating
class (the class with which he is expected to graduate as of the date of his
original enrollment)). For purposes of clarity, a Player's graduating class
may change during his tenure in college.
Furthermore, a Player shall be deemed to be scheduled to graduate from
college if, at the conclusion of his fourth year of college he would have
been within five percent (5%) of the minimum number of credits required
to graduate, provided, such determination shall be made assuming that in
such fourth year of college Player earned at least the number of credits
equal to the average number of credits for which he had been enrolled
during his first three years of college. It shall be the Player's responsibility
to promptly provide evidence (i.e., official school transcripts and
requirements) that he was or was not scheduled to graduate. Absent
evidence to the contrary, NHL Central Registry shall treat a Player as if he
was scheduled to graduate or remained a bona fide college student through
the graduation of his college class. Furthermore, a Player who is removed
from his Club's Reserve List as a result of the operation of the above
provisions shall be a draft-related Unrestricted Free Agent effective upon
such removal.
Any Club that retains the exclusive rights to a Player who is a bona fide
college student may request, at any time, that such Player promptly
provide a current official school transcript and the school's graduation
requirements.
As a general matter, the above provisions were not intended to cut off, and
shall not have the effect of cutting off, a Club's exclusive negotiating
rights during the period that a Player remains in college.
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My head hurts
