Waiver Rules? - Facts only - No Speculation Please

[NHLFanSince2020]

I haven't had an understanding of the waiver rules since the inception of the new CBA.

Can someone please explain or provide a link of the waiver rules currently and for the upcoming season?

Thanks.

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[Ted Hoffman]

[OT]

Since kdb209 has the CBA memorized, if he'll write up an FAQ on this and other stuff people are always asking about that's not related to the salary cap, I'll post it on my web site to answer stuff like this.

[/OT]

 

[AdmiralPred]

[OT]

Since kdb209 has the CBA memorized, if he'll write up an FAQ on this and other stuff people are always asking about that's not related to the salary cap, I'll post it on my web site to answer stuff like this.

[/OT]

*guilty*

 

[kdb209]

[OT]

Since kdb209 has the CBA memorized, if he'll write up an FAQ on this and other stuff people are always asking about that's not related to the salary cap, I'll post it on my web site to answer stuff like this.

[/OT]

Maybe I'll get around to that eventually, but if the OP wants all the gory details, just read the CBA:

http://www.nhl.com/cba/2005-CBA.pdf
or
http://www.nhlpa.com/CBA/2005CBA.asp

The Waiver chapter is Article 13.

The new Re-Entry waivers (for players earning >$95K in the AHL) are described in Article 50.9(g).

I'm travelling this week and don't have time to write up anything more substantive right now.

Except for the new Re-Entry waivers and the abolishment of the Waiver Draft, waivers under the new CBA are pretty much the same as under the old one.

 

[NHLFanSince2020]

I have another question re: waivers.

Say you sent a goalie down that had to clear waivers and he does.

During the season, one of the two goalies on the big team is traded.

Does the goalie you sent down earlier still have to clear waivers before he is brought up?

If so, then wouldn't a trade of one of the two upper goalies be contingent upon the demoted goalie clearing waivers first?

How about if one of the big team's goalies gets injured?

 

[kdb209]

I have another question re: waivers.

Say you sent a goalie down that had to clear waivers and he does.

During the season, one of the two goalies on the big team is traded.

Does the goalie you sent down earlier still have to clear waivers before he is brought up?

If so, then wouldn't a trade of one of the two upper goalies be contingent upon the demoted goalie clearing waivers first?

How about if one of the big team's goalies gets injured?

A player only has to clear waivers when being recalled if he is on a one-way contract or a two-way contract with an AHL salary >$95K.

If a player is claimed on Recall waivers, his original team is still responsible for 50% of his salary and 50% his cap hit for the remainder of his contract.

There is an exception to the $95K rule for veteran AHL players - 320+ professional games, NHL, AHL, or ECHL played (180+ pro games for Goalies), less than 40 games on an NHL roster the previous season, and less than 80 games on an NHL roster total the previous two seasons. Players meeting those criteria are exempt from recall waivers.

Players who are still exempt from waivers when being sent down are also exempt from recall waivers.

I don't beleive the teams could make the trade contingent upon the demoted goalie clearing waivers, but they could recall the goalie, wait the 24 hrs for him to clear waivers, and then consumate the deal.

 

[Agent007]

Since the Canucks picked up Sabouren off waivers does that now put them last in order to be able to pick up Schaefer??

 

[kdb209]

Since the Canucks picked up Sabouren off waivers does that now put them last in order to be able to pick up Schaefer??

No. Waiver priority is based purely on the teams record. Any previous waiver claims have no bearing on priority.

Priority is based on the reverse order of the standings (based on pts/gm to account for differences in the number of games played).

Before Nov 1, priority is based on the previous seasons final standings. After Nov 1, it is based on the current standings.

 

[Jarqui]

A player only has to clear waivers when being recalled if he is on a one-way contract or a two-way contract with an AHL salary >$95K.

If a player is claimed on Recall waivers, his original team is still responsible for 50% of his salary and 50% his cap hit for the remainder of his contract.

There is an exception to the $95K rule for veteran AHL players - 320+ professional games, NHL, AHL, or ECHL played (180+ pro games for Goalies), less than 40 games on an NHL roster the previous season, and less than 80 games on an NHL roster total the previous two seasons. Players meeting those criteria are exempt from recall waivers.

Players who are still exempt from waivers when being sent down are also exempt from recall waivers.

I don't beleive the teams could make the trade contingent upon the demoted goalie clearing waivers, but they could recall the goalie, wait the 24 hrs for him to clear waivers, and then consumate the deal.

That isn't how I understand it.

There seem to be two types of waivers and an exemption condition for each.

With out going through the CBA documented criteria for 'young players', young players (ie last year’s first round pick) are waivers exempt going up to the NHL and down to the AHL. Anyone else, unless playing as an injury replacement, are not waivers exempt. Whether going up or down, if 30 days have passed since the player last cleared waivers, he must clear waivers again if he is not waivers exempt. This helped replace the waiver draft at the start of the season.

THEN they have a second classification for "re-entry waivers" as you've documented above. That determines on re-entry to the NHL whether the player can be had by another team for 1/2 of his contract – sticking the original team with the other 1/2. Waivers exempt players are automatically re-entry waivers exempt.

JS Aubin, backup goalie for the Leafs, is re-entry waivers exempt using the rules you refer to above because he has enough pro games and has not been on a NHL roster for more than 80 games in the last two years. Tellqvist, the Leafs other backup on their roster last year, is not re-entry waivers exempt. Both goalies are not waivers exempt (too old/experienced, etc). But if both goalies cleared waivers and were sent down to the AHL and later both recalled, both would have to clear waivers coming while Tellqvist would not be 're-entry waivers' exempt and could be had by any other team for 1/2 price.

I don't know if I've explained it well but something had to be added to your explanation to cover this.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

You're correct to point out that young players are generally exempt from waivers, but read the context in which kdb209 was making his statement. (It wasn't intended to be a blanket statement that covered all situations for waivers.)

 

[Jarqui]

You're correct to point out that young players are generally exempt from waivers, but read the context in which kdb209 was making his statement. (It wasn't intended to be a blanket statement that covered all situations for waivers.)

A player only has to clear waivers when being recalled if he is on a one-way contract or a two-way contract with an AHL salary >$95K.

That reads like a blanket statement to me. I don't think it is a correct one.

 

[kdb209]

Yes. I was only answering the question w.r.t. Re-Entry Waivers.

I wasn't talking about Regular Waivers other than my qualification "Players who are still exempt from waivers when being sent down are also exempt from recall waivers."

Players are exempt from Regular waivers for a certain number of years from signing their first SPC (or a certain number of NHL games, whichever comes first). The exemption length is based on their age when drafted. The details are in the table in Article 13.4.


13.4 Exempt Players. Players who meet the criteria set forth below are exempt from Regular and Re-Entry-Waivers:

           GOALIES                                          SKATERS

           Years from                                     Years from
           Signing          NHL Games             Signing          NHL Games        
 Age   –NHL              Played                      –NHL              Played

18      6                     80                              5                     160
19      5                     80                              4                     160
20      4                     80                              3                     160
21      4                     60                              3                       80
22      4                     60                              3                       70
23      3                     60                              3                       60
24      2                     60                              2                       60
25+    1                     --                              1                       --

The 5 yr / 4 yr exemption for 18 & 19 yo skaters is reduced to 3 years starting the first season that the player plays 11 or more NHL game. Similarly, the 6 yr / 5yr exemption for 18 & 19 yo goalies is reduced to 4 years starting the first season that the player plays 11 or more NHL games.

 

[kdb209]

That reads like a blanket statement to me. I don't think it is a correct one.

What is incorrect about it???

It was a "blanket statement" concering Re-Entry waivers (not regular waivers):

A player only has to clear waivers when being recalled if he is on a one-way contract or a two-way contract with an AHL salary >$95K.

The original question was one concerning when Re-Entry waivers were required.

I added the caveats about the exceptions for players still exempt from regular waivers and the veteran minor league players:

There is an exception to the $95K rule for veteran AHL players - 320+ professional games, NHL, AHL, or ECHL played (180+ pro games for Goalies), less than 40 games on an NHL roster the previous season, and less than 80 games on an NHL roster total the previous two seasons. Players meeting those criteria are exempt from recall waivers.

Players who are still exempt from waivers when being sent down are also exempt from recall waivers.

About the only missing cases are:

A player only has to clear waivers when being recalled if he is on a one-way contract or a two-way contract with an AHL salary >$95K and was loaned to the AHL during that same league year, or an AHL contract with a salary >$95K and then signs an NHL contract with his AHL team's NHL affiliate.

and that the $95K limit varies over time:

2005-06: U.S. $75,000
2006-07: U.S. $95,000
2007-08: U.S. $100,000
2008-09: U.S. $100,000
2009-10: U.S. $105,000
2010-11: U.S. $105,000
2011-12: U.S. $105,000

Which is really more info than the OP really wanted to know.

Happy now?