Do any NHLers have out clauses if a franchise relocates?

[kurt]

Just curious. I know there is wording like this for athlete contracts in other sports. Maybe an activated player option, or something.

It seems Michael Nylander's wife would insist on something like this.

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[King Woodballs]

no they dont
if the team moves so do you

 

[No Fun Shogun]

That's actually an interesting question. None that I'm aware of, though take that with a massive grain of salt as I don't claim to be an expert or well-versed on the issue of NHL contracts.

 

[kurt]

no they dont
if the team moves so do you

Thanks for the detailed and well punctuated sentiments.

Sarcasm aside, and if that is in fact the case, is this a part of the CBA or some other NHL contractual governance, prohibiting the use of or voiding such clauses?

 

[Retail1LO*]

Thanks for the detailed and well punctuated sentiments.

Sarcasm aside, and if that is in fact the case, is this a part of the CBA or some other NHL contractual governance, prohibiting the use of or voiding such clauses?

I know nothing of the CBA, but I have to imagine language like that would be prohibited.

Someone else posed a similar question, asking if a player that had a no movement clause would be ground for release if the team moved. If any number of players had these, it would nearly cripple a team if it were to move.

 

[btn]

This is not permitted by the current CBA, Ilya Kovalchuk wanted one during his negotiations with the Thrashers last year and was told it was not allowed.

 

[Winnipeg Jets]

The way I understand it is that you sign a contract with the franchise. If the franchise happens to move to a new city then I guess you're out of luck as you're not moving from one franchise to another.

 

[JoeLH]

As far as i know any NMC is such an out clause. Doan and Whitney have one with Phoenix and would've been UFA's if the Coyotes already moved. At least that is what i thought.

 

[Pinchy]

As far as i know any NMC is such an out clause. Doan and Whitney have one with Phoenix and would've been UFA's if the Coyotes already moved. At least that is what i thought.

You thought wrong. They would have moved, although likely would have been traded if the new owners wanted to be kind...

 

[kurt]

This would be different than a standard NMC, and yes I understand that if a franchise moves, contracts typically move with them - unless clauses in a player's contract express otherwise.

This is not permitted by the current CBA, Ilya Kovalchuk wanted one during his negotiations with the Thrashers last year and was told it was not allowed.

Cool, this is the answer I was looking for.

 

[Overkamp]

Here's a good, detailed explanation:

http://offsidesportsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/could-coyote-players-sue-if-team-moves.html

 

[Confucius]

This is not permitted by the current CBA, Ilya Kovalchuk wanted one during his negotiations with the Thrashers last year and was told it was not allowed.

So Kovalchuk knew a year ago the team was likely toast.

 

[Space Herpe]

The way I understand it is that you sign a contract with the franchise. If the franchise happens to move to a new city then I guess you're out of luck as you're not moving from one franchise to another.

That's the way I mostly put it: You sign with the team/NHL, not with the city of ____________(Fill in the blank. In this case write in "Atlanta")

 

[yotesreign]

Here's a good, detailed explanation:

http://offsidesportsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/could-coyote-players-sue-if-team-moves.html

That reads like a really good explanation of things. One fuzzy area though was the paragraph "if a contract expressly provides that a player can walk if a team relocates, then the player can walk. That, however, would be highly unlikely."

How would we know if any contract expressly provides that? Are player contracts public record somewhere I don't know about? I've been relying on what others say (that no contract can have such an express 'out clause') yet that blog is asserting it is not impossible, just highly unlikely... makes me wonder 'which is it?'

and if no one actually has such a clause it's kind of a moot point.

 

[kurt]

That reads like a really good explanation of things. One fuzzy area though was the paragraph "if a contract expressly provides that a player can walk if a team relocates, then the player can walk. That, however, would be highly unlikely."

How would we know if any contract expressly provides that? Are player contracts public record somewhere I don't know about? I've been relying on what others say (that no contract can have such an express 'out clause') yet that blog is asserting it is not impossible, just highly unlikely... makes me wonder 'which is it?'

and if no one actually has such a clause it's kind of a moot point.

I was just about to ask the same thing. This is the root of my question, which a few of the posters in this thread seem to be overlooking through oversimplification.

The comment earlier regarding Kovalchuk suggests such clauses are against the rules. Which rules, I'm not yet certain.

 

[kdb209]

Sigh. This has been answered umpteen times in the past.

1. There are NO player or team options of any kind permitted under the CBA - other than pre-lockout SPCs grandfathered in. A team relocating will have zero effect on any SPC.

11.13 Option Clauses/Voidable Years. SPCs shall not contain any option clause or
voidable year, whether automatic, optional or otherwise.

2. NMCs are completely irrelevant w.r.t. a relocation - A relocation is neither a Trade, Loan, or Waiver claim.

(b) A no-move clause may prevent the involuntary relocation of a Player,
whether by Trade, Loan or Waiver claim.

 

[Tawnos]

That's the way I mostly put it: You sign with the team/NHL, not with the city of ____________(Fill in the blank. In this case write in "Atlanta")

Part of buying an organization is buying any contracts and player rights that belong to the team. That's how I usually put it.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Just curious. I know there is wording like this for athlete contracts in other sports. Maybe an activated player option, or something.

It seems Michael Nylander's wife would insist on something like this.

nope

even players with NMC are hooped as they are staying with the same organization and not changing organizations

PLayers have been known to retire instead of changing teams

When the jets moved to Phoenix Thomas Steen was reportedly devastated and left the nhl instead of signing again