Full text of NHL/NHLPA MOU for new 2020 CBA - analysis and discussion
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LadyStanley
Registered User
LadyStanley
Registered User
mouser
Business of Hockey
For the CBA afficionados out there, here is the ByLaw that bars players traded after the deadline from playing in any more regular season and post season games that season.
You may say to yourself, this rule must be obsolete because it has so much outdated information in. That would be incorrect.
Q: Why didn't the NHL update this By-Law with the newer language and changes?
A: This By-Law predates collective bargaining between the NHL and PA. Any changes to it would require collective bargaining with the PA. Rather then make changes in the By-Law itself the two parties instead put those changes into the CBA or other side agreements.
Since the By-Law was originally written:
- The trade deadline was changed from 26 days to 40 days
- Transactions go to New York, not Montreal now
- The "League Schedule of Championship Games" is now referred to as the Regular Season
However there is no change in the CBA making players transferred from one Reserve List to another after the deadline now eligible to play regular season games. Therefore this ancient By-Law is still in effect. Going by the language I'd assume it's at least 30 years old, possibly much older.
Large chunks of the By-Laws have been invalidated or replaced by newer CBA rules. However many of them still remain in effect, like this one. Another notable set of By-Law rules that still remain in effect are the Retirement List rules. These rules came up a lot during the whole Kovalchuk retirement/return to play discussion.
Finally: should be pointed out that this rule doesn't say Traded player, it says player transfersed from one Reserve List to another. This means the rule would apply to:
- Players under contract traded after the deadline
- Players claimed on waivers after the deadline
- Unsigned draft pick rights traded after the deadline
- Restricted free agent rights traded after the deadline
You may say to yourself, this rule must be obsolete because it has so much outdated information in. That would be incorrect.
Q: Why didn't the NHL update this By-Law with the newer language and changes?
A: This By-Law predates collective bargaining between the NHL and PA. Any changes to it would require collective bargaining with the PA. Rather then make changes in the By-Law itself the two parties instead put those changes into the CBA or other side agreements.
Since the By-Law was originally written:
- The trade deadline was changed from 26 days to 40 days
- Transactions go to New York, not Montreal now
- The "League Schedule of Championship Games" is now referred to as the Regular Season
However there is no change in the CBA making players transferred from one Reserve List to another after the deadline now eligible to play regular season games. Therefore this ancient By-Law is still in effect. Going by the language I'd assume it's at least 30 years old, possibly much older.
Large chunks of the By-Laws have been invalidated or replaced by newer CBA rules. However many of them still remain in effect, like this one. Another notable set of By-Law rules that still remain in effect are the Retirement List rules. These rules came up a lot during the whole Kovalchuk retirement/return to play discussion.
Finally: should be pointed out that this rule doesn't say Traded player, it says player transfersed from one Reserve List to another. This means the rule would apply to:
- Players under contract traded after the deadline
- Players claimed on waivers after the deadline
- Unsigned draft pick rights traded after the deadline
- Restricted free agent rights traded after the deadline
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Do players who have their ELCs slid receive any salary or stipend? Besides signing bonuses.
Im just curious what they get paid in real dollars, not cap hit or anything like that.
I saw on capfriendly that Zacha's ELC, when slid in 2016, showed no salary or earnings minus his 92k signing bonus. Wondering if that is accurate.
Im just curious what they get paid in real dollars, not cap hit or anything like that.
I saw on capfriendly that Zacha's ELC, when slid in 2016, showed no salary or earnings minus his 92k signing bonus. Wondering if that is accurate.
LadyStanley
Registered User
Yes, 18/19yo players only get SB until they start to play in NHL (or AHL).
mouser
Business of Hockey
In 2015-16 Zacha received the signing bonus. He also spent 2 days on the NHL roster, so would have received 2/186th of his NHL salary during that time. He would have also received per diem payments and had his living/relocation expenses covered. Finally he would have received some slice of the team's playoff reward pool paid by the league.
Awesome, thats a lot of detail I appreciate. So then Im guessing if Zacha did not play 2 NHL games he would have only received the salary bonus? Or would the relocation funds and per diem pay still apply since he was practicing with the team?
Also one more random question: would Zacha payout into different insurances, even if he didt play the two NHL games? Id have to imagine that just by signing the ELC he would be receiving plans he can opt into (or maybe is forced into, if the NHL has its own pool for insurance policies)
mouser
Business of Hockey
Zacha received the NHL pay, and per diems/relocation expenses simply for being on the NHL roster. Wouldn't matter whether he actually played in a game or not.
Premiums for any insurance coverage Zacha received would be paid by the team as part of the contract/CBA and not taken out of Zacha's salary. Note, while teams pay the insurance premiums outside of the player salary those premiums and other non-salary benefits players receive are included when calculating the 50/50 split of Hockey Related Revenue that the players collectively receive.
mouser
Business of Hockey
If anyone is wondering about the reported delay by Vegas to announce Lehner was having season ending surgery, here’s my cap theory:
Vegas had only one player on the roster eligible to be sent to the AHL—Leschyshyn. To activate Carrier off of LTIR required the Knights to send Leschyshyn back to the AHL before activating Carrier. After making these moves Vegas shortly after used a (REE) Roster Emergency Exception** to recall Patera with zero cap hit because they didn’t have the free cap space to recall a backup goaltender.
Vegas could have used a REE earlier to recall Patera without cap hit and send Lehner to IR/surgery. But if they did so it would have been impossible to afterward activate Carrier.
Leschyshyn would still have been on the Vegas roster, but if they now sent him to the AHL to free up cap space there’s no longer a roster cap emergency and Vegas would have had to first convert Patera to a regular or emergency recall rather then a REE. Leaving the team with insufficient cap space to activate Carrier off LTIR.
Ultimately Vegas delayed the Lehner injury announcement so they could activate Carrier beforehand.
**Normally teams have to play a goaltender short before using a REE, but the NHL temporarily amended that for the 2021-22 season so teams don’t have to first play short.
Vegas had only one player on the roster eligible to be sent to the AHL—Leschyshyn. To activate Carrier off of LTIR required the Knights to send Leschyshyn back to the AHL before activating Carrier. After making these moves Vegas shortly after used a (REE) Roster Emergency Exception** to recall Patera with zero cap hit because they didn’t have the free cap space to recall a backup goaltender.
Vegas could have used a REE earlier to recall Patera without cap hit and send Lehner to IR/surgery. But if they did so it would have been impossible to afterward activate Carrier.
Leschyshyn would still have been on the Vegas roster, but if they now sent him to the AHL to free up cap space there’s no longer a roster cap emergency and Vegas would have had to first convert Patera to a regular or emergency recall rather then a REE. Leaving the team with insufficient cap space to activate Carrier off LTIR.
Ultimately Vegas delayed the Lehner injury announcement so they could activate Carrier beforehand.
**Normally teams have to play a goaltender short before using a REE, but the NHL temporarily amended that for the 2021-22 season so teams don’t have to first play short.
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LadyStanley
Registered User
LadyStanley
Registered User
LadyStanley
Registered User
I don't know if it was posted above, but here's the full 2021-22 transition rules/critical dates.
mouser
Business of Hockey
I was wondering if the Matthew Tkachuk trade might have been the first sign and trade in NHL history, and it looks like that may be the case.
There would have been no reason I'm aware of to do so before contract term limits were introduced in 2013.
There would have been no reason I'm aware of to do so before contract term limits were introduced in 2013.
Marian Hossa was before him:
mouser
Business of Hockey
Debatable. Hossa had no expectation of being traded, nor was there any report of Atlanta negotiating or dictating the contract terms.
Yes, Hossa was signed and traded shortly afterward. But it doesn't appear to have been a sign and trade in the sense we usually think of.
Marc the Habs Fan
Moderator
Challenge for you CBA experts! Especially @mouser
Looking at the lineup Toronto iced tonight, I only count 7 players who fit the 'veteran' status for pre-season games. You are supposed to have a minimum of 8 veterans in your lineup but all the info on the web about that is from the previous CBA.
Toronto had Samsonov, Sandin, Simmonds, Shaw, Malgin, Gaudette and Clifford who fit the 'veteran' status. A first round pick in the most recent draft also counts as a veteran for pre-season but they did not have one. Everyone else in their lineup did not have enough NHL experience to qualify as a 'veteran' for pre-season - Robertson and Kallgren do not meet the criterias as far as I can tell.
So was the rule changed with the 2020 CBA?
Looking at the lineup Toronto iced tonight, I only count 7 players who fit the 'veteran' status for pre-season games. You are supposed to have a minimum of 8 veterans in your lineup but all the info on the web about that is from the previous CBA.
Toronto had Samsonov, Sandin, Simmonds, Shaw, Malgin, Gaudette and Clifford who fit the 'veteran' status. A first round pick in the most recent draft also counts as a veteran for pre-season but they did not have one. Everyone else in their lineup did not have enough NHL experience to qualify as a 'veteran' for pre-season - Robertson and Kallgren do not meet the criterias as far as I can tell.
So was the rule changed with the 2020 CBA?
mouser
Business of Hockey
Marc the Habs Fan
Moderator
mouser
Business of Hockey
Oops, I grabbed the Saturday roster vs Detroit, not the Friday roster vs Detroit.
I am not aware of any CBA changes to the 15.4 rule. However the CBA does state that the rule is subject to review and change by the Competition Committee. So it's possible adjustments have been made.
LadyStanley
Registered User
While the coming summer, the cap may only go up $1m, a multiple million $$ jump is coming. I can't see the players willing to give up anything more.
Pundits may be calling for this, but are teams?
mouser
Business of Hockey
I’m curious to see whether the NHL approves or denies Toronto a Roster Emergency Exception (REE) after they played with a backup emergency goaltender tonight.
There are similarities to the NHL denying the Rangers a REE after trading for Kane and playing short last month, deeming it a “self created” emergency using their cap space to acquire Kane instead of field a full roster.
Toronto tonight chose to send down their Emergency Recall backup goaltender Woll and recall Simmonds on Emergency Recall as the Leafs were short of 12 healthy forwards. Then signing goaltender Jett Alexander to a ATO to be the backup goaltender tonight.
However the REE rules are based on having 18 healthy skaters (F+D) rather than having 12F and 6D. So a team for instance able to ice a roster of 11F+7D like Toronto would not be in a REE situation, having 18 healthy skaters. Toronto has at least 19 healthy skaters (11F+8D) without the Simmonds recall, healthy scratching Dmen Rielly and Brodie tonight.
To summarize: Toronto knowingly made a roster swap of Woll for Simmonds to create the REE goaltender emergency. Using an Emergency Recall on Simmonds is absolutely permitted. The question is whether the NHL will approve a Roster Emergency Exception (REE) situation if the league views Toronto as creating the (REE) emergency?
For any not familiar with the differences:
Emergency Recall: Team can recall a player if they are short of 12F, 6D or 2G healthy players. The Emergency Recall player still counts against the cap and roster limits.
Roster Emergency Exception: After a team plays short a game with less than 18 F+D or 2G healthy players and has insufficient cap room the team can recall a player with no cap hit.
There are similarities to the NHL denying the Rangers a REE after trading for Kane and playing short last month, deeming it a “self created” emergency using their cap space to acquire Kane instead of field a full roster.
Toronto tonight chose to send down their Emergency Recall backup goaltender Woll and recall Simmonds on Emergency Recall as the Leafs were short of 12 healthy forwards. Then signing goaltender Jett Alexander to a ATO to be the backup goaltender tonight.
However the REE rules are based on having 18 healthy skaters (F+D) rather than having 12F and 6D. So a team for instance able to ice a roster of 11F+7D like Toronto would not be in a REE situation, having 18 healthy skaters. Toronto has at least 19 healthy skaters (11F+8D) without the Simmonds recall, healthy scratching Dmen Rielly and Brodie tonight.
To summarize: Toronto knowingly made a roster swap of Woll for Simmonds to create the REE goaltender emergency. Using an Emergency Recall on Simmonds is absolutely permitted. The question is whether the NHL will approve a Roster Emergency Exception (REE) situation if the league views Toronto as creating the (REE) emergency?
For any not familiar with the differences:
Emergency Recall: Team can recall a player if they are short of 12F, 6D or 2G healthy players. The Emergency Recall player still counts against the cap and roster limits.
Roster Emergency Exception: After a team plays short a game with less than 18 F+D or 2G healthy players and has insufficient cap room the team can recall a player with no cap hit.
LadyStanley
Registered User
mouser
Business of Hockey
Yup, I called it. Once Toronto demoted Simmonds to create the space allowing them to sign Knies there was no longer an emergency--they had the cap room to recall Woll, but instead used it on Knies.
Highly similar to the Rangers being denied a roster emergency exception after they played short due to the Kane trade.
