Larry Brooks: AHL’s dire financial situation leaves players ‘begging’ for help

[Fenway]

Brooksie touches a subject the NHL does not want to talk about

https://nypost.com/2021/01/16/ahls-...bQrL-uwwHhkXajVYPWuNTnHT7oDJkrEEyOwG3hM_xes38

If you’re on a two-way contract, were cut by an NHL team and assigned to an NHL taxi squad, you hit the jackpot. Or at least you’re going to be paid 100 percent of your minor league salary. But if you’re on a two-way contract and were assigned to the AHL, well, you’re plumb out of luck.

Because not only won’t you receive so much as a penny leading up to the start of a severely truncated season set to begin on Feb. 5, once the AHL does get underway there is no telling what you will be paid on a prorated contract. There is no current agreement in force between the PHPA (Professional Hockey Players’ Association) and the league’s governing bodies.

Three teams have opted out of 2020-21, leaving 28 clubs to play the season. The schedule will differ by division. Some teams will play as few as 24 games. Others may play as many as 42. Most two-way contracts mandate salaries in the range of $70,000.

You do the math. If players’ pay is strictly prorated, a player on a 24-game team making $70,000 would earn the grand total of $20,487 — before taxes. Players on teams on 42-game schedules would then earn a pre-tax $35,853 that they’d shouldn’t spend in one place.

Come on, man.

Click to read more...

 

[tarheelhockey]

Brooksie touches a subject the NHL does not want to talk about

https://nypost.com/2021/01/16/ahls-...bQrL-uwwHhkXajVYPWuNTnHT7oDJkrEEyOwG3hM_xes38

If you’re on a two-way contract, were cut by an NHL team and assigned to an NHL taxi squad, you hit the jackpot. Or at least you’re going to be paid 100 percent of your minor league salary. But if you’re on a two-way contract and were assigned to the AHL, well, you’re plumb out of luck.

Because not only won’t you receive so much as a penny leading up to the start of a severely truncated season set to begin on Feb. 5, once the AHL does get underway there is no telling what you will be paid on a prorated contract. There is no current agreement in force between the PHPA (Professional Hockey Players’ Association) and the league’s governing bodies.

Three teams have opted out of 2020-21, leaving 28 clubs to play the season. The schedule will differ by division. Some teams will play as few as 24 games. Others may play as many as 42. Most two-way contracts mandate salaries in the range of $70,000.

You do the math. If players’ pay is strictly prorated, a player on a 24-game team making $70,000 would earn the grand total of $20,487 — before taxes. Players on teams on 42-game schedules would then earn a pre-tax $35,853 that they’d shouldn’t spend in one place.

Come on, man.

Imagine what some of these guys and their families sacrificed so they could make $20K as the high point of a pro career.

 

[Mtown17057]

Imagine what some of these guys and their families sacrificed so they could make $20K as the high point of a pro career.

It is the chance that you take in life, if they don't like it.....QUIT!

 

[swimmer77]

COVID is a game changer in every life. While it is a chance they took COVID is a risk that nobody considered and it has further consequences. To fulfill a dream , quitting usually is not part of the equation but finding a way to supplement the salary may be. Good luck to them.

 

[tarheelhockey]

It is the chance that you take in life, if they don't like it.....QUIT!

They’re sort of like the people who get a PhD in Art History and end up struggling to find an entry level job.

Quitting and changing tracks isn’t really the issue. The issue is they’ve already spent 15+ years pouring resources into something that won’t offer an actual opportunity at the end. It’s a waste of a career, and there’s no transferable skill to take away.

 

[mouser]

Brooksie touches a subject the NHL does not want to talk about

https://nypost.com/2021/01/16/ahls-...bQrL-uwwHhkXajVYPWuNTnHT7oDJkrEEyOwG3hM_xes38

If you’re on a two-way contract, were cut by an NHL team and assigned to an NHL taxi squad, you hit the jackpot. Or at least you’re going to be paid 100 percent of your minor league salary. But if you’re on a two-way contract and were assigned to the AHL, well, you’re plumb out of luck.

Because not only won’t you receive so much as a penny leading up to the start of a severely truncated season set to begin on Feb. 5, once the AHL does get underway there is no telling what you will be paid on a prorated contract. There is no current agreement in force between the PHPA (Professional Hockey Players’ Association) and the league’s governing bodies.

Three teams have opted out of 2020-21, leaving 28 clubs to play the season. The schedule will differ by division. Some teams will play as few as 24 games. Others may play as many as 42. Most two-way contracts mandate salaries in the range of $70,000.

You do the math. If players’ pay is strictly prorated, a player on a 24-game team making $70,000 would earn the grand total of $20,487 — before taxes. Players on teams on 42-game schedules would then earn a pre-tax $35,853 that they’d shouldn’t spend in one place.

Come on, man.

A few corrections to Brooksie's comments:

- Players on 1-way contracts who are sent to the AHL (or taxi) will end up receiving 72% of their NHL salaries, the same as players in the NHL. So there's no special windfall this season of avoiding escrow by being in the AHL. That reduction to 72% comes from 10% of salary being deferred, then the remaining amount being reduced by 20%. This 20% reduction does not go into escrow, but hits the take home paycheck the same as if they were paying the current 20% NHL escrow rate.

- Players on 2-way contracts will have their AHL salaries pro-rated, however they are guaranteed to receive at least 40% of that salary regardless of how short the AHL season is.

 

[Peterpuck7810]

It's the same boat a lot of people are in across the world. They better wake up and realize playing hockey is not an essential part of life. Roll up your sleeves and get a job like the rest of the peasants out there......

 

[KingsFan7824]

If you've been making $70k a year(some guys make 6 figures in the AHL) for a few years, you should be better off than most during covid. $35k is still better than most.

Not to say that TPTB can't or shouldn't come up with money to help their employees. However, if you're making a career out of being a minor league hockey player, you're much closer to a normal pleb than you are to Sidney Crosby. Plan accordingly.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Poor players don't want to see what it's like to work a real, real job. Unless it's within a hockey organization. But all jokes aside, lots of individuals got screwed by COVID-19.

I played Junior A and quit because not only was I not getting anywhere with hockey but found it mattered more for me to try and get a real job. For me, playing top-tier hockey can take a toll on you with the travel and crazy amount of practices.

 

[Leaf Fans]

I feel for the players, but many of us have been hit by COVID- it is a bad situation for all of the affected, I don't think hockey players are any more- or less special than anyone else.

 

[robertocarlos]

Most of them have been paid bonus money and if this is the final year of their ELC they will still have earned around $470k USD for the 3 years. I'm sure there are a couple of players though that will gross $28k this year with no bonus paid.

 

[Mightygoose]

It's a tough situation but hopefully they have something to fall back on. Making in pro sports have low odds as it is.

If any has the prospects for employment that's better off they should take it

 

[KingLB]

Maybe stupid question, can players file for unemployment in the off-season?

Would they have be able to at beginning of September until whenever the season starts?

 

[pbgoalie]

It’s really too bad for so many players
When developing, the pay is t great, but the focus would be in trying to develop into a NHl player. Money and development are being impacted

for the “career minor league or tweeters it’s a loss of a very finite income stream.
My two careers are intertwined in a different sport Injury suddenly ended the playing aspect and now COVID has really harmed the teaching/coaching. So I feel for these guys and anyone who has been submarines by this

 

[stl76]

Maybe stupid question, can players file for unemployment in the off-season?

Would they have be able to at beginning of September until whenever the season starts?

I would assume that one could not file of unemployment while under contract with an organization. If their contract ended at the start of the offseason they might be able to, but if they are in year 2 of the a 3 year contract then I don't think they would be eligible for unemployment.

 

[Mikeshane]

This seems like an opportunity for NHL players to step up and help out.

 

[violaswallet]

It’s an unpredictable shock in a way: when has the AHL not played? I guess the players cannot claim unemployment benefits for the week that they should have worked but haven’t?

clearly the AHL teams cannot afford to help but maybe some sort of NHL-NHLPA fund could help?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

A lot of the ELC players might have a signing bonus, at least? Which hopefully they get in full measure?

And if they are on 70k deals post-ELC... maybe asking to get loaned back to Europe would be a better arrangement for some?

 

[tarheelhockey]

If you've been making $70k a year(some guys make 6 figures in the AHL) for a few years, you should be better off than most during covid.

Not sure that’s really true, if we’re talking about someone whose career has been terminated and who has little/no transferable skills outside of that specific career track.

$35k is still better than most.

It’s right around the 25th percentile.

A lot of these guys really are screwed. This is taking the normal risks of an athletic career and doubling down on them.