Overage Juniors and College Players now re-enter the draft

[kdb209]

I brought this up on the Trade Rumors/Free Agent Board on the Jack Johnson thread, but I thought I would post this here too, since this is a somewhat under reported/discussed issue with the new CBA.

Overage Juniors (21+ yo) and College Players who complete their 4 years no longer become UFAs. Under the new CBA, they re-enter the draft.

My gut tells me that JJ's camp told me he WOULD NEVER sign with the Hurricanes and that he planned on playing 4 years at U of M and becoming a UFA

JJ cannot play out 4 years at Michigan and become a UFA.

Under the old CBA he could. Under the new CBA, if he did not sign by Aug 15 following his class' graduation, he would have re-entered the draft the following June.

The same now holds true for overage Juniors. They are no longer UFA's if they do not sign in 2 years and are then 21 or older by the next entry draft. They go back in the draft also.

Old CBA:

8.4. Eligibility for Claim.

(a) All players age 19 or older are eligible for claim in the Entry Draft, except:

(i) a player on the Reserve List of a Club, other than as a Try-Out;

(ii) a player who has been claimed in two prior Entry Drafts;

(iii) a player who previously played in the League and became a free agent pursuant to
this Agreement;

(iv) a player age 21 or older who played hockey for at least one season in North
America when he was age 18, 19 or 20.
​

(b) In addition to the players referred to in sub-paragraph (a), any player who (i) will be
age 18 on or before September 15 in the year in which such Entry Draft is held, or (ii) reaches his 19th
birthday between September 16 and December 31, both dates included, next following the Entry Draft
and who in either case wishes to become eligible for selection in the Entry Draft, can attain eligibility by
delivering to the League a written notice in the form of Exhibit 3 hereto prior to the later of (A) May 1,
or (B) seven days following the date such player finishes competing on his team in the year in which such
draft is to be held.

New CBA:

8.4 Eligibility for Claim.

(a) All Players age 18 or older are eligible for claim in the Entry Draft,
except:

(i) a Player on the Reserve List of a Club, other than as a try-out;

(ii) a Player who has been claimed in two prior Entry Drafts;

(iii) a Player who previously played in the League and became a Free
Agent pursuant to this Agreement;

(iv) a Player age 21 or older who: (A) has not been selected in a
previous Entry Draft and (B) played hockey for at least one season
in North America when he was age 18, 19, or 20 and shall be
eligible to enter the League as an Unrestricted Free Agent pursuant
to Article 10.1(d); and

(v) a Player age 22 or older who has not been selected in a previous
Entry Draft and shall be eligible to enter the League as an
Unrestricted Free Agent pursuant to Article 10.1(d).​

Becoming a UFA at 21, rather than entering the draft, now only applies to players who were not selected in a previous entry draft. If a player was previously drafted, he goes back into the draft, even if he is overage (21+ yo).

In case you were wondering about the referenced Article 10.1(d):

(d) Draft Related Unrestricted Free Agents.

(i) Any Player not eligible for claim in any future Entry Draft
pursuant to this Agreement and not on a Club's Reserve List shall
be an Unrestricted Free Agent. Further, any Player eligible for
claim in the Entry Draft, but who was unclaimed, shall be an
Unrestricted Free Agent subject to the provisions of Section 8.9(b).

(ii) Each Player referred to in subsection (d)(i) above shall, during the
period of his Free Agency in accordance with Section 8.9(b), if
applicable, be completely free to negotiate and sign an SPC with
any Club, and any Club shall be completely free to negotiate and
sign an SPC with such Player, without penalty or restriction
subject to the provisions of Article 9 of this Agreement, if
applicable, and without being subject to any Right of First Refusal,
Draft Choice Compensation or any other compensation or
equalization obligation of any kind.​

Players only become UFAs under 10.1(d) if they are no longer eligible for the draft (for example already drafted twice). Unsigned College Players and Overage Juniors are still eligible under Article 8.4, so they do not become UFAs and instead are eligible to be drafted again.

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[Sam]

I don't think that's correct with respect to undrafted college players who complete their four years, undrafted overage juniors, and drafted collegiate players who complete their 4 years. Undrafted college players and undrafted overage juniors are not eligible for the draft per article 8.6 (a) (iv) and (v) and thus would be eligible to become UFAs. Drafted college players who complete their four years would be on a club's reserve list and would therefore be ineligible for the draft per article 8.6 (a) (i).

According to the CBA, the reserve list refers to "the list of all Players to whom a Club has rights including all Unsigned Draft Choices, all Players signed to an SPC (whether or not currently playing in the NHL), and all Players who have signed an SPC but who have subsequently been returned to Juniors." According to Article 8.6 (c) (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 folowing his selection in the Entry Draft, and remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shal retain the exclusive right of negotiation for his services through and including the August 15 folowing the graduation of his college class. The Club need not make a Bona Fide Offer to such Player to retain such rights.

Since the club has the rights to their undrafted player until August 15th, he would be on their reserve list come draft time and thus not be eligible for the draft under Article 8.4 (a) (i).

Drafted unsigned overage juniors do re-enter the draft.

 

[Wetcoaster]

I brought this up on the Trade Rumors/Free Agent Board on the Jack Johnson thread, but I thought I would post this here too, since this is a somewhat under reported/discussed issue with the new CBA.

Overage Juniors (21+ yo) and College Players who complete their 4 years no longer become UFAs. Under the new CBA, they re-enter the draft.



In case you were wondering about the referenced Article 10.1(d):


Players only become UFAs under 10.1(d) if they are no longer eligible for the draft (for example already drafted twice). Unsigned College Players and Overage Juniors are still eligible under Article 8.4, so they do not become UFAs and instead are eligible to be drafted again.

Also teams no longer can hold the rights to unsigned Euro draft picks in perpetuity. They also go back in the draft.

 

[kdb209]

I don't think that's correct with respect to undrafted college players who complete their four years, undrafted overage juniors, and drafted collegiate players who complete their 4 years. Undrafted college players and undrafted overage juniors are not eligible for the draft per article 8.6 (a) (iv) and (v) and thus would be eligible to become UFAs.

I was specifically referring to drafted college and junior players. I first posted this in response to the JJ waits 4 years and becomes a UFA posts in the Jack Johnson thread on the Trade Rumours board.

I specifically noted that when I highlighted the change in Article 8.4(a) from the old CBA to the new - the new CBA adding the qualification "has not been selected in a previous Entry Draft".

Under the new CBA, overage college players and Juniors who have not been drafted still become UFAs (as they did under the old one). Overage college players and Juniors whe were drafted no longer become ineligible under 8.4(a)(iv), and thus do go back into the draft.

Drafted college players who complete their four years would be on a club's reserve list and would therefore be ineligible for the draft per article 8.6 (a) (i).

According to the CBA, the reserve list refers to "the list of all Players to whom a Club has rights including all Unsigned Draft Choices, all Players signed to an SPC (whether or not currently playing in the NHL), and all Players who have signed an SPC but who have subsequently been returned to Juniors." According to Article 8.6 (c) (i), Since the club has the rights to their undrafted player until August 15th, he would be on their reserve list come draft time and thus not be eligible for the draft under Article 8.4 (a) (i).

Drafted unsigned overage juniors do re-enter the draft.

Yes, the overage College player would still be on the teams Reserve List until August 15 (if he stayed in school) and would not be eligible for that years draft, however he would still eligible for the next years draft, since by then he would no longer be on the reserve list.

At that point he would still be eligible, since he meets none of the criteria under 8.4(a). He is NOT on a reserve list (i); he has NOT been claimed twice in the draft (ii); he has NOT previously played and become a UFA (iii); and he does NOT meet the "has not been selected in a previous Entry Draft" criteria for (iv) and (v).

 

[kdb209]

Yes, the overage College player would still be on the teams Reserve List until August 15 (if he stayed in school) and would not be eligible for that years draft, however he would still eligible for the next years draft, since by then he would no longer be on the reserve list.

At that point he would still be eligible, since he meets none of the criteria under 8.4(a). He is NOT on a reserve list (i); he has NOT been claimed twice in the draft (ii); he has NOT previously played and become a UFA (iii); and he does NOT meet the "has not been selected in a previous Entry Draft" criteria for (iv) and (v).

Actually, upon further review, it looks like the overage college player has a window that year to enter the leage as a UFA:

8.9 Eligibility for Play in the League. No Player shall be eligible for play in the
League unless he:

(a) had been claimed in the last Entry Draft, or was ineligible for claim under
Section 8.4; or​

The overage College Player would meet the criteria of 8.9(a), since he was "ineligible for claim under Section 8.4" (8.4(a)(i) - he was on a reserve list at the last draft). He would therefore be eligible to play in the NHL that season and no team would hold his rights after 8/15, so he could sign as a UFA.

If for some reason he did NOT sign before the next draft though, he would still be eligible to be selected in the that draft.

This out only applies to a college players who "remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class". If he leaves early, the drafting team still holds his rights until the 4th June 1 following his selection in the draft, and then he would become immediately eligible for the subsequent draft.