What is the start/deadlines for RFA signings?

[hdw]

I've looked around here, and tried to parse the CBA but I can't find it.

Is there some form of window when RFA's can be signed?

Or is it just from whenever until December 1:st?

Click to read more...

 

[Ted Hoffman]

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=300664

#22.

 

[hdw]

Well, that's the absolute deadline to be able to play (part of) that season.

But isn't it a little bit more hairy?

If I understand the CBA then it says that for the prior team to receive right of first refusual or draft compensation they must present the player with a qualifying offer no later than June 25:th (or first monday after the draft).

That offer cannot be accepted earlier than July 1:st.

If no such offer is made, the player becomes a UFA.

The offer terminates automaticly at July 15, but can be extended.

We then enter the potential 'enemy' offer territory, where a new team can present the player with an offer, and the prior team must match it within 7 days.

And finally, if no contract is signed before December 1:st, the player is out for the season

Or am I misreading the CBA?

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Sorry ... that's not how I took your question originally - I thought you were only asking about the final date. Offer sheets can be given starting on July 1 - otherwise, you pretty much have the dates correct. The only thing I'll add here is that if the deadline for accepting a qualifying offer is extended past July 15, it must be requested by the Club with notification sent to the NHLPA and Central Registry, and the new termination date for the qualifying offer must be a fixed, definite date.

And after looking at Exhibit 15, I feel a need to make a new thread later today with all of the critical dates everyone will be asking about ...

 

[hdw]

So basicly we can expect current teams to offer contracts to their RFAs no later than June 25.

And 'new teams' have a window up to July 15 before the player risks not getting any offers at all (unless extended as you say).

But an RFA has no reason to wait longer then July 15, unless he wants to go somewhere else for less money (it's the current team that can extend the offer, not the player as I understand it).

 

[Ted Hoffman]

AFA offer sheets ... no - I thought about this, there have been a couple of instances in the past where RFA's got offer sheets prior to July 15. Scott Stevens (with NJ, offered by STL) and Joe Sakic (with COL, offered by NYR) are the big ones that stand out. There's nothing in the CBA that indicates that teams cannot sign an RFA to an offer sheet until July 15 from what I can find - in fact, Exhibit 15 (the list of critical dates every year) mentions that RFA's can start talking to teams (including their own) regarding any potential interest, but can't sign SPC's or offer sheets until the FA period starts (on July 1).

BTW - last year the NHL and NHLPA agreed to suspend the blackout period, allowing RFA's to sign new contracts with their current teams (but not offer sheets) up until almost July 1 - but I can't find the thread were we discussed this (yet). It's possible that both sides will agree to do the same this year as well, but there's been nothing officially announced on this.

The rest of your comments are correct (as well as the logic behind them).

 

[Wetcoaster]

BTW - last year the NHL and NHLPA agreed to suspend the blackout period, allowing RFA's to sign new contracts with their current teams (but not offer sheets) up until almost July 1 - but I can't find the thread were we discussed this (yet). It's possible that both sides will agree to do the same this year as well, but there's been nothing officially announced on this.

You are assuming there is someone in charge over at the NHLPA to make such a decision????

 

[hdw]

You are assuming there is someone in charge over at the NHLPA to make such a decision????

Well there's the interim executive commitee.

Hmm, wait, they're busy cross-checking their fellow union members into the boards

Guess it'll have to wait until the silverware is distributed.

 

[LadyStanley]

AIUI,

If your multi-year contract expires 6/30/2008, you can sign a new contract with your current team as early as 7/1/2007 (with the understanding that the last year of current contract is averaged in with the entire $$/term of the new contract for purposes of cap hit).

And if your single year contract expires 6/30/2008, you cannot sign a new contract until 1/1/2008.


WRT the first paragraph, this may be why Pittsburgh is considering negotiating a long contract with Crosby this summer, before his ELS expires next summer (and preventing any team from putting an offer sheet out there).

 

[Wetcoaster]

Well there's the interim executive commitee.

Hmm, wait, they're busy cross-checking their fellow union members into the boards

Guess it'll have to wait until the silverware is distributed.

So what is that timing for the Cup being awarded?

About 5 more games for the Senators??

 

[Ted Hoffman]

If your multi-year contract expires 6/30/2008, you can sign a new contract with your current team as early as 7/1/2007 (with the understanding that the last year of current contract is averaged in with the entire $$/term of the new contract for purposes of cap hit).

Wrong. By definition, an extension is a completely new contract, entirely separate from the existing contract; as such, the calculations of the cap number for the current contract and the extension are completely separate - neither has anything to do with the other.

And if your single year contract expires 6/30/2008, you cannot sign a new contract until 1/1/2008.

That is correct.

 

[kdb209]

AIUI,

If your multi-year contract expires 6/30/2008, you can sign a new contract with your current team as early as 7/1/2007 (with the understanding that the last year of current contract is averaged in with the entire $$/term of the new contract for purposes of cap hit).

And if your single year contract expires 6/30/2008, you cannot sign a new contract until 1/1/2008.


WRT the first paragraph, this may be why Pittsburgh is considering negotiating a long contract with Crosby this summer, before his ELS expires next summer (and preventing any team from putting an offer sheet out there).

Note that contract extensions for players in the last year of their ELS were originally disallowed in the new CBA. The NHL and NHLPA made a quiet amendment earlier this year to allow a team to negotiate an extension with a player in the last year of their ELS deal (just like any other pending RFA/UFA):

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=343981

Minor CBA Amendment - Extensions on ELS Contracts

This point came up in a "Is Crosby a Max Salary Player" thread on the NHL talk board - so i thought I'd post the tidbit here to give it a bit more exposure to the BoH folks.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/columns/hotstove-notebook/

Hotstove Notebook
Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007
by Scott Morrison

Each week, Hockey Night in Canada's Scott Morrison takes you behind Saturday night's Satellite Hotstove discussions.
...
The NHL and NHLPA quietly amended the CBA last week, allowing clubs to extend entry-level players on the same basis they extend any other player in the last year of a contract, meaning they don't have to wait for the deal to expire. In the case of the Penguins, it means they can start extension talks with Sidney Crosby this July instead of waiting to 2008. Speaking of Crosby, he should be a "maximum salary" player in his new deal. Based on a salary cap at roughly $48 million, he could earn in excess of $9 million annually

 

[speeds]

I believe I've read that once a player files for arbitration he cannot sign an offer sheet, is that true IB?

Does the same apply if the team takes a player to arbitration?

 

[kdb209]

I believe I've read that once a player files for arbitration he cannot sign an offer sheet, is that true IB?

Does the same apply if the team takes a player to arbitration?

Correct. Once a player (or team) elects arbitration, that player may not sign an offer sheet.

(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Group 2 Player requests
salary arbitration, or a Club requests salary arbitration, pursuant to Article
12, such Player will not be eligible to negotiate with any Club other than
his Prior Club or sign an Offer Sheet pursuant to this Article 10, except as
provided in Section 12.10.

Note that for an RFA who earned >$1.5M in the last year of his contract a team may elect to take that player to arbitration in lieu of tendering a Qualifying Offer. That player will not have any opportunity to negotiate or sign an RFA Offer Sheet.

For players who earned $1.5M or less, a team cannot elect arbitration until after the July 5 deadline for player elected arbitration. In that case the player will have at least 5 days from the start of the UFA/RFA signing period (July 1) to negotiate and sign an RFA Offer Sheet before his team can elect arbitration.