Zherdev may play in NHL tomorrow night !

[Buffaloed]

Thats what an exemption does. It "exempts".

Ok now I see, I read it wrong. The only problem I see is there's no authority granted in the CBA for the NHL to make such an exemption. There are specific conditions where exemptions can be made, but that's not one of them. Unless language can be found to the effect that the commissioner can exempt players at his discretion it's still an issue.

 

[Ejh18]

Ok now I see, I read it wrong. The only problem I see is there's no authority granted in the CBA for the NHL to make such an exemption. There are specific conditions where exemptions can be made, but that's not one of them. Unless language can be found to the effect that the commissioner can exempt players at his discretion it's still an issue.

Here. This is an excerpt from a columbus dispatch article from Oct. 8th.

What is known is that the league has granted the Blue Jackets a roster exemption for Zherdev, which is to say the Jackets were not forced to put him on their roster yesterday, nor were they forced to place him on the suspended list or mark him as loaned to a European team.

 

[Buffaloed]

Here. This is an excerpt from a columbus dispatch article from Oct. 8th.

What is known is that the league has granted the Blue Jackets a roster exemption for Zherdev, which is to say the Jackets were not forced to put him on their roster yesterday, nor were they forced to place him on the suspended list or mark him as loaned to a European team.

A roster exemption means they can carry 24 players on the active roster so they don't have trim a player to make room for Zherdev. It doesn't address the waiver issue. Be glad that the Panthers aren't in last place. Rick Dudley would surely try to force the issue to steal Zherdev. :p

 

[Ejh18]

Here are two more possible answers.

13.21.(b) In the event a player who is exempt from the Waiver
Draft because of military service shall terminate such military
service between the termination of the Waiver Draft and the
termination of the ensuing playing season and playoffs, he shall
be eligible to play during such season and playoffs only if the
Club on whose Reserve List he was at the time of the Waiver Draft
places on waivers either such player or another player from its
final Waiver Draft Protected List.

Or the reason I think he is fine is...

(d) In the event a professional player on the Inactive List
whose name has not been included on the original Protected List
at the time of the Waiver Draft returns to action following his
removal from the Inactive List at any time prior to December 1,
he must first be placed on waivers, or in substitution therefore,
another player who was on the Club's original Protected List at
the time of the Waiver Draft must be placed on waivers.

He was brought over on Dec. 1st and probably activated either on the 1st or most likely on the second. Prior to the game...

Thus after the Dec. 1st restriction.