The NHL's current Collective Bargaining Agreement created incentive for U.S. college players drafted by professional franchises to join their development systems as soon as possible. The general salary cap immediately emphasized younger and cheaper over old and bloated, causing affiliates in minor leagues like the AHL to reach out to a slew of prospects whose roster spots may have previously gone to journeymen. As College Hockey News pointed out, a reduced rookie salary maximum actually encouraged teams to aggressively court college players without as much financial risk as in the past.For college players, that financial incentive has caused waves of prospects to leave school early; as a result, some of the most storied programs in collegiate hockey have taken a hit as star underclassmen bolt for the minor leagues. It's all part of a time-honored hockey life-cycle: "The NHL robs from the college and the college robs from the juniors and the juniors robs from the high school," Minnesota coach Don Lucia told the Wisconsin State Journal.
It's one thing to say that the NHL has made it sexier for blue-chip draftees to bolt college for the tough road from bush league hockey to the big show. It's another to say that the CBA actually "discourages graduation," which is what South Bend Tribune writer Steve Wozniak spells out in an article this week about University of Notre Dame ice hockey:
Since his arrival in South Bend over two years ago, Notre Dame hockey coach Jeff Jackson has done a phenomenal job in recruiting. But now, thanks to the NHL, that job may become even more difficult.It's true that teams hold on to a drafted player's rights for a longer period of time under the new CBA than the previous one -- thanks, Mike Van Ryn. But Wozniak, or Jackson, has his facts wrong when it comes to the time period before a player becomes a free agent, according to the 2005 CBA:
Under the terms of the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement, college players who are drafted by the pro league must sign with that team by the summer after their junior season, or become free agents on the market again. In effect, the rule discourages graduation, and should create a trend where some of the top college prospects will stick around campus for only a year, or at best, three.
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 following his selection in the Entry Draft, and remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shall retain the exclusive right of negotiation for his services through and including the August 15 following the graduation of his college class. The Club need not make a Bona Fide Offer to such Player to retain such rights.Again, I'm assuming the players the Irish coach is discussing are the kind of blue-chip prospects that are drafted as 18 or 19 year olds. The rules change if a player over the age of 20 is drafted. But if a young player remains in college for the full four years and is scheduled to graduate, or if he leaves school after Jan. 1 of his fourth year but is scheduled to graduate, he doesn't become a free agent until August. I e-mailed Tyler Currie, communications manager for the NHLPA, about the Tribune passage above and about the NHL "discouraging graduation." Said Currie:
"The CBA certainly doesn't discourage graduation, but this clause is a little complicated, made moreso by the recent altering of the CBA after a grievance decision. In any case, even if a player ceases to be a student, the Club usually maintains their rights until a date where that player would have graduated."So while the NHL and the NHLPA have certainly made it more enticing for a player to leave college earlier for professional development, neither organization is forcing players to choose between the fourth line on an AHL team and their diploma. Which is a good thing because, as Fighting Irish coach Jackson said, a pre-med degree from Notre Dame is "probably worth a lot more than a year in the NHL."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-14-2007 @ 12:01PM
Fraser said...
how is this different than any other sport? baseball you can come right out of high school, football you have to be a junior?
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12-14-2007 @ 12:07PM
Colonial said...
It may be in any individual team's best interests to sign players before their senior year but if anything I see the new CBA as something that encourages players to finish their degree.
As mentioned above 4th year players have more options than other prospects. Also players who finish college (likely 21 or 22 year olds), by virtue of being older, are allowed to sign shorter entry level deals and owe their first team less years before they hit the holy land that is unrestricted free agency.
Basically unless you are a top end prospect who will see meaningful NHL duty before 21/22 why wouldn't you want to finish college?
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12-14-2007 @ 1:35PM
Duster said...
But what is the incentive to for a player to sign a contract after graduation before August 1st? Very little, unless he plays the last couple weeks and/or playoffs with the NHL club.
A player might as well wait a few more months to open up the bidding to all 30 teams. So NHL teams will do everything they can to sign the college player before their senior season. If not, they will most likely be bidding for him with 29 other teams.
The new CBA is definitely anti-college as NHL teams don't want to lose their rights to players by allowing them to complete their senior season.
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12-14-2007 @ 3:20PM
Adam Wodon said...
Glad Greg wrote about this, and even happier that he linked to our article about it :) ... I agree with Duster's recent comment. I'll also add that the big thing here is that NHL teams have much more incentive now to pull players out of college, because it's cheaper for them to do so. So they go after those players more aggressively. It doesn't mean it's better for the player.
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12-18-2007 @ 5:58PM
shay weiss said...
Gary Casparov will make the world a better place to live.
B"H
Dear Friend
Hi,
I just saw an article on ChabadTallahassee.Com that I wanted to recommend to you.
In Russia Gary Kasparov spoke & march against President of Russia Vladimir Putin Now he is in prison. Where were you FOX NEWS? President of Russia Vladimir Putin put Gary Kasparov in prison There was not a word of the subject from you FOX NEWS. This is unbelievable!
This is the time to require & ask for the American and the Jewish vote.
To elected RUDOLPH W. GIULIANI. He is going to be the best president ever for USA & Israel.
The Jewish have to elect Republicans as a gesture to the policy of the president George .W. Bush & his staff. This message has to go all over the country and especially in synagogues.
This is the time to put on the car & out of doors the American flag proudly outside the hose to supporting our services troops. However the USA at war with the terrorist every day & everywhere in the world Thanks to the US Troops soldiers & President George W .Bush we have a freedom a liberty & plenty of rope to live good & vintage in the USA.
Where is the UN? The UN needs to fight the war against the terror & not the USA.
We must bomb the terror facilities instantly at once & for all let them-terrorist be dread from the USA once and for all. Every now and then we see the terrorist in the TV in their marches & camps why we do not destroyed them in Iran & Syria.
Take the fighting to them and do not hesitate! Where is all the association of human rights for the lost of the innocent people that died from terrorists?
This is the time that Europe & the UN should close or shut down the mosques in response to the Terrorism. In addition to lower the voice of the prayer of the Mosques in Europe there is now religion that is so noisy for the public such as the Arabians.
Enough we do not need to be dread from them.
We have to make a stop to their lunatics & to their terrorism.
From: SHAY WEISS MIAMI BEACH FL USA
The 2 best Israelis pilots-"aces"' sons were under my hands coaching & playing baseball.
My dream is to obtain lights for a baseball and softball field, for children in Israel & to write a book about my father David Weiss.
My dreams have inspired by my father lifetime.
In 1948, he lost his eyes, fighting. He was a Partisan who lost all his family in the Holocaust, except one sister; he found her after he was wounded from a bomb in Yafo, Tel Aviv, Israel.
My dad David Weiss never gave up.
He began from scratch and successfully raised a family.
To me he was a teacher, an inspiration, a house master, an inimitable human whom I harbor in my heart and soul every day of my life.
For me it was as if my father fought hard in the dark daily, to see me grow up.
I lost my father when I was 14 years old.
We had a golden retriever Guide dog named Arise
The day my father died, Arise and I felt something die inside us.
Today I am 40, married with two beautiful children.
I have coped with the pain and loss of my father by contributing to the needs of children and disabled people in Israel.
I coach badminton and baseball in Tel Aviv, where I grew up playing and dreaming of one day to become an American.
I contributed to the beginning of baseball in Israel.
21 years ago, we went to Europe representing Israel on our own expense to play in a fast-pitch softball tournament where I totaled had about 10-12 tournament on my record & more then 50 games always as a starter- (SS/2B, RF).
11 years ago in 1996, I played world championship fast pitch softball for the Israeli national team (SS) at Midland, USA.
I was the best Israeli born player playing fast pitch softball, and I was coaching the National teams: little & junior at the same time, as a volunteer for many years.
This was a meaningful contribution to baseball in general and to the Israelis kid's, who had been playing in school mainly soccer.
My dream is to obtain lights for the children on the field where I played 26 years ago in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The loves for the game have kept me going dreaming to be American one day.
Of course, my father spirit & manner kept me strong to demonstrate to be one of the best players ever in Israel.
If you wish to contribute or wish to help me in any way please let me know.
The movie Scent of a Woman (1992) reminds me of my dad:
However, this film is small for my dad image Directed by Martin Brest Writing credits (WGA) Giovanni Arpino (novel) Bo Goldman (screenplay)
From: SHAY WEISS MIAMI BEACH FL USA
Dear Mr. President,
George W. Bush
I would like to personally thank you and your presidential committee for progressive triumph over terrorism. I am a native Israeli and I have faced many hardships that terrorism has caused in Israel and around the world. Please continue your noble work and just know that I and many other Israelis support your effort for fighting terrorism. I was not able to vote in the passing 2004’elections but I am grateful that the American people made the right choice. There are a few suggestions I have, that I would like you to consider. I believe Cohn Powell should replace Kofi A. Annan as the United Nations secretary general. Cohn Powell has demonstrated to be a very determinant person and has positively influenced decisions affecting the United States and the world. I would also like to see a more proactive approach, by the United Nations, to fight terrorism. Troops, not only American, should be sent to defend “our” safety. Regulations should be established for preventing further terrorists from attacking innocent people. For example, deportation of terrorists’ families may help in deterring continuous attacks. In your father’s lifetime I believe it deserves to have a navy aircraft carrier named after him, which would protect the Middle East that would be in the best interest for the United States.
Again, I would like to thank you and the other “Three Aces” (Cohn Powell, Dr.Condoleeza Rice, and Donald Rumsfeld) for all of your hard work and effort.
God Bless all of you and America
Sincerely,
Shay Weiss
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3-04-2008 @ 2:21PM
shay weiss said...
From: wiess
Date: 03/03/2008 13:03:14
To: oreilly@foxnews.com
It is unbelievable both Hillary Clinton & Barack Hussein Obama are phoneys.
All of a sudden they concern about health, teachers, educations, poor people and so on.
Where were they 8 years ago?
What they did for the poor people health, teachers, in the last 8 years.
All the expenses for the elections and the spending for what was it.
All the democrats Hillary Clinton & Barack Hussein Obama can do is to fabricate promises to the public.
However they don't want to stand tough against Presidents: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev.
They don't want to clash against the evil of the world.
It is too much for them to Barack & Hillary & they have no clue or they don't want to fight them.
If they are so steely & strong
Why they don't opposite against the evil of the world Presidents: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev.
Sincerely,
Shay Weiss
Miami FL
USA.
Reply
3-04-2008 @ 5:25PM
shay weiss said...
From: wiess
Date: 03/03/2008 13:03:14
To: oreilly@foxnews.com
It is unbelievable both Hillary Clinton & Barack Hussein Obama are phoneys.
All of a sudden they concern about health, teachers, educations, poor people and so on.
Where were they 8 years ago?
What they did for the poor people health, teachers, in the last 8 years.
All the expenses for the elections and the spending for what was it.
All the democrats Hillary Clinton & Barack Hussein Obama can do is to fabricate promises to the public.
However they don't want to stand tough against Presidents: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev.
They don't want to clash against the evil of the world.
It is too much for them to Barack & Hillary & they have no clue or they don't want to fight them.
If they are so steely & strong
Why they don't opposite against the evil of the world Presidents: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev.
Sincerely,
Shay Weiss
Miami FL
USA.
Reply