swflyers25
7-16-05, 4:04 PM
Small markets face big trouble
Free agent frenzy looming next year NHL lockout will
count as a season
KEN CAMPBELL
SPORTS REPORTER
Upon further review, the new collective bargaining agreement is looking better for the likes of Tomas Kaberle, Jarome Iginla, Joe Thornton and Vincent Lecavalier and potentially disastrous for the small-market teams it was supposed to help.
A source close to the negotiations confirmed a published report yesterday stating that not only does the free agency age drop to 29 next summer, but players under that age who have eight years of NHL experience, will also qualify for unrestricted status. In the summer of 2007, players who are 28 or have seven seasons will qualify. In 2008 ? and for the remainder of the agreement ? players who are 27 or have seven seasons of experience will qualify.
Also, for purposes of player tenure, last year's aborted season will count as a season played for all NHL players.
All of which means next summer is shaping up to have the strongest free agent crop in the history of the game. Along with Iginla, Thornton, Lecavalier and Kaberle, other potential unrestricted free agents include Martin St-Louis, Marian Hossa, Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden, Jose Theodore and Ed Jovonovski.
Under the previous CBA, the Leafs wouldn't have had to deal with Kaberle as an unrestricted free agent until after the 2008-09 season. Because he will have been an NHLer for eight years once his contract expires next summer, Kaberle will now be unrestricted.
Liberalized free agency was one of the concessions the owners made in exchange for a salary cap, but critics suggest that this will do nothing to protect the small-market teams. What it does mean is that the effects of arbitration, one of the league's biggest concerns going into negotiations for a new CBA, will not drive salaries for players in their mid 20's because those dollars will now be driven by unrestricted free agency.
But instead of holding a player's rights until age 31, teams will now face the proposition of losing star players because they either won't have enough room under the salary cap or it will force them to spend closer to the cap limit of $39 million (all figures U.S.). In 2003-04, 15 of the league's 30 teams spent under what the cap will be next season.
"Wait until fans of small-market teams like the Ottawa Senators find out about this," said one player agent. "I sure hope they win the Stanley Cup next season because what are they going to do when teams offer Chara and Hossa the cap (of $7.8 million) and Redden $6 million?"
The Calgary Flames will be particularly hard-hit by the CBA for several reasons. If not for the eight-year rule, Iginla would have had to wait one more year to become an unrestricted free agent, but unless the Flames sign him to a long-term deal, he'll be free next summer.
To make matters worse, the revenue-sharing aspect of the deal will also hurt Calgary.
"If you go by 2003-04, they were in the top 10 in revenues so they'll have to share revenues," said an NHL executive. "So now they lose the Canadian assistance plan and they have to share revenues. How exactly does that help them?"
It was always thought that the deal would put a larger importance on drafting and developing players, an area in which the Leafs have been lacking, but this makes player personnel decisions even more crucial.
"Edmonton always complained that they couldn't keep their stars and that they lost Doug Weight and Bill Guerin when they were 30," the agent said. "But now they might lose Eric Brewer when he's 26."
Toronto Star (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121464223989&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064)
Free agent frenzy looming next year NHL lockout will
count as a season
KEN CAMPBELL
SPORTS REPORTER
Upon further review, the new collective bargaining agreement is looking better for the likes of Tomas Kaberle, Jarome Iginla, Joe Thornton and Vincent Lecavalier and potentially disastrous for the small-market teams it was supposed to help.
A source close to the negotiations confirmed a published report yesterday stating that not only does the free agency age drop to 29 next summer, but players under that age who have eight years of NHL experience, will also qualify for unrestricted status. In the summer of 2007, players who are 28 or have seven seasons will qualify. In 2008 ? and for the remainder of the agreement ? players who are 27 or have seven seasons of experience will qualify.
Also, for purposes of player tenure, last year's aborted season will count as a season played for all NHL players.
All of which means next summer is shaping up to have the strongest free agent crop in the history of the game. Along with Iginla, Thornton, Lecavalier and Kaberle, other potential unrestricted free agents include Martin St-Louis, Marian Hossa, Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden, Jose Theodore and Ed Jovonovski.
Under the previous CBA, the Leafs wouldn't have had to deal with Kaberle as an unrestricted free agent until after the 2008-09 season. Because he will have been an NHLer for eight years once his contract expires next summer, Kaberle will now be unrestricted.
Liberalized free agency was one of the concessions the owners made in exchange for a salary cap, but critics suggest that this will do nothing to protect the small-market teams. What it does mean is that the effects of arbitration, one of the league's biggest concerns going into negotiations for a new CBA, will not drive salaries for players in their mid 20's because those dollars will now be driven by unrestricted free agency.
But instead of holding a player's rights until age 31, teams will now face the proposition of losing star players because they either won't have enough room under the salary cap or it will force them to spend closer to the cap limit of $39 million (all figures U.S.). In 2003-04, 15 of the league's 30 teams spent under what the cap will be next season.
"Wait until fans of small-market teams like the Ottawa Senators find out about this," said one player agent. "I sure hope they win the Stanley Cup next season because what are they going to do when teams offer Chara and Hossa the cap (of $7.8 million) and Redden $6 million?"
The Calgary Flames will be particularly hard-hit by the CBA for several reasons. If not for the eight-year rule, Iginla would have had to wait one more year to become an unrestricted free agent, but unless the Flames sign him to a long-term deal, he'll be free next summer.
To make matters worse, the revenue-sharing aspect of the deal will also hurt Calgary.
"If you go by 2003-04, they were in the top 10 in revenues so they'll have to share revenues," said an NHL executive. "So now they lose the Canadian assistance plan and they have to share revenues. How exactly does that help them?"
It was always thought that the deal would put a larger importance on drafting and developing players, an area in which the Leafs have been lacking, but this makes player personnel decisions even more crucial.
"Edmonton always complained that they couldn't keep their stars and that they lost Doug Weight and Bill Guerin when they were 30," the agent said. "But now they might lose Eric Brewer when he's 26."
Toronto Star (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121464223989&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064)