Goaltender Ben Gaudreau did that with SJ. He opted not to sign his ELC two years after he was drafted. Ultimately he went undrafted the second time around and went to TB on a tryout.
Can a high profile prospect refuse to play for the team that drafted them?
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Gaylord Q Tinkledink
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- Apr 29, 2018
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Zach Hyman I believe it was refused to sign with Florida and seemed he only wanted to sign with Toronto, that's why they got a 7th I believe.
Corban Knight didn't want to sign with Florida, as well I believe.
Patrick Holland- can't remember if it was he didn't want to sign with Calgary, or Calgary didn't want to pay a 7th rounder 1st rounder money, but I believe there was something like that and that's why he was traded in the Cammalleri - Bourque deal.
Corban Knight didn't want to sign with Florida, as well I believe.
Patrick Holland- can't remember if it was he didn't want to sign with Calgary, or Calgary didn't want to pay a 7th rounder 1st rounder money, but I believe there was something like that and that's why he was traded in the Cammalleri - Bourque deal.
Maurice Clarett famously sued the NFL to be allowed to enter the 2004 NFL draft (one year ahead). The NFL requires players to be 3 years removed from graduating high school to be eligible. Clarett initially won but it was overturned in Appeals Court (by future US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer), and the Supreme Court refused to hear it.
Since that time the NBA also upped their draft requirements to requiring players be one year out of high school. The reason both leagues were able to do so was because it was part of their respective CBAs, and thus did not violate anti-trust legislation.
MadLuke
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- Jan 18, 2011
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That make for a strange title of the thread, could you imagine a world where a prospect could not refuse to play for a team that draft them, specially that you do not take any step or confirm to anyone that you even want to participate in any draft to start with.
Mathieu Chouinard was drafted by Ottawa in the first round and didn't sign. When he re-entered the draft Ottawa picked him again in the second round
We're talking high profile prospect. Say a player tells teams he won't play for them or that he only wants to play for one team and they draft him anyway. I am sure they would trade him rather than wait for him to give up and sign.
njdevils1982
Hell Toupée!!!
jagr did this
How Jaromir Jagr may have manipulated the 1990 NHL draft in his favor | FOX Sports
The 18-year-old Czech winger did his best to make sure he landed in Pittsburgh.
www.foxsports.com
- Oct 9, 2012
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They should be able to, the fact that a team can hold onto a prospects rights for such a long time is asinine. If a player is drafted and refuses to sign and shows no interest in signing they should go back into the draft next season or free agency
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RandV
It's a wolf v2.0
A high profile player is still no guarantee of an NHL career, and players have limited enough number of years in the NHL that every season earning an NHL pay cheque counts. If you want to play in the NHL you have to play by NHL rules, and while technically you don't have to sign with the drafted team overwhelmingly the best thing for a kid to do is a combination of what's best for their professional development and whatever burns their ELC years the soonest.
I'm very pro-labour but I find this topic very misguided. The only situation I'd be concerned about is some teams have a tendency to ruin a prospects development by rushing them to the NHL. It's always an iffy call if this is what's happening or not (Zach Benson?), but over the years there's a clear pattern of some teams doing this.
Just to expand on Chouinard, it wasn't totally his fault.
A few days after he was drafted, Pierre Gauthier resigned as GM and was replaced by Rick Dudley. A year later, Dudley left and took the GM gig in Tampa. Dudley was eventually replaced by Marshall Johnston.
Chouinard said that he had minimal contact with Ottawa through their front office turmoil. As his rights were set to expire, he was presented with a low ball take it or leave it offer. Chouinard was offended and decided to go back into the draft. Ottawa's new GM may have played hard ball knowing they would receive a compensatory 2nd.
Comically Ottawa would take Chouinard with that compensatory pick. Chouinard said he punched a wall when he found out.
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There was a little bit more motivation in those days for a player to re-enter the pool if he thought he could go higher. There was a rookie salary cap but it wasn't as stringent as ELCs are today. For instance Mike Comrie got a 3 million dollar signing bonus as Edmonton was worried he was going to use the free agent loophole.
Scott Parker was a Devils third rounder in 1996 but he had a big D+2 season and some projected him to go in first round in 1998. Lou declined Parker's salary demands and he went back into the pool. Boston had something similar with a guy named Kyle Wanvig; Boston had a trade in place that got nixed due to a jammed fax machine.
1995-2004, a team owned a player (for the most part) until he was 31. So there was more reason to be picky.
Whereas nowadays a blue chipper could be a UFA at 25, so it makes more sense to get your free agent clock rolling.
BLONG7
Registered User
I can only remember 2 High Profile players, doing this.............
Mario did not want to play for the Pens, but did settle in there nicely.........and who could forget the Lindros Family Circus not wanting to play in Quebec.
Most kids, especially the high profile players, already pretty much know what team is drafting them.....so their families and agent have time to prepare.
Mario did not want to play for the Pens, but did settle in there nicely.........and who could forget the Lindros Family Circus not wanting to play in Quebec.
Most kids, especially the high profile players, already pretty much know what team is drafting them.....so their families and agent have time to prepare.
Golden_Jet
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- Sep 21, 2005
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That’s no different than any player if they don’t sign after 2 years from being drafted, it’s not unique to NCAA, same things applies to CHL players.
WarriorofTime
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- Jul 3, 2010
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Was it Brian Burke that cried about 18 year olds not calling GMs to tell them not to draft them? Classic blowhard.
Won't somebody please think about the poor Hockey Executives!
joestevens29
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- Apr 30, 2009
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Don't they re-enter after two years already if they are from the CHL and if they are NCAA they can do whatever the f*** they seem to want.
Can't remember if euro's are two years or not
Suntouchable13
Registered User
If a lot more prospects do this, then you may as well abolish the draft. I just think it’s a bad look on young guy saying he won’t play for the team that drafted him. Who is he? Could be a bust for all we know. There are only 32 NHL cities currently, you should be happy to be drafted to play in any of them. it’s a privilege, is it not?
joestevens29
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Problem is only the best of the best really should ever do this. You end up being a fringe player and you burned bridges, it's going to come back to bite you when looking for a job elsewhere.
Hopefully. If not, then it would be forced labour, which I believe is illegal.
- Jun 13, 2010
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Not exactly the same, Mario wanted a signed contract. He wouldn't "wear the jersey and hat" until he had a signed contract.
There was never angst about Pittsburgh.
frightenedinmatenum2
Registered User
Yes. They would have to wait 2-4 years to become a free agent. They would still be required to sign an ELC with the team they choose to sign with.
The reason it almost never happens is because a player coming from Junior isn't going to wait 4 years to start making money and accruing seasons towards unrestricted free agency. If you're a 1st overall pick, your ELC is potentially worth millions each year. Add in any endorsements or extras.
College players who play out until free agency are usually not super high profile prospects. It's sometimes a case where a player from the 2nd-7th round sees a huge uptick in their development mid-way through their college career. They were unsigned because they weren't a top priority, and all of a sudden they are a year away from being able to choose their destination and multiple teams are interested in them. It's pretty rare for a top 5 or top 10 talent right out of the draft to play the 3 or 4 years needed at college to be eligible for free agency.
When it does happen, the team who holds their rights would likely trade them like the Flyers did because the trade return is going to be greater than the draft compensation of a 2nd round pick.
The reason it almost never happens is because a player coming from Junior isn't going to wait 4 years to start making money and accruing seasons towards unrestricted free agency. If you're a 1st overall pick, your ELC is potentially worth millions each year. Add in any endorsements or extras.
College players who play out until free agency are usually not super high profile prospects. It's sometimes a case where a player from the 2nd-7th round sees a huge uptick in their development mid-way through their college career. They were unsigned because they weren't a top priority, and all of a sudden they are a year away from being able to choose their destination and multiple teams are interested in them. It's pretty rare for a top 5 or top 10 talent right out of the draft to play the 3 or 4 years needed at college to be eligible for free agency.
When it does happen, the team who holds their rights would likely trade them like the Flyers did because the trade return is going to be greater than the draft compensation of a 2nd round pick.
Beukeboom Fan
Registered User
The UFA enables them to sign where they want, but they still have to sign a standard ELC (2 or 3 years depending on their age). So while they can control where they play - they're delaying starting their career by at least 2-3 years for most player, and also delaying obtaining UFA elgibility, which is where many of them are at max earning potential.
So while the players do have the ability to do so, they pay a HUGE financial penalty to do so as well.
