Refusing to play for the team that drafted them

[lawrence]

There is a loophole and some players want to exploit it.

 

[NJ Fan 12]

He had NY Ranger in his sight probably before the draft
The east coast appeal appeal of playing in NY at madison square garden
"Bruce and Tammy Fox had held season tickets for decades by the time Adam was born in February 1998"

And apparently he's a big fishing and beach guy. With the Rangers he won't be playing hockey in May or June.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I would get it if there's an ownership issue at play.

For example, what's happening in Arizona or Ottawa.

 

[alko]

Even Mario Lemieux refused to put Penguins jersey when they drafted him.

 

[vorky]

Only reason I don't like players doing it is because it goes against the spirit of the draft. If enough players do it in time, why even have a draft? Just let all the big market teams sign the best players and turn the NHL into the English Premier League/La Liga where over half the league has basically no reason to root for their team other than the occasional upset.

And do the NHL clubs be obligated to pay similar transfer fees to the European clubs like the EPL/La Liga clubs are paying to get the talents from other clubs/leagues. It is normal sports business of the 21st Century, unfortunately, American major sports leagues are living in the 19th Century if not the Middle Age.

 

[ecemleafs]

There is a loophole and some players want to exploit it.

its not a loophole. its part of the CBA and everyone knows about it.

 

[Brodeur]

Don't forget Bo Jackson and the Bucs

By the time I was old enough to understand sports, Bo was already a Tecmo Bowl legend. Definitely interesting to find out what happened, as I remember it from the 30 for 30:

Jackson was initially fine with being drafted by Tampa and they arranged for him to visit their facility. Jackson had also started his senior season for baseball at Auburn. He was assured that his visit to the Bucs facility was cleared by the NCAA, but it ended up costing his remaining baseball eligibility. Jackson felt like Tampa intentionally deceived him and refused to sign with them. Jackson had the unusual viable fallback with playing baseball instead.

Those mid-80s drafts were definitely interesting:

1983: Some USFL interference, Jim Kelly didn't want to play in Buffalo and had a big money offer to play for the USFL Houston Gamblers instead.

1984: Major USFL interference as they signed guys like Reggie White, Steve Young, and Herschel Walker. Cincinnati would have taken Young with the top pick. Maybe in that parallel world, there's a Montana vs. Young Super Bowl in 1989?

1985: Minnesota trades up intending to draft Bernie Kosar only to learn that he was going to use a loophole to go to Cleveland. On draft day, Minnesota trades down and the net transaction was #3+#30 for #4+#60.

1986: Bo gets angry, plays baseball instead.

 

[GrizzGreen]

1986: Bo gets angry, plays baseball instead.

Bo also only went to Auburn because they would let him play both sports, so I think it's safe to say he at least had love of the game working for him rather than simply being spiteful.

 

[Gnashville]

Don't forget Bo Jackson and the Bucs

Bo was going to play for the Bucs and they lied to him and he lost his last year of eligibility of college baseball. They admitted they intentionally caused him to lose that year because they wanted him to focus on football, and he then told them not to draft him. They drafted him and he signed with the Royals and the rest is history.

 

[BOS358]

its not a loophole. its part of the CBA and everyone knows about it.

This, this, and this!

 

[Aceboogie]

Don't mind it at all. Assemble a well run team if you do not want this to happen to you.

How many other professions have a draft and fully restrict a persons ability to chose until they are age 25

If McDavid refused to sign with Edmonton, I would not have blamed him. These are guys who can literally change the game of hockey and have 100's of millions of earning potential. Imagine having that taken away cause some mickey mouse organization drafted you?

 

[GAGLine]

Only reason I don't like players doing it is because it goes against the spirit of the draft. If enough players do it in time, why even have a draft? Just let all the big market teams sign the best players and turn the NHL into the English Premier League/La Liga where over half the league has basically no reason to root for their team other than the occasional upset.

Teams aren't obligated to sign the players they draft. Why should players be obligated to sign with those teams? Players have rights too.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

its not a loophole. its part of the CBA and everyone knows about it.

It's sort of a loophole in that the situation only realistically applies to NCAA players (where it's not at all abnormal to intend to stay for 4 years) and players already established in foreign leagues. Most of your major junior players aren't going to have the playing security at a certain point to take this option.

 

[zcaptain]

Well, a little history lessen

The reason the draft exists at all was that previous to expansion (1967) Montreal and Toronto basically had a monopoly on kids from Ontario and Quebec, where the majority of players came from. This was made no where clearer than in Quebec, where just about every french Canadian kid wanted to play for the Montreal Canadians.

This is the reason for so many Stanley Cup in Montreal. Toronto was not much different, but of course language was not a barrier, so more kids went other places.......aka Bobby Orr signing with Boston. If you ask any old time Toronto fan, they will tell you he was stollen. LOL

Today, there are more teams, and more kids playing, but to loose control of the draft, would make haves and have nots, much like in baseball and Football where it is easier to move around.

I am a Caunck fan, but when Adam Fox refused in both Calgary and Carolina, I thought it was poor for hockey. As if this became the norm, some teams could not stock their teams properly.

The problem that exists though is that, in Canada you can not prevent a kid from playing hockey for life, or making a living, and if he refuses to sign, that was basically what would happen, so the NHL basically said, well, if you wait the 2 years after being drafted, then you become a UFA (that is the short version)

Teams have basically agreed that they will trade such players, to where they want to go, before they become free agents, to keep the in fighting down..........

I am still not totally convince there was not collusion on the Adam Fox move, as NYR were more than happy to accomedate him (good move on their part if they don't get caught)

But I do not agree with it. Certainly a team should get rewarded by awarding the team with a compensary pick equal to the real value of the player, and not where he was picked at. Meaning if a late bloomer decided to pass on his draft team, and became an all-star (Fox), then Calgary really missed out. Not really fair!

 

[Perfect_Drug]

If a player doesn't sign with the team, is there still a compensation pick given?

I remember Lombardi and Stoll were drafted by the Oilers and Flames. Then didn't sign with their teams, and the following draft, both were drafted and signed with the opposite teams (I believe it was with the compensation picks)

 

[FlyguyOX]

Yes, I hate how players like Fox game the system.

I don't want a system like the MLB or NBA of a select few superteams like the yankees.

 

[SoundAndFury]

To be honest regarding the NCAA-NHL transfer thing, I'm actually surprised it doesn't happen more often. When you look at someone like Eichel, why would a person who has a free choice do that to himself.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Yes, I hate how players like Fox game the system.

I don't want a system like the MLB or NBA of a select few superteams like the yankees.

Idk if you don't watch baseball but the Yankees haven't been a superteam in a while

 

[FlyguyOX]

Idk if you don't watch baseball but the Yankees haven't been a superteam in a while

They scoop up every big bat that becomes a free agent, no?

Also, I hate baseball so no I don’t watch

 

[ResilientBeast]

They scoop up every big bat that becomes a free agent, no?

Also, I hate baseball so no I don’t watch

Eh not really so much anymore

And even then they haven't won the world series for over 10 years.....

 

[BOS358]

I am a Caunck fan, but when Adam Fox refused in both Calgary and Carolina, I thought it was poor for hockey. As if this became the norm, some teams could not stock their teams properly.

Here's the thing: Calgary traded him, despite not having him under contract, to Carolina. You could make the case that he should have signed with Calgary, though I would emphatically disagree, but what obligation did he have to Carolina?

Teams trade their drafted prospects quite regularly. Nobody thinks this is unfair, and I don't see why anybody should. Similarly, I don't see why the other side of the coin is any different.

 

[BOS358]

To be honest regarding the NCAA-NHL transfer thing, I'm actually surprised it doesn't happen more often. When you look at someone like Eichel, why would a person who has a free choice do that to himself.

Eichel was a different matter. He would have had to play three more years to achieve free agency, barring injury. He made the smart move: Playing in the NHL > having to go to class and write papers. Hell, I didn't have that option, and I still didn't want to go to class or write papers!

 

[Brodeur]

If a player doesn't sign with the team, is there still a compensation pick given?

Only players taken with first round picks are awarded compensatory picks if they don't sign. The lone exception I can remember was Boston getting a compensatory pick when Ben Clymer didn't sign. Clymer was the 27th pick (first pick of second round) in 1997 but by 1999 there were 28 teams in the league, so the league seemingly made an exception.

To be honest regarding the NCAA-NHL transfer thing, I'm actually surprised it doesn't happen more often. When you look at someone like Eichel, why would a person who has a free choice do that to himself.

Doesn't make financial sense for a high end guy to do that. Mix in any injury risks as an amateur as well.

2015-16: ELC1
2016-17: ELC2
2017-18: ELC3
2018-19: 10 million
2019-20: 10 million
2020-21: 10 million

Versus graduating and going the August 15th route (not sure if Eichel could have left after his junior year a la Wheeler/Schultz but he would have gotten a 3 year ELC if I'm counting on my fingers/toes correctly).

2015-16: sophomore
2016-17: junior
2017-18: senior
2018-19: ELC1
2019-20: ELC2
2020-21: RFA

 

[Squats]

I would mind if a player did that. Be f***ing grateful you're even able to get a glimpse of the NHL. Some people are just never content with their lives

 

[SoundAndFury]

Doesn't make financial sense for a high end guy to do that. Mix in any injury risks as an amateur as well.

Yeah, Eichel was a bad example. He was just a poster child of an NCAA player who landed in a really shitty situation and I was lazy to think of another one.

Be f***ing grateful you're even able to get a glimpse of the NHL. Some people are just never content with their lives

So if the player has multiple proposals he can choose where does he get that glimpse of the NHL, can't he? It's so laughable people think one shouldn't make the most of his talent just because he's supposed to carry some kind of moral debt to the regular Joe.