Would a soccer style loan system work in the NHL?

[Cloned]

Basically, Team A has a player under contract that they want to keep in future years, but for whatever reason they are OK with loaning him out for a certain period of time to Team B.

Team B is on the hook for whatever salary is owed to the player for the remainder of that time period, as well as the pro rated cap hit.

Team A and Team B negotiate a price for the swap, which may include picks, players or even a swap of loans.

At the end of the time period all loaned players, salaries and cap hits return to their original teams. Maybe in certain cases there can be clauses that can make a loan move permanent for the duration of the contract.

Would this work in the NHL? Would it help with teams trying to manage the cap? Would the players be on board?

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[Fixed to Ruin]

I think Gary Bettman would explode.

 

[Mr Kot]

I think Gary Bettman would explode.

And that's a good thing.

 

[Cloned]

I think Gary Bettman would explode.

He might like the idea since it would conceivably open up a lot of possibilities for trades and probably generate a lot more intrigue and excitement.

 

[Drake1588]

'Could' questions are easy. The answer is always... sure. It could.

The NHL has a hardline, no-exceptions salary cap and it likes it that way under Gary Bettman. And since he's going to outlive us all, that is that.

Check back in under new management in around 2058, though.

 

[Cloned]

'Could' questions are easy. The answer is always... sure. It could.

The NHL has a hardline, no-exceptions salary cap and it likes it that way under Gary Bettman. And since he's going to outlive us all, that is that.

Check back in under new management in around 2058, though.

This doesn’t really go against the cap though. All cap hits are transferred. The advantage is that it might allow a team to loan a player on a long term deal to a team that only wants to try that player for a shorter period of time because they aren’t sure about how he’ll fit or because their future cap structure won’t allow it.

 

[Drake1588]

Tell that to Gary Bettman. It's another cap circumvention workaround. The league has dismissed similar proposals to make it easier to navigate the cap and load up/tear down in short order for a deep run. They don't want to make it any easier to swap players around, shuffle them back and forth like pawns.

And to the OP question, no, players probably would not agree to a system that promoted freer player movement between teams. Players like waivers that prevent players from being buried in the minors on deep clubs. They don't want a system that allows GMs to more easily swap NHL vets back and forth and back again. NHL players have a lot more power than players in international soccer. Their agreement is needed for major NHL CBA alterations.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

no

 

[thefutures]

NHL need to focus on the basics, where they have enough trouble already

 

[bland]

The more interesting hypothetical change, in my opinion, to be made is that a player's contract is only with the team with whom he signed. Once a trade happens, that contract is void and the player must sign a new one with the new club at any rate/term they agree upon. Player's would have to agree to the deal and enter into contract negotiations before hand with the club's blessing.

You could see an older, experienced player agreeing to exchange an unmoveable contract with a poor team to take shorter term and/or money to chase a Cup if he chooses. Also makes him more attractive in trade since the value would be more subjective to both trade partners. The cap hit would be less consequential.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Basically, Team A has a player under contract that they want to keep in future years, but for whatever reason they are OK with loaning him out for a certain period of time to Team B.

Team B is on the hook for whatever salary is owed to the player for the remainder of that time period, as well as the pro rated cap hit.

Team A and Team B negotiate a price for the swap, which may include picks, players or even a swap of loans.

At the end of the time period all loaned players, salaries and cap hits return to their original teams. Maybe in certain cases there can be clauses that can make a loan move permanent for the duration of the contract.

Would this work in the NHL? Would it help with teams trying to manage the cap? Would the players be on board?

That’d be awesome, but would never work with current NHL management/brass. Give Gary Bettman a mirror and a potato, ask him to identify which is himself and which is the potato- dude’s gonna bat .500.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

NO. Anything scocer does is crap.