Thread: What happens to player contracts ?

This may have been posted so I apologize if it was or if it is a stupid question but even though the players are getting paid this year does it count as a year on their contract? Dustin Penner signs a 1 year deal but since it looks like this year wont happen does his one year technically take place or does it start once they actually start playing again in 2013...It really sucks that some of these players are missing a year of their prime or in Brodeurs situation what may have been the last year of his great hall of fame career

It's a wasted year. If the season is lost Penner will be a FA.

Originally Posted by Toothless

It's a wasted year. If the season is lost Penner will be a FA.

That was the way it was handled under the last CBA negotiations that saw a year lost, the year expired off the contract. So players on 1 year deals or with 1 year remaining became free agents. Players with 4 years left had 3, and so on. People are assuming that's what would happen in a new CBA if the whole year is lost, but I don't think anything definite can be said what would happen this time.

Originally Posted by Dana

Originally Posted by Toothless

It's a wasted year. If the season is lost Penner will be a FA.

That was the way it was handled under the last CBA negotiations that saw a year lost, the year expired off the contract. So players on 1 year deals or with 1 year remaining became free agents. Players with 4 years left had 3, and so on. People are assuming that's what would happen in a new CBA if the whole year is lost, but I don't think anything definite can be said what would happen this time.

I was reading an article on tsn a while back that was saying that it was a lost year. They were giving examples of players who signed a 1 year contract on or around 7/1 and that the fans possibly will never get to see them play for the team.

I'll try to find it when Im not mobile.

Originally Posted by Toothless

I was reading an article on tsn a while back that was saying that it was a lost year. They were giving examples of players who signed a 1 year contract on or around 7/1 and that the fans possibly will never get to see them play for the team.

I'll try to find it when Im not mobile.

I don't disagree with you that is likely to happen. I was just saying I don't think anyone can say 100% for sure it's what will happen. Who knows, this thing could get totally drawn out even more, the owners go for the kill and say to players something along the lines of "Your contract says you owe us X number of seasons, we want X numbers of seasons, not X-1."

Of course, that would all depend on the language of contracts too. If they're actually written to go from say 2011-2014 or if it just specifies 4 seasons, 7 seasons, etc.

Originally Posted by Toothless

I was reading an article on tsn a while back that was saying that it was a lost year. They were giving examples of players who signed a 1 year contract on or around 7/1 and that the fans possibly will never get to see them play for the team.

I'll try to find it when Im not mobile.

You're correct, and there's no ambiguity about it. Under the CBA that just expired, all player contracts signed after the CBA went into effect must conform to a form called "Standard Player's Contract." There's an exhibit attached to the CBA that specifies the exact language to be used; the parties can fill in some blanks for dates, dollar figures, etc., but cannot otherwise change the substantive contractual language. Anyway, the SPC uses a term called "League Year," which is basically a 365-day period from July 1st of one year until June 30th of the next year. Under the SPC, a player is employed for a certain number of League Years, not a certain number of NHL seasons. By June 30, 2013, another League Year will have elapsed under all those SPC's, with or without a season being played.

We could still play 82 games, who says the season has to start in October..

We could start a full season in February..and have the Cup finals in November..

Year and a half long season! Make it happen!

Do the players still get paid during the lockout?