The next big battle between the NHL and the NHLPA is coming sooner than you might think. Hockey fans believed they were in store for several years of peace after the two sides reached an agreement to end the 2012-13 lockout, but a conversation over a future expansion draft could once again divide the NHL and NHLPA.
As seen in the New York Post, there could be several issues surrounding an expansion draft which need to be sorted out.
There likely are to be myriad issues, but specifically, the PA will insist players with no-move clauses be exempt from exposure to the draft, a source with knowledge of the union’s philosophy told Slap Shots.
…
Question unique to this first cap expansion: Will new franchises actually start operation with, say, $75 million of cap space with which to fill its respective rosters and thus be enabled to offer lavish contracts to free agents that existing, successful, cap-stressed teams would be unable to match?
Another question: Where will these teams (or team) select in the Entry Draft?
The questions raised above are bound to lead to some lengthy discussions between the NHL and the NHLPA. It’s really no surprise that players with a no-move clause would want that to apply to an expansion draft. Most players with no-move clauses would likely be protected from the draft by their respective teams, but instances will arise where a team could capitalize on being able to move a struggling skater who has a no-move clause. That type of move wouldn’t go over well with the player’s union.
The topic of the salary cap is an extremely tricky one. New teams will want to have a full salary cap in order to compete on a level playing field, but that obviously will raise concerns with the previously established teams who won’t be able to match any contract offers for players hitting free agency. Meanwhile, the NHLPA will likely argue in favor of the new clubs having a full salary cap as it’d likely result in larger contracts for players hitting the open market.
There’s also no easy solution as to where a new expansion team (or teams) would pick in the draft, but it’s sure to lead to some big debates.
Will the NHL and NHLPA be able to reach an agreement on all of these topics in a timely fashion? NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly commented via the New York Post:
“I wouldn’t intend to unilaterally issue rules for the expansion draft, regardless of whether I had the contractual right to do so. This is something we are going to talk through with the Union and hopefully we can both be on the same page.”
Stay tuned. There’s a battle brewing between the NHL and the NHLPA and it’s difficult to envision the two sides finding much middle ground when it comes to expansion drafts.
