WASHINGTON – The CBA almost certainly will have to be amended in order for the Rangers to be awarded the compensatory pick they are seeking for the loss of Alexei Cherepanov.
As written, Article 8.3 (b), leaves no doubt that compensatory picks are meant as protection for teams whose unsigned first-round selections are eligible to either go back into the draft or become free agents.
Without being maudlin, it must be pointed out that before collapsing on his Omsk team bench during an Oct. 13 KHL game and passing away later that day, Cherepanov was listed as a “defected player” on NHL roster status reports. Arbitrator Richard Bloch upheld the NHL’s implementation of “defected player” status this week.
Thus, regardless of the circumstance, an unsigned Cherepanov’s rights would have belonged to the Rangers beyond this season and into the foreseeable future. He would not have been eligible to re-enter the draft or to become a free agent.
The Rangers aren’t going to be able to argue the law here.
The NHLPA numbers guys think league revenues might slip this season
Executive director Paul Kelly, who is in the process of meeting with all 30 teams on his fall tour, sent a status report to agents on Nov. 3 in which he explained the union’s decision to request an initial 13.5-percent escrow rate.
“This rate is based on several factors, including the current worldwide financial crisis, the recent softening of the Canadian dollar, and the potential for a modest HRR [Hockey Related Revenue] decrease this season,” Kelly wrote in the memo that has been obtained by Slap Shots.
Even if revenues decrease, the NHLPA could add a five-percent bump to next year’s cap, ensuring that it need not decline in proportion to revenues, if at all. As well, once the PA notifies the league that it is not re-opening the CBA, the 7.5-percent carryover bonus allowance will be reinstated.
Though mounting trouble is expected in those cities with teams lacking a strong season-ticket base – including the Islanders, Devils, Phoenix, Florida and Atlanta – unless the bottom falls out of the NHL economy, the 2009-10 cap should remain relatively stable.
Prominent among the topics being covered on the tour by Kelly and director of player affairs Glenn Healy include hits to the head, late hits and hits on defenseless players.
Markus Naslund, concussed by a deemed-legal hit to the head from Steve Moore in the 2004 incident that set off the chain reaction that climaxed with the Todd Bertuzzi attack, isn’t so sure all blows to the head should be penalized.
“If a player’s head comes down at the last moment, that’s a tough one, I don’t know about that,” the Rangers’ winger said. “But I do believe that checks delivered when an opponent is off-balance or vulnerable have to come to an end.
“Tough, fair hits are part of the game. But intentionally taking advantage of a player when he’s vulnerable, to me, that’s intent to injure and has no part in the game.”
According to Kelly, the tentative plan is for six teams to open the 2009-10 season in three European cities next season.
Glenn Anderson‘s induction into the Hall of Fame is long, long overdue and the estimable Igor Larionov‘s enshrinement is richly deserved.
It is, however, unfortunate that the league scheduled the Oilers to play on Monday night (in New York), in conflict with the Hall of Fame ceremony in Toronto, where the Edmonton organization should be congregating to salute Anderson.
This probably isn’t what’s meant by giving the finger, but the Maple Leafs are already attempting to deal Jeff Finger, the defenseman whom they signed to a four-year, $14M free agent contract this July, we’re told.
Finally, for those people who say, “Lou would never do that,” when the possibility is raised of Lamoriello trading for Nikolai Khabibulin in the wake of the potentially shattering elbow injury to Martin Brodeur, they should never forget this:
Lou would do anything.