Toronto and Montreal in on future WJC … NHL cancels games … Player contracting rights … Video on decertification
  • TSN: The NHL cancelled games through December 14th, and the 2013 All-Star Game in Columbus.
  • Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: From a source on what the NHL has offered with regards to player contracting rights:

    On main areas:

    (1) offered to give back the year in ELS (NHL has moved from 2+3 to 2 and now back to 3).
    (2) dropped/withdrew request for mutuality of Salary Arb rights but maintained request for extra year to Salary Arb, also offered to synchronize timing of Club-elected Salary Arbs as per NHLPA request.
    (3) suggested willingness to be flexible of 5% contract variability proposal but maintained request for 5 year term limits on contracts.
    (4) maintained request for extra year to free agency, but gave on UFA interview period and pointed out that 3 year EL deal plus 5 year max contract puts Player right into UFA for their third contract
    (5) embraced Union’s request to allow retained salary in trades subject to upwardly revised parameters
    (6) embraced Union’s request for Payroll Range determined as a percentage of Midpoint as opposed to flat $16 million
    (7) embraced Union’s Cap Advantage Recapture concept subject to several minor modifications and application to existing long-term contracts
    (8) agreed to eliminate Re-Entry Waivers
    (9) Performance Bonus Cushion in every year of new agreement
    (10) extension of No Move/No Trade clauses to last year of “extended” SPC

    other “system-related things” league has agreed to:

    (1) no Union guarantee of Escrow shortfall and more discretion to Union in setting Escrow rate
    (2) increase in Playoff Pool
    (3) mechanism to allow for Cap exception for recalled players for roster emergencies
    (4) changes to waiver rules for Emergency recalls and mid-season European signings
    (5) agreement to continue increasing Minimum Salaries over life of new CBA
    (6) Lower Limit to be satisfied without regard to performance bonuses
    (7) agreed to limitations on “second/salary arb” buyout provisions
    (8) agreed to re-work Critical Date Calendar
    (9) $60 million Cap in Year 1 (with transition rules allowing Clubs to go to $70.2 million for full year) and guaranteed cap of $60 million in Year 2 even though HRR formula would have provided for lower Cap

  • Gabe Feldman (@SportsLawGuy) via twitter: (responding to Dreger and Aurthur’s decertification talk yesterday) “NBPA & NFLPA voted to disclaim interest, not decertify. Both dissolve union. Analysis hereGoing distance could take yrs & $$$ w wildly unpredictable result. But that possibility could spur settlement or PA could get court to enjoin lockout. Or not. Hope is that any of these will be enough to push sides to deal.”
  • SportsNet’s Hockey Central explains a bit of what decertification means.