About signing new players to the NHL

[Jasper84 333]

I've been a big Wings fan for the better part of 15 years now, but one thing I've never really paid much attention to, was the way players get drafted/signed into the NHL. I started paying more attention to this last season, and even more this off-season.

Now, my question is last season, during the playoffs there was players like Brunnstrom, Leino and such that got signed during the post-season. What makes it possible for teams to be able to sign these guys to contracts prior to the NHL entry draft in the off season, and guys like Tavares, and Hedman need to be acquired through the draft (or can they be signed earlier?)?

Edited July 5, 2008 by Kween78

[Cicada 4]

in terms of european players:

players are only eligible for the entry draft wo turn 18 by September 15th and are not older than 20 by December 31st are eligible -

Every European player older than 20 who isn't drafted automatically becomes a UFA.

the right of unsigned but drafted players from europe are a bit hinky because of the lack of the IIHF agreement. It's not known wether the teams who drafted them hold their rights as 'defected players' or if they're available as UFA's. No one has made a president yet.

if i'm wrong someone correct me, because i could be. i have a fairuly loose understanding of the situation

the reason Bunnstrom and Leino can be signed is that they're 23/24 years old. Tavares and Hedman are 17/18.

and yes, i know Franzen was drafted at 24, but that was under the old CBA, which had different rules for European players. European players HAD to be drafted to play in the NHL then.

Edited July 5, 2008 by Cicada

[Jasper84 333]

Thanks, that helps.

[Guest mindfly]

Just recently leafs were able to sign jonas frögren by giving him a sign-bonus which he would use to pay his old club Färjestad BK out of his contract, swedish clubs dont usually force them to stay we always try to find a way and in most cases the NHL gives the player money to buy himself out of his current contract, although i dont know if its 100% legal but thats how we do it when there's no IIHF agreement.

[Cicada 4]

Just recently leafs were able to sign jonas frögren by giving him a sign-bonus which he would use to pay his old club Färjestad BK out of his contract, swedish clubs dont usually force them to stay we always try to find a way and in most cases the NHL gives the player money to buy himself out of his current contract, although i dont know if its 100% legal but thats how we do it when there's no IIHF agreement.

as long as the NHL team doesn't directly pay the buyout then it's legal as by the CBA. But then the player can only sign an entry level contract and if he has to give some of that up as a so called 'buyout', he can be fairly poor.

it's really not worth it for those player unless they're guaranteed NHL money. If they get sent down and make AHL money they might actually find themselves at a defecit.

AHL salaraies are what? about 100k. Frogren apparently paid 200k to buy himself out. He better hope he doesn't end up on the marlies.

[Guest mindfly]

For a guy like frögren it wasnt about the money at all, he just wanted to try the NHL and see if he can make it there... maybe he'll be a 6/7th D and earn league minimum.. what's mthat like 500.000$ or something?

Edited July 5, 2008 by mindfly