Chicago Screws Up, merged

[HawksFan4Life 0]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283730#videoyourcallarticle

Now I'm freaking out.

First, why would Tallon send offers to Barker and Versteeg for less than $1 million for Pete's sake!

Second, why couldn't he mail them out sooner?

Please NHL don't do anything.

[BlakKy 58]

I don't want to see Chicago implode.. but Martin Havlat isn't helping.

His tweets are getting to be a little childish now.

http://twitter.com/martinhavlat

"@UhLeasha Didn't leave them...they left me."

[betterREDthandead 58]

Scotty is probably destroying things at this very moment. With his eyes.

[Esquire 324]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283730#videoyourcallarticle

Now I'm freaking out.

First, why would Tallon send offers to Barker and Versteeg for less than $1 million for Pete's sake!

Second, why couldn't he mail them out sooner?

Please NHL don't do anything.

Jacked this from another site:

A team must extend a "qualifying offer" to its restricted free agent to retain negotiating rights to that player. Players making less than $660,000 must be offered 110 percent of last season's salary. Players making up to $1 million must be offered 105 percent. Players making over $1 million must be offered 100 percent.

So, according to this:

- Barker's 2008 salary = $984,200 = <$1 million = $984,200*105% = $1,033,410 Qualifying offer

- Versteeg's 2008 salary = $490,00 = <660,000 = $490,000*110% = $539,000 Qualifying offer

[lomekian 201]

I don't want to see Chicago implode.. but Martin Havlat isn't helping.

His tweets are getting to be a little childish now.

http://twitter.com/martinhavlat

"@UhLeasha Didn't leave them...they left me."

All power to him....in all sports organisations hide behind a lack of individual accountability to let the sportsmen in question take the stick. Unless like like Kenny, the GM or equivalent has the balls to be honest, fans often assume its the players driving the moves when it comes to free agency or badly imbalanced trades or trades to rivals. Havlats probably had some stick from fans, and feels hurt at chicago basically dumping him in favour of one of his mates (and from their point of view quite sensibly). After all if you've been one of the top guys on an improving team and have helped drag them into a position to be a contender, only to be replaced by one of your friends who has no affinity to the team at all, how are you going to feel. Surely its better if he shows he cares.....

[Snazzy 0]

At first I was thinking that NHL should blow this off, it's just a mistake and the consequences seem too harsh. But then after seeing that this happened to the Devils in 2000 with some of their players, I think it's only fair that NHL continues to enforce their rules because Devils got zapped with the same thing.

[Esquire 324]

The NHL suspended both Pav and Nick for sitting out the All-Star game and said that they were simply following a rule that had been established.

This scenario should be no different. You break a rule, you suffer the consequences. Then again, this IS the NHL we're talking about.

[BlakKy 58]

All power to him....in all sports organisations hide behind a lack of individual accountability to let the sportsmen in question take the stick. Unless like like Kenny, the GM or equivalent has the balls to be honest, fans often assume its the players driving the moves when it comes to free agency or badly imbalanced trades or trades to rivals. Havlats probably had some stick from fans, and feels hurt at chicago basically dumping him in favour of one of his mates (and from their point of view quite sensibly). After all if you've been one of the top guys on an improving team and have helped drag them into a position to be a contender, only to be replaced by one of your friends who has no affinity to the team at all, how are you going to feel. Surely its better if he shows he cares.....

I'm not really sure where I stand. I like Havlat, and I like to see players be people. I do however feel he has a responsibility to protect the league.

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

I seriously didn't even know there was a rule on this, anyone want to fill me on the rule?

Edited July 5, 2009 by HadThomasVokounOnFortSt

[MadMan Mark 0]

I read yesterday that the NHL frowns on mailing the qualifying offers stating they should be faxed to the player/agent or delivered by courier. I don't see how the NHL can turn a blind eye, but then again they apply their own rules on the fly. The precedent was there in 2000 with the Devils. I don't care what the excuse is, qualifying offers were not in players/agents hands by the deadline. . . they should become UFA's.

[edicius 3,269]

I guess we'll find out how fair/consistent the league is, considering that Chicago doesn't benefit from the favouritism that some other teams enjoy. If it happened to Lou and the Devils, it would not at all surprise me if the Hawks get boned over this.

[Snazzy 0]

Guys, I just figured out what happened. Apparently since Hawks' Hossa signing and Campbell / cap issues, Hawks couldn't afford to send the Qualifying Offer via UPS or FedEx overnight with a signature confirmation. All they could afford was a snail mail stamp @ 0.44 cent after taking back 5 Pepsi cans....

Damn that salary cap!

This is the kind of stuff that we should expect to see in Chicago for the next 12 years.

[Guest Four]

Chicago is going to be one dangerous team next year.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

I seriously didn't even know there was a rule on this, anyone want to fill me on the rule?

From NHL / CBA:

10.2 Restricted Free Agents.

(a) Group 2 Players and Free Agents.

A Qualifying Offer shall not be open for acceptance prior to July 1. If a

Qualifying Offer meeting the above requirements is timely made, the Prior Club shall

have a Right of First Refusal, exercisable in accordance with Section 10.3 below, or Draft

Choice Compensation, exercisable in accordance with Section 10.4 below. A Qualifying

Offer will be deemed to have met the above requirements if the Prior Club timely

provides the Player a completed copy of the notice attached as Exhibit 19 hereto, in

accordance with Exhibit 3 hereto.

EXHIBIT 19

FORM OF QUALIFYING OFFER SHEET

QUALIFYING OFFER SHEET

Name and Address of Player:

Name and Address of Player's Authorized Representative:

Club:

Pursuant to Section 10.2 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (the "CBA"), [Club]

hereby makes [Player] a Qualifying Offer of $__ in the NHL and $___ in the AHL (if

applicable), or whatever other minimum amounts are necessary to preserve the Club

rights contemplated in Section 10.2(a)(ii) of the CBA. This Qualifying Offer is not open

for acceptance until July 1, 20__.

If you are eligible for salary arbitration, this Qualifying Offer is subject to that right.

Date:__________________

____________________________

Club

By:

Title:

Agreed To and Accepted By:

____________________________ ______________

[Player Name] [Date]

cc: NHL Players' Association

NHL Central Registry

EXHIBIT 3

CBA NOTICES

To the extent that any provision of this Agreement requires the delivery of a

notice to any of the following individuals or entities, such notice shall be delivered to such

individuals or entities as follows:

To the NHL National Hockey League

1251 Avenue of the Americas

47th Floor

New York, NY 10020

Primary Fax: (212) 789-2050

Secondary Fax: (212) 789-2030

Attn: David Zimmerman, Esq.

e-mail: dzimmerman@nhl.com

To NHL Central Registry National Hockey League

Central Registry

1800 McGill College Avenue

Suite 2600

Montreal, Quebec H3A 3J6

Canada

Primary Fax: (514) 841-1060

Secondary Fax: (514) 841-1050

Attn: Stephen Pellegrini

e-mail: spellegrini@nhl.com

To any NHL Club To the Club address set forth in Exhibit 29.

To the NHLPA National Hockey League Players' Association

777 Bay Street

Suite 2400, Box 121

Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C8

Canada

Primary Fax: (416) 260-0634

Secondary Fax: (416) 313-2403

Attn: Ian M. Penny

e-mail: ipenny@nhlpa.com

To a Player During the Playing Season, a Player shall receive

notice(s) from his Club via hand delivery. From the

day after the conclusion of a Player's Playing Season

until the commencement of the Player's subsequent

Playing Season, notice(s) shall be sent via overnight

delivery to the Player's off-season address which the

Player provides to the Club, and if no such address is

257

provided by the Player, the notice(s) shall be sent via

overnight delivery to the Player's last known address.

To a Certified Agent To the address set forth in the list provided by the

NHLPA pursuant to Section 6.1.

If no method of service is specified in this Agreement, service of the required

notice shall be effectuated by either facsimile transmission or overnight mail delivery by an

established nation-wide delivery service (e.g., FedEx, Overnite, Airborne, etc.). In the event the

method of service specified is e-mail, but no e-mail address has been provided, that requirement

will be deemed to be waived. In the event the method of service specified is not available (e.g.,

overnight delivery to a specified address), the next most reasonable and efficient service

available shall be utilized, provided such service provides a written verification or other record

of delivery (e.g., certified or registered mail or delivery overnight).

In the event the contact information changes for any of the aforementioned parties,

notice of such changes shall immediately be provided to all listed parties.

[CenterIce 83]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283794

NHL is done with their investigation and forwarded it on to NHLPA, who is still looking at it.

[edicius 3,269]

NHL decides to blame Canada Post, claiming Tallon did nothing wrong.

That's friggin annoying, because it's clear he DID do something wrong. He didn't send them properly, didn't account for a holiday and got screwed because of it. I hope the NHLPA files a grievance.

[deetroit dario 27]

NHL decides to blame Canada Post, claiming Tallon did nothing wrong.

That's friggin annoying, because it's clear he DID do something wrong. He didn't send them properly, didn't account for a holiday and got screwed because of it. I hope the NHLPA files a grievance.

"blame canada post" sounds like a south park song! now we've got trey parker and matt stone advising bettman?

lol, actually....that would explain an awful lot!

[thedisappearer 291]

We're two seasons away from turning into the NBA.

[Winged_Wheeler 3]

We're two seasons away from turning into the NBA.

Our league has transformed into NBA and WWE/F

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

From

Chicago Daily Herald:

Tallon told TSN.ca the players were mailed their offers before the deadline and would have been postmarked accordingly.

However, Johnson's agent, Allan Walsh, was quoted in a published report claiming that as of Saturday neither he nor his client had received the Hawks' mailed offer.

Chicago has opted to defer the following excuse:

"Our dog ate the paperwork."

[Opie 308]

WOW, selective rule enforcement is the first sign of lots of bad things to come.

If the inconsistency continues and rules continue to be enforced at the whim of Bettman, Campbell, BoG, whomever I wouldn't be surprised at all if the owners or players association makes a stink real soon!

Especially in this case where if the postmark is after July 1 the players would be losing out on a lot of money, especially Versteeg and Barker.

EDIT:

I know the NHLPA is investigating, but if one of the FA's claims he didn't receive it and contacts the PA don't they have to act on his accord?

Plus since they can't be mailed they must be faxed or courier delivered isn't Tallon still in violation?

This is so weird why is it that rules the NHL has are so hard for me to understand, even the ones that are cut and dry and say things like:

No instigating in the final five minutes or a suspension.

Tie downs have to be used or suspension (yes I am fully aware this would have taken Z with Malkin and don't care)

Offer sheets must be faxed or delivered by a courier by July 1 or said FA's become UFA.

Why are these rules so damn complicated? Better yet why is every ******* rule in the NHL so inconsistently enforced, this is bulls***, burn the rule book and make every violation a "Discretionary call"!

Even when the game ends, what size the rink can be depending on who is building it, how big nets are, shot clocks anyone, only for teams the league deems fit!

Edited July 6, 2009 by Opie

[sean 19]

I hope Chicago gets their way. If they don't, people will be talking about it all year, and their woes will be attributed to it. That's just the kind of unnecessary drama the game doesn't need.

[Opie 308]

I hope Chicago gets their way. If they don't, people will be talking about it all year, and their woes will be attributed to it. That's just the kind of unnecessary drama the game doesn't need.

Instead the game needs the drama of the league turning the other cheek for the Hawks but not NJ or the other teams it has happened too?

Puck Daddy

This isn't the first time a clerical error during free agency cost a team. Back in 2000, the New Jersey Devils forgot to send paperwork for Brian Rafalski(notes) and John Madden(notes) and both became free agents that could be signed without compensation. Rafalski had been making $450,000 at the time and Madden $550,000. Due to the error, New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello had to act quick and locked both players up to four year deals with Rafalski earning $11 million and Madden $7 million.

Plus one of the posters also points out it happen to Buffalo recently (I was unaware of this one):

Buffalo lost Mike Zigomanis due to a fax machine error a few years ago. His QO didn't make it and he was a UFA.

[Snazzy 0]

I hope Chicago gets their way. If they don't, people will be talking about it all year, and their woes will be attributed to it. That's just the kind of unnecessary drama the game doesn't need.

According to the blackhawks board, the posters there believe that the NHL and NHLPA should turn a blind cheek to the matter because Chicago is an up and coming original six team that will make the NHL a lot of money and winning product the league needs.

This will amount to a little more than a slap on the wrist should anythiing come of it. But as several have stated Chicago is too important to the league - an orginal six team that has just reinvented the wheel dealing with players and tryiing to put a winning product on the ice. I can't see Bettman or any of these other guys wanting to screw that up.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283900

Grievance filed, Chicago could now very well lose these players.