Every player should be a free agent every year. What happens if a player signs a multi-year contract with a team with an understanding of the team's development and that changes? Doesn't seem very fair, does it?
- jmatchett383

VL is a good example of that. He signed in large part due to coach Laviolette. Three games later the coach was fired.

Every player should be a free agent every year. What happens if a player signs a multi-year contract with a team with an understanding of the team's development and that changes? Doesn't seem very fair, does it?
- jmatchett383

You're right, with life being as fair as it always is, what they hell is wrong with the NHL?

Med Students should start playing hockey.

http://www.profilesdataba...-physician-salary-survey/
- wolfhounds

They'd be good on the boards

Well said as usual.

This is such a stupid conversation. What is the alternative to the draft? Thank you, great debate.

*Drops mic\walks away.
- coffee junkie

The way it's done in virtually all other professions. You apply where you'd like to work and wait for the offers to roll in.

VL is a good example of that. He signed in large part due to coach Laviolette. Three games later the coach was fired.
- Scoob

And then they forced him to cash those checks, along with those other checks from the team that cut him just before the Flyers picked him up. I hope Vinny pulls through.

I love the Vesey talk.

I always hear from teams it's a business when making decisions. There is something in the CBA that allows Vesey to make a business decision. That's all he did.

Why isn't there complaining when a player is drafted but never gets signed because the team doesn't like how he developed?
- J35Bacher

You make a good point. I don't blame the player (Vessey), I blame the game (the rules). That rule needs to be closed yesterday!

Everyone being a free agent from the get-go is not a viable alternative in my opinion.
- wolfhounds

It certainly would point an end to tanking.

They'd be good on the boards
- DaveofYork

Niiiiice

They'd be good on the boards
- DaveofYork

And diagnosing concussions, collapsed lunge, dudes who aren't really hurt but are laying on the ice like they've been shot. Stuff like that.

It certainly would point an end to tanking.
- TobyFlenderson

a team could just buy the cheapest players and make money off TV deals for a while...relegation is the best form of anti-tanking

You're right, with life being as fair as it always is, what they hell is wrong with the NHL?
- wolfhounds

Absolutely. Damn the predatory NHL perverting our wonderful sport with its "rules."

Well that and essentially lying to the team for years, but hey, that's a character issue not a hockey issue, right?
- Scoob

How did he lie?

Because the Pred said he did?

Do teams ever lie to players? Did the flyers bring in Dan Cleary only to see him change his mind and go somewhere else.

It's a business.

It certainly would point an end to tanking.
- TobyFlenderson

Sure. But is it good for the league? Without which, players can go pound sand.

VL is a good example of that. He signed in large part due to coach Laviolette. Three games later the coach was fired.
- Scoob

Yep. And because his contract didn't have a "Laviolette is fired" clause in it, he was forced to get paid millions of dollars. THE HORROR!

And diagnosing concussions, collapsed lunge, dudes who aren't really hurt but are laying on the ice like they've been shot. Stuff like that.
- wolfhounds

Darcy Tucker faking death

The way it's done in virtually all other professions. You apply where you'd like to work and wait for the offers to roll in.
- Scoob

The product on the ice would be terrible. The whole point of the cap is to create parity in the league. The draft also accomplishes this. You don't want 10-1 games all season. The Hurricanes/Nashvilles/FLDs of the world would be terrible and in even more distress then they are now with fan turnout. It would be no fun to watch and the whole league would suffer. Give me another idea.

How did he lie?

Because the Pred said he did?

Do teams ever lie to players? Did the flyers bring in Dan Cleary only to see him change his mind and go somewhere else.

It's a business.
- J35Bacher

Well, the case you bring up was Cleary lying to the Flyers, not the other way around (and thank God he did lie, we'd be stuck with him).

And no, he didn't outright lie, but he was also not up-front with the team that he didn't intend to sign with them.

Yep. And because his contract didn't have a "Laviolette is fired" clause in it, he was forced to get paid millions of dollars. THE HORROR!
- jmatchett383

He chose the Flyers though. McDavid didn't choose the Oilers.

The product on the ice would be terrible. The whole point of the cap is to create parity in the league. The draft also accomplishes this. You don't want 10-1 games all season. The Hurricanes/Nashvilles/FLDs of the world would be terrible and in even more distress then they are now with fan turnout. It would be no fun to watch and the whole league would suffer. Give me another idea.
- coffee junkie

Yes, but like the "real world" the goal is to gain market share by being better than your competition, and one of those methods is by forcing the competition to go out of business. So like I said, if the NHL operted like the "real world", the goal of every NHL team should be to make the other teams fold, therefore maximizing market control.

And then they forced him to cash those checks, along with those other checks from the team that cut him just before the Flyers picked him up. I hope Vinny pulls through.
- wolfhounds

Don't worry, he'll get the respect he deserves when he wins the Masterton for his brave struggle.

I only have a sandwich menu and don't see one listed. Sorry.
- Scoob

Then I'll just take the hotdog.

He chose the Flyers though. McDavid didn't choose the Oilers.
- PhillySportsGuy

He also chose to enter into a profession where he knew that he would have to play for whatever team drafted him. If he didn't like that, he could have gone to college or chosen a different profession. Heck, he could pack up his poop and do that right now if he wanted to.

If I knew that being a mechanical engineer meant that I would have to work for whichever company world-wide selected me (say, an oil company in Iraq or West Virginia), I would probably not be a mechanical engineer.

Also, if you didn't get the sarcasm in my post about VLC...

Well, the case you bring up was Cleary lying to the Flyers, not the other way around (and thank God he did lie, we'd be stuck with him).

And no, he didn't outright lie, but he was also not up-front with the team that he didn't intend to sign with them.
- jmatchett383

And if that's the worst I say oh well.

I mean Straka was drafted by the Blue Jackets and then they elected to not sign him. Do you think they were up front with him about that or waited until the last moment to make that decision.

With Vesey the pressure is on him now. He played his card, will sign with a team he wants. I guess he better not become a bust.

Absolutely. Damn the predatory NHL perverting our wonderful sport with its "rules."
- jmatchett383

Then I'll just take the hotdog.
- mayorofangrytown

I don't like buns, so I'll take the hot dog pattie.