Quote:
Originally Posted by swisdan
Are you sure that Nashville's option on Josi lasts only 2 years?
It seems very short.
|
Well, I think the PA wanted to make things fair on prospects with the new CBA, because NHL clubs used to get the rights to European players for 5 years, and only got the rights to North American junior players for two years (and 4 years for NCAA, but that's for different reasons). Reducing the time for which a team retains a Euro's rights allows more teams to negotiate with that player and possibly bring him over to the NHL, or allow European clubs to sign the player without the risk of him bolting for the club that holds his NHL rights.
Of course, with the lack of an transfer agreement, there's talk that the rules for rights to European players will return to the old five-year exclusivity.