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Originally Posted by Mizral
It's my understanding that it costs $50,000 to claim a player off waivers - isn't that the case?
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It varies widely depending on how long the player has been playing on a professional contract. And whether they are a skater or defenseman.
For example; for Travis Green the waiver fee was maximum USD 6,500 (The Leafs can reduce it if they wish to). For goaltenders, this is the payment schedule:
For each goaltender who has not in the aggregate completed more than the following years under one or more professional contracts:
2 Years - $97,500
3 Years - $82,500
4 Years - $75,000
5 Years - $67,500
So unless Valiquette's first contract was a personal services contract to Lowell in the AHL (highly unlikely) then the waiver fee for him would have been USD 67,500. FLA also has to pay Valiquette USD 5000 in addition to this fee.
If Valiquette goes on waivers today, the Oilers can file to claim him within 48 hours, by fax. If none of the other teams that drafted before them in the waiver draft file a claim ... he will become Oilers property. The Oilers do NOT have first dibs here, the Journal was incorrect on this. The CBA is explicit in this regard.
The Oilers would have to pay 50% of the waiver draft fee, in their home currency (i.e. CAD 33,750, or about USD 25,300). The Oilers would also have to pay Valiquette USD 5000 in addition to this fee.
(EDIT: any other team that claims him would have to pay the full waiver fee, plus USD 5000 to Valiquette).
So the Oilers would be up USD 37,200. And Valiquette would be up USD 10,000 before taxes.
There is no way on God's green earth that the Oilers planned this, in fact it sounds very much like they were caught unawares. But it looks like it might work out okay, becasue I really doubt that any other team will claim him.
BTW: Here are the other teams (in order of priority) who would be able to claim Valiquette ahead of the Oilers)
1. Carolina
2. Pittsburgh
3. Columbus
4. Buffalo
5. San Jose
6. Nashville
7. Atlanta
8. Calgary
9. Montreal
10. Phoenix
11. NY Rangers
12. Los Angeles
13. Chicago
14. NY Islanders
15. Boston