Since Avery is eligible for group III FA next summer,his award can only be a 1 year award
If Avery was two years away from group III FA,the Rangers could ask the arbitrator for a 1 or 2 two year award.The party being taken to arb can determine the length
In the case of Lundqvist,Meehan could have told the arbitrator to give them a two year award instead of a one year award if the case had gone to arb
Quote:
Election of Term.
The party against whom an arbitration election was filed (i.e., the Club in
Player-elected salary arbitration and the Player in Club-elected salary arbitration) shall
elect in its brief whether the arbitration award shall be for a one or two-year SPC. Failure
to make such an election shall be deemed to constitute an election for a one-year SPC.
Notwithstanding the foregoing: (i) the Club or the Player, as the case may be, shall be
entitled to elect only a one-year SPC if the Player is within one (1) year of attaining the
age and experience level required for Group 3 Player status; and (ii) if the Player has
attained or is within one (1) year of attaining the experience level required for Group 5
Player status and the Club has elected a two-year SPC, the Player may, at the end of the
first year of such SPC, elect to void the second year of the SPC if the Player's Paragraph
1 NHL Salary for the first League Year of such SPC is less than the Average League
Salary for such League Year and, upon making such election, such Player shall (if he
otherwise qualifies at such time) become a Group 5 Player and be entitled to the rights set
out in Section 10.1(b). If the Club elects a one-year award for a Player within one (1)
year of attaining the experience level required for Group 5 Player status, then at the end
of that year, the Player may if he so elects, and if he qualifies, become a Group 5 Player
at that time and be entitled to the rights set out in Section 10.1(b).
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A 1 year award is a 1 year contract.The Rangers would not be able to re-sign Avery until January 1,2008 if his case is determined by the arbitrator.Just like the Rangers can't sign Lundqvist to the contract extension until 1/1/08
A player in the last year of a multi-year contract can agree to an extension after July 1 when he is about to enter the last year of his contract.Thornton agreed to an extension with SJ on 7/1/07 which will begin with the 2008-09 season.He still has another year remaining on his original three year contract
