While fans await the end of negotiation season and the beginning of hockey season, an intriguing change to free agency in the NHL has been proposed.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports on ESPN.com that the league has proposed to have free agency start on July 10 instead of the traditional July 1 opening day.
According to LeBrun, a later start date to free agency could allow teams more breathing room after the NHL Draft, which is traditionally held in late June.
A later date would also be clear of Canada Day on July 1 and the July 4 U.S. holiday, maximizing media coverage for big signings.
LeBrun adds that the flip side could be that a later start date means less time for players to sign contracts, which may not sit well with the NHLPA.
I wouldn't be against free agency and the draft being pushed back a little bit. Not so much for the holidays in the summer but to spread everything out. 95% of worthwhile movements of free agency come in the first couple of days which leaves a boring 2+ months until preseason hockey starts. Meanwhile it seems like the draft and free agency happen right after the playoffs.
Move it back to August 1st...why not, I kinda liked when they did that the lockout year! (I think that's when they did it).
July 15th-20th would be a good start date though, give it a month after the draft, teams can look at trade options after the draft before they throw millions of dollars at free agents.
The NHL is (once again) going the wrong way. If anything, instead of pushing the date, they should allow negotiations to start a week earlier, on June 24th, with official signings announced on July 1st.
Only change I could see happening is setting it to one weekday which stays the same. This year July 1st was Sunday, year ago Friday, two years ago Thursday and so on. Just like Draft is now generally Friday-Saturday, ASG skills on Saturday, ASG on Sunday...
This makes sense.
It must suck to be a GM and have to worry about the draft, and then 3-4 days later have to get everything together for the FA push(es)
actually, i would rather have free agency first and the draft after that. That way you know what you've gained or added in FA, and what you still need to add via trade at the draft, since the draft is when half the trades for the year happen.
I like having it on Canada Day. I get to stay home and watch the coverage. Maybe they can make it the second Saturday of July, so again... I can be home,
I had always figured there was supposed to be some sort of subtle irony to that, personally.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Le Tricolore
I like having it on Canada Day. I get to stay home and watch the coverage. Maybe they can make it the second Saturday of July, so again... I can be home,
I fully endorse this "put it on Saturday" proposal, since we don't get Canada Day off down here.
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Maximizing? Nobody's watching TV on the 4th. They're BBQing.
Well July 1st is Canada Day and many a Canadian hockey fan takes the day off regardless if it is the holiday weekend or not. BBQ is secondary to hockey.
That's my birthday, move it to the 11th, er, 12th.
I like the idea of pushing it back. They should be UFA on July 1st but cant sign until the 10th, or whatever. Gives time for teams to offer and players time to think.
I support it for the sole reason that it feels like the offseason becomes shorter as a result.
Which is a reason why the players wouldn't support it.
It'll be like your prospective employers deciding they'll take longer to give you your job offer while you just sit there and wait without any certainty.
The NHL is (once again) going the wrong way. If anything, instead of pushing the date, they should allow negotiations to start a week earlier, on June 24th, with official signings announced on July 1st.
Stupid NHL! How could they not see the many advantages that you didn't point out to starting Free Agency a week earlier?!
