Gentleman's agreements also aren't legally binding in any way. There's nothing the league can do about this.
There's not a thing that the league can do if Tambellini were to tell Smyth that he can get a large one year contract next year, but the team won't be able to pay him as much on subsequent years due to salary cap concerns.
Verbal contract are legally binding in some circumstances, but to be cap circumvention it doesnt have to be legally binding.
and gentalemans agreements are cap circumvention, as they are a kind of agreement where 2 parties have an understanding.
Quote:
26.3 Circumventions.
(a) No Club or Club Actor, directly or indirectly, may: (i) enter into any agreements, promises, undertakings, representations, commitments, inducements, assurances of intent, or understandings of any kind, whether express, implied, oral or written, including without limitation, any SPC, Qualifying Offer, Offer Sheet or other transaction, or (ii) take or fail to take any action whatsoever, if either (i) or (ii) is intended to or has the effect of defeating or Circumventing the provisions of this Agreement or the intention of the parties as reflected by the provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation, provisions with respect to the financial and other reporting obligations of the Clubs and the League, Team Payroll Range, Player Compensation Cost Redistribution System, the Entry Level System and/or Free Agency.
Exactly...and this whole 'sign him for one year at a time logic'....why would he do that?? Because he's nice??
That's pretty much the idea, yes. And because we may not be able to fit everyone under the cap, so if he wants to be here he has to be a part of making it work too. One year deals allows his cap hit to be high while we can afford it (next year or two), and then lower when we can't. From 2013-2014 on, we need all the space we can get under the cap. I agree with the last few posts, that people are a little too optimistic about screwing him over, thinking he will sign a one year deal for not much more than Barker or Sutton. But we still have to look at it from the teams perspective and see that they can't handcuff themselves and sign a deal for over 2 years. After that, it's one year deals until he retires. It wouldn't be the first time a player signed one year deals until they retire.
I still think he will take a hometown discount 100%. The guy told CGY he wanted to wait for EDM when CGY had a done deal for him.
He has made it public he bleeds blue. You don't insult him with a lowball offer, but I don't think he takes or demands something very high. I think he will take less than market value.
I'm basing this off of his decisions the past 6 months, his interviews, and his love and loyalty for the team.
