Teams can sign college free agents but ….
Pierre LeBrun: NHL teams can conduct business with regards to college free agents and future year deals, but they are not allowed to sign contracts that involve this season just yet.
Any signing would mean it’s dated July 1st and would go into effect next season.
Ducks, Sherwood, and waivers
Eric Stephens of The Athletic: The Anaheim Ducks put forward Kiefer Sherwood on waivers (and cleared), the first transaction move by anyone since league shut down last Thursday.
Since the 24-year old Sherwood has played 60 NHL games (exactly 60) he requires waivers to be sent to the AHL. When cleared and if assigned he’ll earn a bi-weekly rate off of his $70,000 AHL salary and not a daily rate off of his $925,000 NHL salary.
Cap Friendly: “Once a player clears waivers they can remain on the roster for 10 games or 30 days cumulative before they require waivers again. With the season paused, the clock will only start if/when hockey resumes. At that time Anaheim can assign Sherwood. #Ducks just getting a head start.”
Quick hits from LeBrun on playoff scheduling, Summer Olympics, and next years salary cap
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: There is going to a specific date that the NHL decides that it doesn’t make sense to resume the season. It may not have come up in talks on the weekend.
With already asking teams for arena availability for July, the league thinks it’s possible to have playoff hockey into July.
The summer Olympics are scheduled to run from July 24th to August 9th, and the NHL won’t really want to compete with that. Within the next two-three weeks the NHL should have a better idea, and guesses by the end of April we should know if the season will be canceled or not.
There are lots of different playoff options they could consider, but the NHL may not be focusing on that just yet as there are other priorities.
Shortening the season would have an effect on hockey-related revenue and the salary cap for next season. Sources from both the NHL and NHLPA have said that having next seasons salary cap lower than this season makes very little sense.