Prospect UFA loophole

[IKnowPhysics]

Who thought this would happen?

 

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=396872#YourCallTop

 

Ducks 2nd round pick Schultz de-registers from Wisconsin, starting a 30 day countdown for Anaheim to sign him. If they don't sign him/he refuses to sign, he goes UFA, signable by any team on July 1st. He doesn't go back in the draft pool (because he's over 21).

 

Bob McKenzie's convinced he's going UFA: http://tracking.si.com/2012/05/25/ducks-draft-pick-justin-schultz-free-agent/

 

The Ducks have just about zero leverage here- all they can do really is offer is the maximum entry salary, the same as any other team would be allowed to offer to him in free agency. So the kid doesn't want to play for the team that drafts him, he plays college until he's 21, de-registers, walks right to UFA, passes "Go" and collects $200.

 

It is conceivable that after being one of the better players in the NCAA and a Hobey Baker Award finalist this year, he wanted a pro contract, and Anaheim told him to stay at Wisconsin another year. Then the spin would be that he's exercising his rights under the CBA to get to the NHL without interference from Anaheim.

 

Analysts expect this loophole to be closed in the next CBA, but ######, it seems like an easy way out of your rights. The seven Anaheim fans are obviously pissed.

 

A related aside:

 

Unsigned Sabres prospects NCAA over the age of 21 that play(ed) NCAA:

Connor Knapp (ended senior year, 6th round '09)

Brad Eidsness (ended senior year, 5th round '07, signed about a month ago to Toronto's ECHL team)

Justin Jokinen (ended senior year, 4th round, '08)

Drew MacKenzie (ended senior year, 7th round, '07)

Mark Adams (ended sophomore year, 5th round, '09)

 

Sabres have 30 days after these guys leave college to sign them, so we should be seeing AHL contracts soon for several of these players. Knapp especially; Mackenzie and Jokinen possibly.

[bunomatic]

He'll sign in Vancouver.

[Trettioåtta]

Wow....dick move by Schultz. I hope he doesn't sign with someone like Edmonton (even though he will). It is like when Wheeler signed with the Bruins, i really don't like it.

[IKnowPhysics]

He'll sign in Vancouver.

 

Yeah, he's from Kelowna, so there could a hometown yearning. That said, the Toronto and Edmonton fans are getting pretty frothy about this.

 

Meanwhile, both Anaheim fans are getting stirred up about tampering charges against which ever team he signs with.

[LastPommerFan]

I want more pressure on anaheim to shake things up. I want them to enter a rebuilding mode with a 3-5 year horizon. I want their plans to place higher value on draft picks and prospects than Ryan Getzlaf. And I want them to trade with the sabres.