There was no free agent madness on Canada Day.
The player agents did not speak to the general managers to complete the contract signing. Sportsnet and TSN did not have 101 commentators talking about the full free agent center Derek Grant that caused another stir for Anaheim Ducks, and the PR people made no calls to Oilers GM to Ken Holland.
On July 1, it was quiet because of the corona virus.
The start date for the free agency is now October – or maybe November 1st, a few days after the NHL draft – accompanied by the usual speed dating process with some of the 300 UFAs to see if everyone is in a relationship are interested in knowing that there is only so much food on the table. The salary cap will be $ 81.5 million over the next two seasons. It’s not a good time to be a free agent, big or small name, although we’ll see it with Alex Pietrangelo and Taylor Hall.
“As far as I know, all player contracts (which usually ended on June 30th) will be extended until November 1st, so this will be old July 1st,” said Rick Valette, whose octagon agency represents Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Oilers Leon Draisaitl.
Until COVID-19, most thought that the upper limit for the 2020-21 salary ceiling would be around $ 84 million.
Then the new TV deal (US rights) could have raised the ceiling by another $ 6 to $ 8 million, up $ 92 million in a few years.
Not now. Unrestricted Oilers agents Mike Smith (signed July 1), Riley Sheahan and Tyler Ennis could have signed here or elsewhere on July 1, but not now.
Instead of opening the doors of the free agents on July 1st, players like Connor McDavid ($ 13 million) and Draisaitl ($ 7 million) had to get huge signing bonuses. McDavid’s base salary for the 2020-21 season is $ 2 million, just like Draisaitl’s. The owners haven’t made any money in over three months, but it was expected that the bonus payouts (including $ 1 million for Zack Kassian and Kris Russell) would not be delayed.
“Some players may want to have the (signing bonus) money in their hands, others may want to put it off under a trust contract (20% next season),” said a prominent agent.
“Right now,” added Milan Lucic’s Edmonton agent Gerry Johannson, “we’re just giving our players the guidance that it could be a tough year (negotiations). We tell them this is the year a deal is closed even if it’s not what you might want. It’s like having musical chairs. There are 100 players and only 75 chairs. “
Due to the NHL’s stoppage on March 12, there was no draft a week ago. No series of player signatures on July 1st. In 2013, it was postponed to July 5 after the lockout season, but that was only four days later. This will be three months or more.
“Usually most deals with teams are either closed or closed by July 1st. On July 3rd and 4th we call teams and say,” Please sign our boys, “said The Sports Corporation’s Johannson with a laugh.
“Then you go with the hat in your hand and say, ‘Is there a chance you want to sign my guy?’ I always say we are heroes on July 1. It’s fun and on July 5th we stand at the doors like everyone else. ”
Previously, after the design, the teams had a public love affair with UFAs where they could visit some cities. Agents and managers calmly handled the business framework. Four years ago, Johannson signed his seven-year, $ 42 million contract on July 1 with Lucic.
“Milan had visited cities. He spoke to Vancouver and Montreal. Wayne Gretzky had called him (came to Oilers). He chose the Oilers because he had a relationship with Peter (former GM Peter Chiarelli), ”said Johannson.
“At the moment we don’t have a lot of unrestricted free agents. It’s about getting extensions for people like Ryan Getzlaf and Brendan Gallagher that last until the last year of their contracts, ”he said.
The same applies to Valette and Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers striker has another season for his seven-year contract at $ 6 million a year, but from July 1, the team and agent are normally allowed to sign a new contract.
“Edmonton is the only team that Nuge will be able to sign according to the old rules from July 1st, 2020 if life was normal. So he would be eligible for an extension and we would talk about it, ”said Valette.
“As agents, it’s all new to us. We should have come home from Montreal (for the draft) and the teams should have sent qualifying offers for their restricted free agents to protect their rights. But that was postponed. For me, July 1 usually means coming to my office at 7:30 a.m. and talking on the phone all day. “
Johansson spent June 30 in Vancouver to create the CHL import draft with his junior expert Scott Bonner. He made his first trip in three months. He didn’t speak to NHL GMs. The same applies to Newport Sports agent Pat Morris.
“It is the first time in 35 years that I will stop working on July 1st,” said Morris, who represents Alex Chiasson from Oilers and Jakob Markstrom from Canucks, one of the coveted UFAs for 2020.
“I usually call GMs on July 1st. Now I can do it, but I will see if anyone answers. You will be on the golf course. “
