NHL- IIHF Transfer Agreement?

Question

With Russia not being part of it in the first place and now Sweden has decided to opt out (on a clause) as of Jan.1st.
Also, every other participating nation (the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland) wants to re-negotiate their blanket transfer agreement with the league.

The groups are supposed to meet Jan.16th to try to resolve flaws in the agreement.
Should the NHL and it's fans be concerned about this?

Craig- While I agree with the MLB and Asians (Dice K etc)- I don't think the Dominican Republic might feel the same way.

Also, apparently while money (the 200K) is one source of flaw, it is not the biggest of concerns. I think the main concern is that many players come over and end up in the AHL when they could be playing for their club leagues, among other issues of course.

Puckdat- The NHL is in Canada though is one point. Another is that, yes, I believe there is stuff in place. Something headed up by Mike Gartner (I think) that I think is NHL related. Builds rinks, buys equipment etc........could be wrong on that though but the main point is, the CHL is not a pro league, the NHL is and the IIHF teams are.

Answer 1

With Sweden opting out, it might finally force the NHL to pay attention to their complaints. If they don't, then I think some kind of boycott - if possible - by those countries could be very harmful to the league.

Right now, the agreement seems to be almost a joke in that it's weighted so heavily in favor of the NHL. They're paying $200K for players with the potential to mean much more than that in increased revenues. Compare that with baseball - where the Sox, for example, paid $51m for the right to sign Matsuzaka - and it's understandable why the European teams would like to see more coming to them. I know NHL revenues don't compare to those of MLB, but the difference shouldn't be so huge.

I'm a little concerned as a fan, although I doubt anything dramatic will come from this. The NHL owners will do whatever is best for their own interests, and losing these players would not fall into that category.

Bob - I completely agree about the pillaging of baseball players from the Dominican. The problem is that the government allowed baseball teams to come in, set up academies, and sign these kids when they're in their mid-teens. They need to put their foot down and set up a similar agreement as held by Japan, but the problem lies in that too many kids see signing with a major league team as a ticket off the island and out of poverty. I know that doesn't happen, but I wonder if they're too far along now to go back.

Answer 2

I'll answer PuckDat's question first.

When a team in the NHL drafts a player, that team compensates the team/league from whence the player is drafted. For example, a team drafts a US Collegian.............that college's scholarship fund is augmented by $35,000 (or something). When a USHL or CHL player is drafted, their respective hockey associations are financially compensated.

In the case of the transfer agreement with the IIHF member nations, it is NOT in the interest of the European nations to withdraw.

Look at Russia now. Their best players are still leaving, but there is no compensation. I think both sides know that until a competing league comes forth to challenge the NHL (and Goodenow said on Monday the prospective European League would have a salary cap of $22MM per team and is aimed at bringing home the minor leaguers more than signing the Ovechkin's of the world) that the best players in every part of the woprld will want to play against the best, and that will still be the NHL.

Answer 3

This may seem like a desperate move, or a power play move (depending on your perspective) but it was necessary. With the idea of a world league certainly coming to mind, the IIHF was simply protecting what is rightfully theirs. The teams /ownership there are ready to take their leagues to the next level. A World economy (and a strong Euro) has (have)made that a possibility now, as opposed to the 60s or 70s.
My question is this: If the NHL teams so want European trained players (as they obviously have for years now) why haven't the youth/college/pro training techniques over here changed to better train the players here to be what they are in Europe?

Answer 4

Yes i think NHL needs to be very concerned because without European and Russian players, or without star level players, the league gets very watered down. Doubt it could maintain 30 teams with any semblance of parity.

I also see the signs forming of a European league forming to compete with the NHL for these players if there is anymore labor issues in the next ten years.

Answer 5

Well I have a question. Does the CHA get the same consideration? For every player drafted out of Canada is the NHL putting that figure into the hockey system in Canada and the US. If it's not, then why not? If it is, why don't we know about it?
I just think the europeans should get nothing more than what Canada and the US get.