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To be fair, this is also a follow up to Tristan King’s situation, but trying to figure that out made me discover something more peculiar. I took several days to read and re-read the CBA and dig into Oleksiak’s situation because I wanted to be confident before making the claim. I needed an example outside of the Dallas Stars to feel truly comfortable with the rule, and I found that with Tomas Tatar.
First, there’s no doubt King has a year remaining on his contact. There’s a small phrase in the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement Article 9.1(d)(i) which I was unaware of but has a major impact on King and Oleksiak. I think most people that are Dallas fans are aware skaters with a birthday between September 16th and December 31st are considered “late births” in the draft, and in the case of players drafted out of the Canadian Hockey League, this distinction allows them to enter the AHL at 19 years old since they will turn 20 years old no later than December 31st. Their fellow draft picks from the same class born January 1st to September 14 must wait one extra season before leaving Canadian major junior. Where I was confused, is this does not mean the players entry level contract begins the year they turn pro in ALL cases.
In the event that an 18 year old or 19 year old Player signs an SPC with a
Club but does not play at least ten (10) NHL Games in the first season
under that SPC, the term of his SPC and his number of years in the Entry
Level System shall be extended for a period of one (1) year, except that
this automatic extension will not apply to a Player who is 19 according to
Section 9.2 by virtue of turning 20 between September 16 and December
31 in the year in which he first signs an SPC. Unless a Player and Club
expressly agree to the contrary, in the event a Player’s SPC is extended an
additional year in accordance with this subsection, all terms of the SPC,
with the exception of Signing Bonuses, but including Paragraph 1 Salary,
games played bonuses and Exhibit 5 bonuses, shall be extended; provided,
however, that the Player’s Paragraph 1 Salary shall be extended in all
circumstances.
That red text in Article 9.1(d)(i) is very important. First, you should know Article 9.1(d)(ii) is worded nearly the same but only refers to 18 year old players. Tristan King signed his contract after an impressive Traverse tournament. Therefore, in the eyes of the NHL he signed his SPC at the age of 18. This allowed his contract to slide one year. The following year, at the age of 19 years old in the eyes of the NHL, he was a year removed from signing his contract. Therefore although he was 19 years old, “according to Section 9.2 by virtue of turning 20 between September 16 and December 31,” he was NOT, “in the year in which he first signs an SPC.” This little fact, signing his contract in 2009 and turning 20 years old in 2010 is the reason King was under contract with the Dallas Stars for 5 years.
Tomas Tatar is in the exact same boat. He signed immediately after being drafted in the 2nd round by the Detroit Red Wings in 2009. His December 1st birthday meant his contract was able to slide a 2nd season in 2010-11. This is the reason Tatar is just now playing the final year of his ELC.
Now, and example of not being eligible for the 2nd slide with a late birth is Tomas Vincour. Mark Stepneski announced Vincour signed his entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars in March of 2010. According to Section 9.2, Vincour was 19 years old, but he was also, “in the year in which he first signs an SPC.” This would have been an even better example had Vincour not played 24 games in the NHL, but I can’t think of an example at this time of a player who signed at 19, with a late birth, and also did NOT have a contract slide.
This brings us to Oleksiak. Because of the lockout, the 10 game limit for the slide was lowered to just 5 games. Jamie Oleksiak, a late birth, signed his contract immediately after being drafted. Therefore he was 18 years old in the eyes of Section 9.2. The following season, he went pro and played in the AHL, but he was eligible for the entry level slide according to the rules I’ve cited above. Had Joe Nieuwendyk and the Dallas Stars not played him more than 5 games, he should have been officially playing under the first year of his entry level contract this season. Those 16 games played in a shorten season made him ineligible for the slide.
This is not the first time Dallas and Joe Nieuwendyk permitted a player to lose a year on his ELC. Reilly Smith, after the completion of his college career, played at least one game in the NHL before the end of the season which burned a year on his 3 year ELC.
In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t that big of deal, but it does seem like a curious decision to waste a contract year for Oleksiak on such a short season. More importantly, Oleksiak is already looking like a more complete player in terms of physical play and and offense. It’s only a rookie tournament and three days of camp, but no one would be surprised to see Jamie spend the next two seasons playing a prominent role in Dallas full time. You could argue that only playing two full seasons in the NHL before negotiating his 2nd contract could help Dallas sign him to a bridge contract like Subban or Kulikov, but if like Jamie Benn they fail to accomplish signing the bridge deal, Oleksiak signing a huge contract extension in two years would make burning the ELC year another misstep by the Niewendyk led Stars once again.
HFLOUNGERS 