From TSN,
Martin Erat’s new seven-year, $31.5 contract with the Nashville Predators has been rejected by the NHL.
All that means is that it is likely to be re-jigged to conform to the CBA and re-submitted for approval. Erat’s contract was rejected because it violates a clause in the CBA that regulates year to year fluctuations in salary.
For example, if you take the first two years of contract, the higher salary in those two years can’t be more than double of the lower salary. After that, the salary can’t fluctuate up by more than 100% of the lower salary and can’t fluctuate downward by more than 50% of lower salary.
On that basis, Erat’s contract doesn’t cut it on a number of levels.
The contract is expected to be approved after some changes, but geez, Nashville—probably a good idea to get that sort of thing figured out before releasing the details.
Update 11:38am May 14: John Glennon in The Tennessean reports the problem appears to be nearly resolved --
The Predators and forward Martin Erat have shifted some of the terms in Erat’s seven-year contract to conform to the standards of the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement. Both sides have signed the new deal and are now awaiting its approval by the NHL.
Pure incompetence. How does this happen? You have lawyers and other team officials all working out the details of a contract. Somebody in the room should know the rules.
At least this is the caliber of organization the Red Wings are dealing with. You would never see the Wings make this kind of gaffe.
Posted by PRS from Lansdale, PA on 05/13 at 09:56 PM