So, what can the NHL do to curb individual players from leaving their club?
One option would be to issue a rule stating that any player who leaves his club next February to play in the Olympics will be banned from playing for his team for the remainder of the season, including the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The belief is any such unilateral order would quickly be grieved by the NHL Players’ Association, who would likely feel that stiff a penalty and change to the rules would need to be bargained.
There are a number of other, more creative options on the table.
According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, any player under NHL contract leaving his club to play for another without being loaned is grounds for a material breach of contract.
A club could then seek to terminate that player’s contract, and even potentially sue that player for millions in damages that occurred as a result of the breach, including an impact on the team’s poor performance or lost revenue due to reduced attendance.
One option would be to issue a rule stating that any player who leaves his club next February to play in the Olympics will be banned from playing for his team for the remainder of the season, including the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The belief is any such unilateral order would quickly be grieved by the NHL Players’ Association, who would likely feel that stiff a penalty and change to the rules would need to be bargained.
There are a number of other, more creative options on the table.
According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, any player under NHL contract leaving his club to play for another without being loaned is grounds for a material breach of contract.
A club could then seek to terminate that player’s contract, and even potentially sue that player for millions in damages that occurred as a result of the breach, including an impact on the team’s poor performance or lost revenue due to reduced attendance.
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