|
In Hainsight: What's Cooking? |
|
|
|
|
|
Follow me @KarineHains for all updates about the Montreal Canadiens and women's hockey
Last week, when the PWHL issued an announcement about its original six teams and the way the teams would be built, we thought we were in for a few very exciting days. Before any player could be signed though, each team needed a general manager at the helm and on Friday morning, the identity of the six pioneers was finally revealed, just in time for the start of free agency at 1:00 PM on September first.
If you’re not familiar with the inner workings of the PWHL and how the teams will be formed, here’s the bottom line: there will be a 15-round draft in Toronto on September 18th but before that, there’s a 10-day free agency period in which each team can sign three players.
Most people thought that the undisputed best player, Marie-Philip Poulin would sign with Montreal within minutes of the market opening, but three full days later, there’s been no signings and no rumblings about the possible contract.
How can we explain that? Well, perhaps the rules are really respected in the PWHL and teams do not start talking and negotiating with the players prior to the market actually opening. Furthermore, the signing of the first contract will be very important for each franchise, monetarily speaking.
The collective bargaining agreement states that each team will sign no fewer than six players to standard players agreement “of no less than $80,000 per League year”. In other words, for those six top earners, $80,000 is the minimum they can earn but there is no maximum especially stated. The minimum salary will be $35,000, but no more than 9 players on each team should be signed to the league minimum contract.
Also, each team’s average salary must be $55,000, the CBA states: “the League shall endeavor to maintain the required average salary on each Team, but there may be a variation in the Salary on a particular team as compared to the average annual base Salary up to ten percent due to Player movement and new signings”.
So why is it taking so long for a deal to be signed? Because the first one will, in a way, set the market. Say Marie-Philip Poulin signs a deal in Montreal, other general managers will be able to use her salary as a basis for negotiations considering that she is recognized as the best player. If she signs first, no one is getting a bigger contract out there. If Poulin waits to see what others are getting, she can then turn around and tell Daniele Sauvageau, well, if [insert name of another player here] is worth this much, then I should get more. Poulin has always been a huge team player, but at 32 years-old, it’s high-time she puts herself first and gets the best deal she possibly can. After all, even brilliant players eventually retire from the game of hockey, and she doesn’t have a decade left performing at the very top of her talent.
Right now, everything is quiet on the market, aside from the fact that The Hockey News’ Ian Kennedy reports that the Boston team is deep in talk with American netminder Aerin Frankel. If it turns out to be the first contract signed, I know a goaltender with ties with Montreal who’ll want to know what the magic number was.
So for now, our watch continues but make no mistakes, wint.. euh… contracts are coming as the September 10 deadline is fast approaching.
Blogger •Women's Hockey • 
Join the Discussion:
»