CBA - Collective Bargaining Agreement

CBA - Outline

Each season after the trade deadline the league determines interested candidates to take on the role of the NSHL Player Agent (NSHLPA). The candidates state their cases and the representative is then voted on by the remaining general managers and is given full control over the players' side of negotiations based on the guidelines in this CBA as well as the rules of the NSHL.

Upon the conclusion of the playoffs and prior to the start of negotiations in the off-season the league votes to approve the existing collective bargaining agreement and use it for the upcoming season (including the upcoming off-season). The CBA must be approved by 18 of the league's 24 general managers to pass.

Should there be fewer than 24 managers at the time of a vote, the approval rating number decreases with each opening (17 / 23, 16 / 22 etc).

Any time a change is requested to the CBA aside from the initial off-season vote, it must be approved by 20 of the league's 24 general managers to pass.

Should there be fewer than 24 managers at the time of a vote, the approval rating number decreases with each opening (19 / 23, 18 / 22 etc).

CBA - Definitions

'Contract'

A contract is signed when an agreement is made between a league general manager and a player (via the NSHLPA) or a coach.

A contract consists of the term of the contract (the contract length), the salary (the wage) as well as a possible signing bonus (cash exchanged at the time of the signing), achievement bonuses (cash exchanged at the end of each season for achieving certain outlined goals), or possible player or team option years (extra optional years added to a contract).

A player may only be signed to a contract if he has a rating (either their pre-existing NSHL-based rating) or a rating via the league's NHL-based rating source (DVHL).

Every contract signed must follow the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

All players signed to contracts during the off-season are signed as pros. All players signed to contracts during the season are signed to a team's minor league roster.

'Franchise Player Tag'

Once every two (2) seasons a GM is allowed to tag one (1) would be unrestricted free agent that has been with the team for at least one (1) full season as a 'franchise player'.

A player that has been tagged as a 'franchise player' is treated like a qualified restricted free agent and may negotiate a new contract with his club prior to hitting the open market. Should the player and the team not reach an agreement prior to the market opening he is still treated like a qualified restricted free agent, giving his team the right to match any offers he receives or accept compensation instead.

A player that has been tagged as a 'franchise player' must sign for the maximum length for a player his age, must make the most money on the team at all times during the time between when he was tagged and the time when the team next uses the franchise tag. The 'franchise player' also receives a mandatory 'No Movement Clause'.

If a 'franchise player' has not been signed when the market ends and remaining restricted free agents are being listed as Hold Outs, the team loses the rights to him and he becomes an unrestricted free agent. In this instance the team is still considered to have used the tag and must wait before using it again.

'League Average Salary'

At the end of the regular season the league determines the league average salary for Pro Forwards, Pro Defensemen, Pro Goalies, Minor League Forwards, Minor League Defensemen, and Minor League Goalies.

The average salary takes into account all salaries of players who played at least 15 games (8 for goalies) in the Pros for pro averages and at least 15 games (8 for goalies) in the Minors for minor averages.

Any player that has played the minimum in both is counted in both.

'No Movement Clause'

Players with a 'No Movement Clause' may not be demoted, waived, released or traded during the course of their contract and no request may be made by the team or the player to have it waived.

'Option Year'

Either side of a contract negotiation may ask for an option year to be added to a contract either for the the player or for the team.

A player option at the end of the contract is a year that the player can decide to accept or reject when the time comes.

A team option at the end of the contract is a year that the team can decide to accept or reject when the time comes.

Should a player have a player and a team option on the same year, the option worth more is decided on first.

Any team option added onto a four year contract (making it a five year deal) comes with a mandatory Right to Veto a Trade clause.

'Prospect'

A prospect is a player 18-24 years of age that has not been signed to an NSHL contract and/or has not yet been rated.

'Prospect List'

Each team has a prospect list in order to keep track of the prospects within their organization.

A player qualifies to be placed on the list if they qualify under the definition of a prospect or if they are over 24 years of age and do not have a player rating and therefore may not be signed to a contract (excluding retirees).

The cost to keep a player on a team's prospect list over the course of a season is $2,500.00.

'Qualifying Offer'

A qualifying offer does not have to be accepted to make a player a Restricted Free Agent, making the offer does that and ensures compensation. For a player making the league average salary or less (for their assigned position) the one year contract offer must be 110% of the player's previous salary.

For a player making more than the league average salary (for their assigned position) the one year contract offer must be 100% of the player's previous salary.

All qualifying offers will be due prior to the re-negotiation process beginning. An exact due date will be posted by the league prior to contract re-negotiations.

Example A

Example B

'Restricted Free Agent (RFA)'

A restricted free agent is a player 18-29 years of age whose contract has expired and has received but not accepted a qualifying offer.

A restricted free agent has the right to listen to offers from any team once the free agent market opens however his previous team has the right to match any offer presented.

If a restricted free agent receives an offer from a new team that his former team does not choose to match, his former team has the right to receive compensation from the new team.

'Rookie'

A rookie is a player 18-24 years of age, with an NSHL contract that has fewer than 25 professional games played (15 for goalies) in any previous season.

'Restricted Free Agent Compensation'

* Note - All salaries listed are based on one year of the contract

New Salary	Compensation
$300,000 - $500,000	None
$500,001 - $750,000	5th Round Choice
$750,001 - $1,000,000	4th Round Choice
$1,000,001 - $1,250,000	3rd Round Choice
$1,250,001 - $1,500,000	2nd Round Choice
$1,500,001 - $1,750,000	1st Round Choice
$1,750,001 - $2,000,000	One 1st Round Choice & One 5th Round Choice
$2,000,001 - $2,250,000	One 1st Round Choice & One 4th Round Choice
$2,250,001 - $2,500,000	One 1st Round Choice & One 3rd Round Choice
$2,500,001 - $2,750,000	One 1st Round Choice & One 2nd Round Choice
$2,750,001 - $3,000,000	One 1st Round Choice & Two 2nd Round Choices
$3,000,001 - $3,500,000	Two 1st Round Choices
$3,500,001 - $4,000,000	Two 1st Round Choices & One 3rd Round Choice
$4,000,001 - $4,500,000	Two 1st Round Choices & One 2nd Round Choice
$4,500,001 - $5,000,000	Two 1st Round Choices & Two 2nd Round Choices
$5,000,001 - $5,500,000	Three 1st Round Choices
$5,500,001 - $6,000,000	Three 1st Round Choices & One 2nd Round Choice
$6,000,001 - $7,000,000	Four 1st Round Choices
$7,000,001+	Five 1st Round Choices

'Signing Bonus'

Each team is allowed a maximum of $5,000,000.00 they can spend on Signing Bonuses in one season (does not include bonuses to prospects).

During negotiations the NSHLPA takes the total signing bonus offered and spreads it evenly over the length of the contract for comparison to other offers.

'Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA)'

An unrestricted free agent is a player 30 years of age or older whose contract has expired OR is a player under the age of 30 whose contract has expired and who has not received a qualifying offer.

Unrestricted free agents will automatically test the free agent market without listening to offers from their previous team.

Should an unrestricted free agent sign with a new team, their old team receives no compensation.

Any unrestricted free agent that is still without a contract at the start of the pre-season will be removed from his previous team's roster page and will be re-rated based on his NHL-based rating.

CBA - Minimum Wages

Age	Experience	Term Minimum	Salary Minimum	Mandatory Bonus
18-24	Prospect List	3 years	$300,000 - $1,250,000	25% - 50% of 1 year
21 - 25	Less than 40 Pro GP or 20 GP for goalies	1 year	$350,000	None
21+	More than 40 Pro GP or 20 GP for goalies	1 year	$500,000	None
26+	Fewer than 40 Pro GP or 20 GP for goalies	1 year	$400,000	None

CBA - Contract Lengths

The contract length for players 18-24 years of age signing their first contract is 3 years.

The maximum contract length for players that are 21-29 years of age is 4 years.

The maximum contract length for players 30+ years of age is 2 years.

CBA - Types of Free Agents

First Year Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) - A player that is 30 years of age whose contract is expiring and is set to become unrestricted for the first time in his career. This type of free agent may be offered a one year deal by his previous team prior to the free agent market opening but does not have to accept. Should this type of free agent hit the free agent market his former team does not receive compensation if he signs elsewhere.

Non-Qualified Restricted Free Agent - A player 29 and under whose contract is expiring and has not received a qualifying offer from his previous team. Once the free agent market opens, this type of free agent has no loyalty to his previous team and can sign anywhere without compensation. Once the free agent market opens his status will change to UFA.

Qualified Restricted Free Agent (RFA) - A player 29 and under whose contract is expiring and has received a qualifying offer from his previous team. Should this type of free agent decide to sign elsewhere his previous team receives compensation.

Any contract offer to a qualified restricted free agent may only involve term and salary, no bonuses of any kind.

Any contract offered to a qualified restricted free agent that they accept first is offered to their previous team which they may match or reject. If they match the offer the qualified restricted free agent has to sign with their previous team. If they reject the offer, the new team owes the previous team compensation based on the offer.

Rookie Free Agents - All rated players not already on an NSHL roster or prospect list that qualify as rookies have to be drafted into the league and may not be signed as free agents until that has happened.

Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) - A 30+ player whose contract is expiring and will automatically test the free agent market without loyalty to his previous team.

CBA - Types of Contracts

Hold Out

Any restricted free agents without a contract when the pre-season begins will be removed from their active roster and placed on the team's Prospect List (listed as RFA) and will be considered a Hold Out.

A player will remain as a hold out the length of the season or until he has signed a contract.

Any player that remains a hold out for an entire season will be removed from the team's prospect list at the end of the year and will be re-rated based on NHL ratings. His former team will be ineligible to sign him once he has been re-rated.

Should a team lose a player that spent a season on their prospect list, they will receive a compensatory 6th round draft pick from the league which may not be traded. Any draft picks awarded for the 6th Round will go in the same worst to first by Win % as the previous rounds in the draft.

Any team that has traded for a hold out and then loses that hold out at the end of the year, is not eligible to receive the draft pick.

Minor League Contract

Players signed to a minor league contract make $15,000 for one year (listed as $150,000 in STHS) and may only play for a minor league team.

Players under a minor league contract may be traded to another minor league team.

Players under a minor league contract are still considered free agents and may be signed to a pro contract through normal signing procedures. The team with a player's minor league rights have the right to match an pro contract offer from any other team.

Any team that has a player under a minor league contract make an appearance in a pro game will be fined $2,000,000.00 per player per game.

Pro Contract in the Minors

A player signed to a pro contract who is demoted to the minors will make 10% of that contract while they're playing in the Minors.

After 15 Pro games played, a player in the minors will make 100% of their pro contract while they're playing in the Minors.

Pro Contract in the Pros

A player signed to a pro contract will make 100% of that contract while they're playing in the Pros.

When a player is injured and his Condition (CON) drops below 70 will not be paid his salary by the team while his Condition (CON) is below 70.

Pro Contract on a non-NHLer (IIHF Transfer Agreement)

At the end of every season any player that did not play one (1) NHL game in the corresponding NHL season will require a fee from his NSHL team.  10% of the player's contract that year is to be removed from the team's bank account after the team receives its additional income.

Tryout Contract

During the pre-season teams may sign remaining unrestricted free agents to a tryout contract for the duration of exhibition schedule. A tryout contract is worth $15,000 and is paid in full at the time of signing.

A tryout contract will appear as a $1 contract during the pre-season as no salaries are removed from a team's bank account. Instead the player will receive the $1 contract, making him eligible to play as well as a $15,000 signing bonus which is removed immediately from a team's account.

Players under a tryout contract are technically still without an NSHL contract and therefore may be negotiated with by any other team. Any offer made to a player under a tryout contract may be matched by the team who holds the tryout contract before they move to a new team.

Players under a tryout contract may not be traded as they do not have an NSHL contract.

At the end of the pre-season all players still under a tryout contract are released back into the free agent pool.

CBA - Negotiation Periods

Mid-Season

In between the All-Star Break and the Trade Deadline the NSHLPA will listen to negotiations from General Managers for their own potential restricted free agents.

Regardless of what occurs during this period of time, there is no effect on a player's Qualifying Offer or their upcoming free agent status (RFA or UFA).

Any new deal that is reached during this period of time comes with a temporary No Trade Clause that extends through the remainder of the season.

Off-Season

At the start of the off-season teams are given the chance to submit qualifying offers to their restricted free agents to ensure compensation. After all qualifying offers have been submitted and accepted or rejected, teams may negotiate with their unsigned impending RFAs (qualified or not) prior to the free agent market doors opening. All offers at this time are term and salary only and may not include bonuses of any kind.

Once the free agent market doors open, teams may negotiate with all unsigned players (UFA or RFA).

Prospect Signing Window

Teams may only sign prospects from their prospect list during the off-season and in the pre-season. Once the regular season has started all prospects will remain on a team's prospect list for the duration of the season.

CBA - Releasing a Player

A player may be released from his contract at any time for 100% of the remaining value of the current year of his contract and regardless of the remaining term.

A player that has successfully cleared waivers with a team may be released from his contract for 50% of the remaining value of the current year of his contract and regardless of the remaining term.

A player that is released that still qualifies as a rookie is not eligible to be re-signed and must be drafted into the league via the Entry Draft.

A player that is released and does not qualify as a rookie is considered as an unrestricted free agent regardless of his age.

Any player that is released from his contract is not eligible to be re-signed or drafted by the team that released him.