Chris, do you know if a No Trade Clause follows a player to a new team. For example, if Brad Richards were to waive his NTC and get traded to Columbus would he now have a NTC in Columbus?

I'm almost positive the NTC would stay. Not that I have any insider knowledge, or have bothered to look it up in the CBA.

It does not. There are two conditions that nullify a NTC in the SPC (standard player contract). The first is if a player is traded PRIOR to his NTC kicking in. Say, for example, a player signs a five year deal, with a NTC for the last two years. If he is traded during the first three years of that contract, the NTC would be nullified. As well, when a player agrees to a waive a NTC, that clause is then nullified for the remainder of the contract, UNLESS the acquiring team agrees to extend it. Say, for example, Bryan McCabe agrees to waive his NTC. He COULD say that he will waive it for the NYI SO long as the Islanders agree to give it back to him in his new SPC (which would be amended to show the contract between the Isles and McCabe). But, barring that, if McCabe waived his NTC, then the new team would have him under contract without an NTC.
Make sense? Now I have a damn headache...

Crystal clear...thank you.

Nice, Chris! Someone asked Bob McCowan this today and he said uhhh I'll have to get back to you.

Heard anything about LA?

Question to Gruven..

How is Jim Thompson doing ??


too soon?

Jim Thompson died in 1977.

I believe you're referring to Jim Thomson. And is it not possible that Sundin was on his way to Anaheim until he refused to waive his NTC?

He was never on his way anywhere...The whole year he said he isnt going..so when that buffoon said that he is unequivocally going to Anaheim, his career(thomson's) should be over...

The buffoon that I refer to is Thomson....Not an attack on Gruven as he was just the messenger.

Serge, you don't KNOW that he was never going anywhere. People say all sorts of thing contrary to what eventually happens.

Gruven:


Does the acquisition of Peter Forsberg launch the Avalanche to the top three teams in the Western Conference?


Is there any way he gets healthy and stays healthy this season?


When the deal was done with Forsberg, did I pee my pants or squeel like a little girl?


Why are Calgary chicks cool enough to make flashing their boobs a custom at home games and why hasn't this become standard throughout the league?

Chris has given me permission to answer.

1. No.
2. Probably not.
3. A little of both.
4. The methane gas from all the cow manure makes them a little high. Plus, a cowboy hat can make even the ugliest girl appear to be attractive if it is strategically placed.

I just got back from Calgary, and every time I visit I am shocked by the amount of very attractive women there. Maybe that is why .

Never thought about it that way but that is extremely correct.

Funny joke...but I assume you've either:

a) Never been to Calgary
b ) Have incredibly bad taste in women.

As RMunro said, it's definitely a Canadian hotspot, and we all know we have hotter women then down south. (sorry neighbours but it's true)

Thomson's source was Anaheim's ownership, and Burke had come to the skeleton of an agreement with Fletcher, they were just quibbling over details. And the basis of the trade was Edmonton's first round pick, and Anaheim's first from next year conditional on either A) Anaheim making the cup final or Sundin re-signing with Anaheim. Part of the agreement was to hold off on the trade until noon on deadline day because Burke wanted to see what else was happening to perhaps add to the deal. Sundin shot it down with his refusal.

1) Just my opinion, but I would say no. However, it won't take Sakic/Forsberg long to re-acquaint with one another, and if nothing else it should make the Avalanche PP lethal..
2) I doubt it.
3) According to my sources, you peformed a solo sex act while holding up a picture of the Stanley Cup. Of course, who hasn't?
4) Calgary has a ridiculous number of hot girls. Also, great clubs.... Tantra, Snatch, etc.... therefore the level of competition is high, and getting an early jump by advertising your goods on the jumbotron can only help later in the bar....

fair enough, however anyone from an insider to a casual observer could of listened to Sundin the whole year where he kept saying over and over and over again that he isnt going anywhere....

The way the Leafs treated Sundin in this matter is unexpectable...Putting him in such a bad situation...the whole mess could of been avoided months ago....

Huh?

If this is true, then thank God Sundin didn't waive his NTC. This will be akin to the relief felt as a Ducks fan when they had a deal in place to deal Perry, McDonald and a pick to Edmonton for Comrie and Lowe decided at the last minute to ask Comrie to give money back to Edmonton before the deal happened. That was the deal breaker thankfully. Anaheim fans have dodged a few of these bullets in recent memory thankfully due to outside influences rather than their current GM.

Gruven has been quite today..Lurking but not saying much..Maybe Jim Thomson is using his account..

He will be in soon to gloat about the $20 he made off of me

Well I want to go ahead and thank Gruven, and all guys like him in the business who probably always have some hectic days on Trade Deadline day, and even in the days leading up to it.

No serge, not lurking.... not even online today til 6 PM.... a little busy..... and the bet was by Wednesday, so you still have til midnight for Cliff to waive a player.... could happen...

its all good..I already shipped the money to mr bdc..yours is coming soon.

also not sure how much of JFJ you caught but i liked his presence on the panel..He added a lot and he was honest...

Would like the opinion of Chris on the comments made by Healy today..

He said that as per the CBA players contracts are not allowed to be negotiated under any circumstance...However when it comes to NTC they are negotiated...He believes this is wrong and goes against the CBA...He believes that if a player has a NTC , the issue is not up for debate...The player CANT be traded under any circumstance, even in the case of a player waiving it...That way we dont have the debacle of the Toronto situation, especially in the case of Sundin...

Something to think about

No.

That just shows how retarded Healey is.

The NTC is a clause that allows the player to excercise an option built into the contract.

It is not renegotiating a contract.

Its not an option though, its a part of the contract....Some players even have detailed NTC where actual teams are listed...When they choose to waive this part of their contract, in essence they are re opening the contract and negotiating the conditions...Players get the best of both worlds...

You're right Zach, AND.... ANY contract can be amended by the terms put into it. The NTC is PART of the CBA, under the SPC (standard player contract) section. It is recognized as a potential part of any contract, and the terms for it's use and/or waive are clearly outlined. Healey is an idiot..

Are they reopening the contract and renegotiating or are they just waiving a clause that the initial contract allows to be waived by the player if he wants to do so?

It is not re-opening the contract. It's merely a clause. There are a million of them. Does that mean that the contract is reponed when the clause that states a player who is traded will be provided with first class commercial air travel at the earliest convenience to both the team and the player is re-opened if a player is traded from the Islanders to the Rangers decides to drive? Since he's waiving his right to the airfare?

I was just going by why Healey said...He didnt say that it was part of the CBA..I will take Chris 's word on that part...

however it is something that i am sure will be looked at ....over a 100 players have NTC...They will look at putting a rule where you can only have a NTC clause based on service or age..I believe in baseball there is a 10 and 5 rule..You have a NTC if you have 10 years of service , 5 with one team...

A guy like Sundin or Rob Blake deserve a no trade clause...Kubina or Tucker might not...

Mine was a rhetorical question. I know they aren't reopening the contract, just waiving a clause in it. If Serge and Glenn Healey shared a brain they'd be brainless.

Only players eligible for UFA (25 years of age and five years of service) are eligible for the NTC.

I agree with Brian Burke's comments regarding this. GM's just need to be more responsible for their owns actions and stop relying on the league to insert clauses to protect themselves from one another.

ok that makes more sense..

and dale I didnt say i agreed with Healy a 100% , I just brought up his argument and thought it was interesting if he was correct...

Fair enough.

Burke said yesterday that there was never any discussion with Toronto about Sundin even before he decided not to waive his NTC. He said the Ducks were however in the market for other rentals but that never materialized. Take that FWIW.

Chris, what do you think of Warrior shafts? Any other composite or shaft you recommend.

wow..... well.... loaded question....... I've run through most of the composites, since I've been lucky enough to do stick columns for the past couple of year. First off, disclaimer: sticks are personal. What I like, you may not, and vice versa. As far as construction... well... first off, don't kid yourself- despite the fact that the sticks at the local hockey shop have NHL'ers names on the shafts, they are not only not their sticks, they are not even constructed the same way. REAL pro patterns are made with a completely different construction.
Anyway... to sticks.... well, the way AK uses those Warriors, they can't be bad! I've tried them, and my immediate thought was that they were overly stiff and not that responsive (that's ordering a stick with my flex and pattern). They did have a nice release point.
My personal choice is the Easton Stealth. I get them from easton, again in my own pattern, and I really like the feel, and the kick of them. I also don't mind the newest generation of CCM Vectors, but I find they break easily.
If you want a really durable composite that isn't too bad for price, try the Trilage. Not that many NHL'ers use them (Tucker does), but I like the stick. It's a shade less responsive than I prefer, but they do last.
The other stick that has some upside if you're a real sniper and want maximum shot ability is the Innovatives. Great release, great kick point, just not much feel to them.
Personally, I'm pretty much an Easton player for the most part.....

I love my Warrior Dolomite two piece. I recommend it.

I'd love to give a Trilage (Fata pattern) a try. Any idea where to find them? I'm sure I'd have to order one online as I doubt I'd find one here in Sudbury.

I'll look into it for you..

Some questions that the hockey world would like to get answered by Mr Marshak:


1. How does it feel to lead a double life?In your private life you are a big Maple Leafs fan and are truly pulling for those guys in the locker room. But when you leave your house your perpetual negative comments towards the players and the organization is really annoying.

2. How long does it take every morning before you come up with your "witty" and constant condescending remarks towards the Leafs Nation and their CEO Serge from Pickering?

3. When will this facade end and we see the real Gruven come out of the "closet" and share his true feelings about the team that he loved growing up?

I got more later.

Since when has there been a penalty called "Clipping" in the NHL?

Actually, for as long as I can remember: Rule 49, Clipping. Basically, throwing yourself at the knees of an opponent, or bending low enough to take out the knees. Almost never called, because most stripes just call it tripping...

Yeah, I guess so. I'd honestly never heard of it, or seen it called, and maybe 10 years ago, I spent a lot of time studying rule books both for CHA and NHL.

Time for a question for Gruven...

Chris,
In your honest opinion and what you are hearing from your friends in the industry, what do you think the chances of Brian Burke coming to Toronto are??Also its pretty obvious he wants to get out of his contract in Anaheim, why as an owner would you want a GM that doesnt want to stay there??

Part two:

Without being biased what do you think is the biggest misconception that is out there about the Leafs?ie board control, inept management...There has to be one that the public has a misconception on..

Thanks

Okay, fair enough.....

Part 1: There are a couple of things about the Burke deal. I'm not even sure he knows what he wants to do. He is VERY close with the owner in Anaheim, and I think he truly is happy fulfilling his contract there. He IS probably interested in the job down the road, and that's what creates all the controversy, since Burke and subtle are rarely in the same sentence. I have heard (unconfirmed, obv.), that the owner offered to release Burke, and Burke said no, he would fulfill his contract. So I don't think there is any issue in Anaheim, although, again, from what I've heard, the leafs should have their balls booted for tampering. The chances of him coming to Toronto now? Zero. After next season? 50/50

Part 2: the biggest misconception about the leafs: you're not going to like this serge, but there probably aren't a lot of misconceptions about the leafs. I would say the one possibility is that people OVERestimate the amount of board control over the management. It's absolutely there, and it's quite bad at times, but the reality is that there are a few other teams in the NHL with the same amount of owner/board involvement in team affairs. Inept management? True. Want an example? What part of the leaf coaching staff has remained constant while all other components have changed? Answer: Keith Acton, Asst. Coach. Why? He's a pipeline of info to the board about the goings on of the team, and coaching staff. Therefore, he's untouchable.
How about the leafs being a bottom line oriented team? Gospel truth. The richest team in the league should spare no expense to make their product better. Coaches, scouts, even the practice facility should be world class. Instead, the leafs have released some of the best scouts in the game because they wont pay them. They practice in the crappiest practice facility in the NHL, and have had several players injured because of bad ice at practice.
I could go on, but in fairness, that wasn't your question. As far as misconceptions, like I said, there really aren't a lot. Most of what you hear is true. Probably the only other one would be that the players don't care about winning. I can tell you that is untrue. Talented or untalented, they do give it their best, and they never considered tanking last season for one second....

Thanks...

A very good answer and I have to live with those comments...Sometimes I dont like to admit it , but I am not happy with some of the things I see going on at ACC..I am optimistic though that we are on the way back, instead of things getting worse...

So what you say is true, then the Leafs maybe cut a backroom , off the record deal with Burke and essentially have agreed for him to come to the Leafs next year..Then with that in hand went to his buddy Ron Wilson and said listen here is the offer , Burke is coming next year, what do u think??...Obviously if any of this happened its total tampering and no one will admit to anything..


As much as we like to have fun, Chris is a great source for the hockey forum, he seems to know a ton of people in the hockey world, including media guys, team guys and a ton of players.

Overall he is a great guy and we are glad to have him here..


Thanks

Bumped from the dark depths of page 4. Which should prove my dedication in wanting this question answered.

So Mr Gruven, could you explain Marek Svato's contract extension with Colorado? Surely he is one of their top players now and has shown himself to be a very important "clutch" player. But have they only extended his contract for 2 years? Is there a legal issue? I would have thought they'd want to keep this guy as long as possible.

Cheers.