ECHL Florida Everblades

'Blades Extend Qualifying Offers To Three

Published on July 2, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - Florida Everblades President & General Manager Craig Brush along with Head Coach Gerry Fleming announced today that three players from the 2006-07 team have been extended qualifying offers for the 2007-08 season.

The players receiving qualifying offers are: Forwards Dan Baum and Derek Damon along with defenseman Chris Lee.

Per the collective bargaining agreement, each team was entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight players from their season-ending roster by extending a qualifying offer no later than July 1. Of the qualified players, no more than four can be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the 2007-08 season). Players on open qualifying offers can not be traded.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until August 1 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player will retain the rights to that veteran until August 1. After August 1, if the veteran player is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams. Restricted free agents may not be traded. When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team with the player's rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player's rights and the Professional Hockey Players' Association. The member with the player's rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.

If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by August 31, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.

Opening Day for the 20th Anniversary Season will be Oct. 18 when the Johnstown Chiefs host the Wheeling Nailers at Cambria County War Memorial in a rematch of Game 7 from the first-ever ECHL Finals.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that will have 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals.

The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5. The conference and division alignments and the format for the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs will be determined and approved at a later date by the ECHL Board of Governors.

Be a part of the Everblades 10th Anniversary season! The 2007-08 season begins on Friday, October 19 when the 'Blades host the Mississippi Sea Wolves at 7:30 p.m. from Germain Arena! Deposits are being taken now for 2007-08 Florida Everblades season tickets! For just $50 per/seat you can reserve your piece of the action for next season! Visit www.floridaeverblades.com and www.germainarena.com for more information on ticket packages, pricing and upcoming Germain Arena events.

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ECHL Stories from July 2, 2007


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