What the h**l is the point in trading a players rights?

Question

So Tampa now has Prospals rights back, but how could they benefit from this? in the end it's the player deciding where they want to go, it's understandable that Tampa now has that time frame in which they can sign all their free agents that now includes Prospal, so they get "first dibs" but it seems like something stupid to do. you just basically wasted a pick, (a 7th round mind you) but still.

Philly didn't want him back, so all tampa had to do was wait until July 1st and give him an offer like they are going to do anyways, without giving up a pick.

is there maybe something i don't know about trading for a players rights?

Answer 1

It means that the team they're rights are traded to can talk to them before July 1, and thus can get a player what he wants and sign him before he hits the market. If they wait till he hits the market, then somebody could give him a better offer, even if he would take what you would give him.

You're right though, it is a gamble. That's why you don't see much going the other way- a 7th round pick is pretty standard... It's not much, And to give it up for a 50% better chance of getting a Free Agent you think you can sign is still a good option.

Answer 2

They get the exclusive right to negotiate with him before the free agency period starts. (i.e. they allowed the negotiation to take place prior to the trade being made)  Nips said this in an earlier question, but this may have been a handshake agreement between Tampa and the Flyers when the original trade was made.  Last season the Flyers did the same thing and within hours of the trade being completed they announced that both players were under contract in a matter of hours.  That tells you that they negotiated the contracts before the trades were even made.  

This is sort of like the sign and trade deals they make in the NBA.  The player and the team they were being traded to would work out the terms of the contract, the team making the trade would sign the player to the contract then immediately trade the player to their new team so that the contracts match.  This is going to become common place under the current CBA.

Answer 3

So they can sign him before anyone else. I use to not understand it at all and hated it, but now I actually kind of agree with it.

I'm going to use an example here......I'll use Ryan Malone for example because the Penguins were suppose to trade his rights, but c**p happens and he won't allow it.

Anywho......Ryan Malone plays for the Penguins and he's a UFA July 1st........a few teams are interested in him.....Columbus, Minnesota, Phoenix and Vancouver being a few. Columbus really wants him and doesn't want to risk anyone taking him, so they make an offer to the Penguins where they'll be recieving Malone and his rights and Pittsburgh gets say a 2nd round pick. Now Columbus can sign him and they don't have to worry about any other teams going after him.

^^^You can even just scratch Malone's name and put Prospal. Prospal won't resign with the Flyers and he's scheduled to become a UFA. 5 teams are interested in him or so, Tampa trades for his rights so they can make sure they get him.

Answer 4

LOOK FOR THIS! Melrose to sign as the coach and the first thing out of his mouth is... PROSPAL IS BACK! WATCH (thus creating a media frenzy just before they sign STAMKOS, another media frenzy) This will be commonplace for yrs to come (see LUBERS answer).... Tkachuk and Guerin and Weight were all examples in previous years where they were nothing but LOANS  (all came back to the BLUES at somepoint) to playoff teams! Same thing is happening here.. it worked out this year.. Flyers got far with a loan of Prospal , and Tampa gets him back! This will be commonplace in a few yerars. It lowers the CAP for the trading team (a non playoff team)  during that year and gives them a chance to resign them for WHATEVER the next summer. AND like I said.. the FLYERS got their benefit also! Win-Win, at its finest.

Answer 5

Bring back the M(arty) V(inny) P(rospal) LINE!

WOOOHOOO WELCOME BACK VINNY P!!!!!

OK, now that that's off my chest.

"Vinny really didn't express much of an interest in coming back and playing for us next season," said General Manager Holmgren in making the announcement. "His heart is elsewhere."

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=241041&l...

Obviously Vinny Prospal wanted to return to Tampa and return to the buddies he has here. Trading his rights gives the Bolts the ability to lock him up before July where one team can throw a ridiculous amount of money at him (Daniel Briere, anyone?) that Vinny couldn't possibly refuse.