Craig Custance has added more block quotes of Bloch quotes:
More from the report regarding finances:
“…The dynamics of this SPC, with particular reference to its final six years, are such that there is scarce reason for either Player or Club to continue the relationship. The incentives are strongly to the contrary. By year 11, the Player will have received $98,000,000 of his $102,000,000 contract, constituting some 97% of the bargain. One may reasonably ask, as the League does, whether a player who had been averaging some $9,000,000 a year will be satisfied to continue the rigors of an NHL season for a salary that (1) will average slightly more than $550,000 a year, (2) will represent a 95% reduction against previous average earnings and (3) will undoubtedly constitute compensation well below the then-applicable major league minimum. The economic incentives are not limited to issues of the Player’s preferences, alone. During the final six years, the comprehensive “No Move” restriction will have been reduced to a “No Trade” clause. This additional flexibility will allow the Club to, for example, place the Player on waivers or send him to the minors. Here again, one may reasonably ask whether this Player would, at that point, accept such repositioning as an alternative to seeking continued employment outside the League or simply retiring.”
This is the “reasonable explanation” argument I made a few days ago (see link in previous post, or visit the Kovalchuk section on the right left margin), noting that the arbitrator was allowed to (and did) factor in circumstantial evidence, and might require for any provisions of the contract a reasonable explanation that’s not prohibited by the CBA.
I guess that point wasn’t so loopy after all, was it?