NHL Issues Tampering Memo Amid Ilya Mikheyev Speculation

In recent years, teams have been more open about the idea of allowing players under contract to talk to other teams.  Sometimes, it’s to facilitate trades while this season, it eventually yielded some mutual contract terminations as well, allowing players to move for a better opportunity while the former teams received cap relief.

It appears as if the Blackhawks were hoping that they could take a similar approach with pending UFA winger Ilya Mikheyev.  Unable to come to terms on a new contract, it was reported earlier this month that his rights were available for trade.  At the time, there was a belief that they would permit his camp to speak to other teams and if there wasn’t the type of contract out there that he was looking for, then perhaps he’d circle back and rekindle talks with Chicago.

However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link) that the NHL sent all 32 teams a reminder about tampering rules at this time of year.  It specifically indicated that no contact between pending free agents and teams is permitted without a rights trade first.  Failure to comply could result in a fine of up to $5MM and/or the potential loss of draft picks.

There used to be a pre-July interview window, or a legal tampering period.  It allowed potential free agents to speak to teams with the idea of giving players more time to assess their possible options.  Some pending free agents even flew into other cities for a more formal discussion while getting a better sense of the area.  But that was eventually taken out of the CBA and while it appears the league would like to have it back, the NHLPA isn’t as keen to do so.

At any rate, the Blackhawks aren’t going to be able to execute their desired plan with Mikheyev as clearly, they can’t allow Mikheyev to speak to other teams about a new deal first.  Instead, they’ll have to swing a rights trade if another team thinks they can get a contract done and wants to jump the market.  There aren’t as many of those deals now as there once were so unless Mikheyev has a change of heart about his perceived value, there’s a high chance he heads to the open market without Chicago getting any type of compensation.