How do NHL Player rights work?

[fderfder8]

How do they work in game? From what I've gathered player rights in real life are as follows

- NCAA: when the player leaves college
- CHL/Canada: 2 years after being drafted
- Europe (excluding Russia): 4 years after being drafted
- Russia: 4 years after being drafted, with KHL contracts being able to extend those

The issue is, in game, I consistently find 26+ year olds still tied to NHL teams with player rights, even if they are at an age in which they are eligible to be a UFA, or if they have never even been signed by their NHL team. In the most egregious cases, I have found players over 30 who still have their rights tied to an NHL team, with one being 32. In my most recent sim (in 2055), 35 players aged 27 or older still had their player rights tied to an NHL team, with seven of those aged 30 or older.

Is it supposed to be like this? Seems like player movement is heavily restricted for those tied to player rights, especially when they are at the age to be a UFA or have not been signed after 4+ seasons by their respective teams.

[Javs]

Originally Posted by fderfder8

How do they work in game? From what I've gathered player rights in real life are as follows

- NCAA: when the player leaves college
- CHL/Canada: 2 years after being drafted
- Europe (excluding Russia): 4 years after being drafted
- Russia: 4 years after being drafted, with KHL contracts being able to extend those

The issue is, in game, I consistently find 26+ year olds still tied to NHL teams with player rights, even if they are at an age in which they are eligible to be a UFA, or if they have never even been signed by their NHL team. In the most egregious cases, I have found players over 30 who still have their rights tied to an NHL team, with one being 32. In my most recent sim (in 2055), 35 players aged 27 or older still had their player rights tied to an NHL team, with seven of those aged 30 or older.

Is it supposed to be like this? Seems like player movement is heavily restricted for those tied to player rights, especially when they are at the age to be a UFA or have not been signed after 4+ seasons by their respective teams.

Been an outstanding issue. Appears as long as the player is under contract to any team (outside the NHL) his rights are retained by the NHL team.

[Savoie45]

Originally Posted by fderfder8

How do they work in game? From what I've gathered player rights in real life are as follows

- NCAA: when the player leaves college
- CHL/Canada: 2 years after being drafted
- Europe (excluding Russia): 4 years after being drafted
- Russia: 4 years after being drafted, with KHL contracts being able to extend those

The issue is, in game, I consistently find 26+ year olds still tied to NHL teams with player rights, even if they are at an age in which they are eligible to be a UFA, or if they have never even been signed by their NHL team. In the most egregious cases, I have found players over 30 who still have their rights tied to an NHL team, with one being 32. In my most recent sim (in 2055), 35 players aged 27 or older still had their player rights tied to an NHL team, with seven of those aged 30 or older.

Is it supposed to be like this? Seems like player movement is heavily restricted for those tied to player rights, especially when they are at the age to be a UFA or have not been signed after 4+ seasons by their respective teams.

Yeah, unfortunately there are players moved in the data base that don't have all team rights removed. I'm sure if you made a list of said players and let Jeff know he'd clean them up or you could do so in Commissioner Mode.

[Winnermi]

In FHM11, I just check each player’s profile to see how long a team keeps their rights. Drafted guys have a set window to sign before they re-enter.