Canadiens fans might get to see Romanov in playoffs
The NHL and the NHLPA are still negotiating the details surrounding the 24-team playoffs and one of those details concerns the eligibility of Canadiens defenceman Alexander Romanov.
During a conference call this week, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly ruled out the possibility of including players in the post-season who signed after the suspension of play in mid-march. That group would include NCAA players and players like Romanov, who were moving from Europe.
“It would be our position, particularly given the advanced date and given the fact it could affect a lot of the players who might now be able to play the balance of the season. It may be unfair to let them play the balance of the season,” said Daly.
“We’ve progressed past the trade deadline,” he added. “Each team has kind of set its roster. Its roster reflects — and everybody will come back healthy, which is a benefit to the teams — its efforts in the 2019-20 season. And to add a couple of, for lack of a better term, ‘ringers’ when you’re going into the playoffs is not the best way for sports to proceed in our view.”
The key words in that statement are “it is our position” because the position isn’t necessarily shared by the players’ association, which is charged with looking after the players’ interests.
The stance proposed by Daly would hurt players like Romanov, who would be deprived of an opportunity to burn a season of their entry-level contracts. This is important because it would bring a player one year closer to eligibility for arbitration and free agency.
When Romanov signed his threeyear entry-level contract on May 8, the Canadiens said there was no starting date for a deal because they were hoping he would be eligible to play if the season resumed, despite the NHL placing a moratorium on contracts for the 2019-20 season after play was halted.
In normal times, there would be no question about Romanov’s availability. NCAA players have stepped into NHL rosters when their college seasons ended and Vladislav Gavrikov joined the Columbus Blue Jackets after last year’s playoffs began.
Agent Dan Milstein, who represents Gavrikov and Romanov, said their situations are the same and he believes Romanov should be eligible to play this summer. Milstein told The Gazette his client, who is in Moscow, is anxious to move to Montreal as soon as travel restrictions are eased.
TSN’S Darren Dreger reported yesterday that Romanov’s situation will be part of the NHL-NHLPA decision to extend the June 1 signing deadline for entry-level deals for drafted players by a month. General manager Marc Bergevin is hoping those talks favour the Canadiens.
“Yes, we’d like Alexander Romanov to participate when things get going again,” said Bergevin. “The decision belongs to the NHL, but also to the NHLPA. It’s a delicate situation. Personally, I can’t convince anyone. There are rules in place, and there are other teams in the same situation. I hope that we’ll have an answer as early as possible regarding Romanov.”