Tim Thomas' new deal will be considered a 35+ contract

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Apr 5, 2009 11:33 PM EDT

Much like race horses, all hockey players share the same birthday...at least for contract purposes. It turns out that the NHL determines a players age for a given season for contract purposes based on that player's age on June 30th.

Tim Thomas was under age 35 when he signed his contract but he will turn 35 before June 30th, meaning that he will be considered to be age 35 at the time he signed his contract. This means that the Bruins will have to take the full cap hit for Thomas' contract for all four years even if he is bought out or retires.

So, this begs the question: why did the Bruins feel the need to get this deal done now? Most teams would not want the distraction of contract negotiations involving their starting goaltender just weeks before the playoffs. Did Peter Chiarelli really not know that Thomas would be considered to be 35 or older?

This means that the Bruins gave Tim Thomas 4 guaranteed years for a total of $20 million against the cap with a no trade clause for the first 3 years of the 4 year deal. Don't get me wrong, I think Tim Thomas has earned this pay day but I don't understand giving him 4 years at age 35. I have doubted Tim Thomas in the past and he has always proved me wrong. Prove me wrong again, Timmy.

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Don’t mean to be questioning you here but where did you get the information? Haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere else and I would like to think Chiarelli didn’t screw the pooch THAT badly!

Is it possible that by signing him this year, last June 30th is the date of importance and not this coming June 30?

by BobbyOrrsBastard on Apr 6, 2009 9:39 AM EDT reply actions

James Mirtle and Larry Brooks from the New York Post.

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Apr 6, 2009 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Merde…

Was really hoping PC knew better than that but looking through the CBA myself, Brooks interpretation of the rules definitely seems to be correct. It would be one thing had they signed him and not mentioned the 35yo cutoff but having highlighted it so much only to turn out to be wrong about it makes them look pretty bad.

Thanks for the source anyways…

by BobbyOrrsBastard on Apr 6, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

For each League Year, “Actual Club Salary” for each Club shall be calculated as the sum of the following amounts:

(iv) All Player Salary and Bonuses earned in a League Year by a Player who is in the second or later year of a multi-year SPC which was signed when the Player was age 35 or older (as of June 30 prior to the League Year in which the SPC is to be effective), regardless of whether, or where, the Player is playing, except to the extent the Player is playing under his SPC in the minor leagues, in which case only the Player Salary and Bonuses in excess of $100,000 shall count towards the calculation of Actual Club Salary;

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Apr 6, 2009 4:24 PM EDT reply actions