According to the NHLPA web site arbitration hearings begin today. Here is when the Thrashers who filed are scheduled to have their hearings:
Clark MacArthur- Wed, July 21
Andrew Ladd- Thurs, July 29
Ben Eager- Tues, August 3
Arbitration hearings begin at 9 am and following the hearing the arbitrator has 48 hours to issue their decision. For cases heard on Thursdays and Fridays weekends are not usually counted against that 48 hour period. Teams have the right to walk away from an award if they choose and it is more than roughly $1.1 million (the amount is tied to the NHL average salary but is not the actual league average). Since the Thrashers have three players who filed for arbitration they have the right to walk away from two awards if all three cases go to arbitration. Their decision to walk away or not can wait until after the final arbitration award they have scheduled.
If a team exercises their right to walk away from an arbitration award the player instantly becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Don’t be surprised if one or more of the three Thrashers who filed for arbitration agree to terms on a new contract before their hearing, especially Ladd and Eager. It would be an odd situation for them to argue their worth without ever having played for the team they’ve taken to arbitration.
If you really want to get into the nitty-gritty details of the arbitration process you can read all about it in Section 12 of the CBA. My favorite clause? 12.9 (b):
Each brief shall be limited to 40 pages, exclusive of indices, tables of contents, and exhibits. The minimum spacing shall be double, and the font shall be Times New Roman.
Don’t you dare try to sneak Arial or any other font in there.
Vivlamore suggested that Ladd would take the team to arbitration but maybe he was just making that statement in light of the fact that a contract has yet to be signed, rather than actually having heard that Ladd had plans for arbitration.
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