The Club | Free agents, two of three in baseball, Edmundson injured…

Every week, journalists from the Sports team answer your questions.

Negotiate before time?

When the free agent market opens, we see contracts being signed practically at the opening of the market or in the minutes that follow. Does this mean that players have the right to start negotiating before?

Michael Brousseau

Response from Guillaume Lefrançois

The collective agreement signed in January 2013 provided for a negotiation period of five to seven days before the market opened, to allow teams to test the waters, throw poles or, as was already said by a former player at television, testing poles. This negotiation window was, however, abandoned in the 2020 return to play agreement. Strangely, the 1^er last July, at the stroke of noon, it was already known that Jonathan Quick had signed an agreement with the Rangers, Ryan Reaves with the Maple Leafs and Mackenzie Blackwood with the Sharks. So to answer your question: no, players are not allowed to negotiate before noon on the 1st^er July. But yeah, they do it anyway, probably because they want the world, and they want it now.

Two of three in baseball

In baseball, what is the logic of a 2 of 3 series, after a 162-game season? The playoffs are the highlight of the season, so why rush that? It seems to me that 159 games in a season, and at least series 3 of 5, would be more logical.

Denis Gravel

Response from Alexandre Pratt

Historically, only the winners of each league, and then each division, qualified for the playoffs. That left plenty of time to do long runs in October. The World Series has already lasted eight games! But with the addition of eight new clubs in the tournament, if all the series were 3 of 5 or 4 of 7, we would go to November every year. Yes, it would be possible to shorten the season and lengthen the playoffs, but the break for teams who benefit from a bye in the first round would be 8 to 10 days. Not ideal.

Throw the ball to third base

Where does this baseball custom of throwing the ball to the third baseman after a three-out strike come from?

Gaetan Faubert

Response from Alexandre Pratt

Excellent question. According to the official historian of the major leagues, John Thorn, quoted in an article in Washington Times, this practice dates back to 1869. Before the games, to entertain the crowd, the players of the Cincinnati Red Stockings played some skill games with the ball. For example, grabbing it behind their back. “The fans loved it,” says John Thorn. Little by little, the players began to exchange the ball during the timeouts of a game. Over time, this spectacle aspect disappeared. Note also that some catchers prefer to throw to first base rather than third base.

Edmundson and the long-term injured

With Joel Edmundson injured for several weeks, will the portion of his salary retained by the CH be affected if the Washington Capitals add his name to their long-term injured list?

Patrice Trudel

Response from Simon-Olivier Lorange

No. The English name “dead cap”, which includes the amounts retained in transactions, is eloquent. This money sleeps peacefully and nothing will wake it up… or almost. Edmundson’s health will have no effect on the Canadian, but it would be different if he suddenly announced his retirement or if his contract was bought out. If necessary, since the terms of his contract would change, the amount withheld would change. This is what happened to the Arizona Coyotes when the Vancouver Canucks bought out Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s contract last summer.

A period without a break?

Has it ever happened in the NHL that a period elapsed in 20 minutes, without a stoppage in play?

Danny Lemieux

Response from Simon-Olivier Lorange

We did not find any such event. According to available data, it appears that the longest streak without a stoppage of play lasted almost 14 minutes, at the start of a duel between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014.