WickedBruinsFan Archives

Signed Players Section

2006 Status - The contract status of the player listing how many years are left on the player’s current contract. Currently, it does not count the 2006-2007 season, and the adjustments will be made in September. (Important Note: In the case of Hannu Toivonen, who signed a three-year entry-level contract in 2003, one season did not count against his current contract because he didn’t have a certain amount of games played.)

Contract Notes Definitions:

Extension: The player signed a new contract before his current contract expired. (Example: Tim Thomas was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but signed his new contract before his previous contract expired.)

Entry-level: The player’s first Standard Player Contract (SPC) that cannot be more than $850,000 and has to be for a certain number of years. (Examples: Petr Kalus signed a three-year entry-level contract because he was 18 years old at the time, and players 18-21 years old must signed an entry-level contract for three years. Players 22-23 years old [Yan Stastny in 2005] sign entry-level contracts that last two years, and players 24 years old [Andrew Alberts in 2005] sign an entry-level contract that lasts one year.)

Signed (UFA): A player signed as an unrestricted free agent from another team. (Example: Zdeno Chara played with for Ottawa last season, was an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Bruins.)

Re-signed (UFA): A player who re-signs with the Bruins and was an unrestricted free agent. (Example: Glen Murray was an unrestricted free agent who played on the Bruins and re-signed with the team as an unrestricted free agent.)

Re-signed (RFA): A player who re-signed with the Bruins and was a restricted free agent. (Example: When Patrice Bergeron re-signs with the Bruins, this will be under his contract notes.)

Trade (team): A player’s rights were traded to the Bruins and the Bruins signed the player to the current contract. (Example: Paul Mara’s rights were traded to the Bruins and he signed a contract with the Bruins.

Via trade (team): A player was traded to the Bruins and was under his current contract. (Example: Brad Stuart signed a two-year deal with San Jose in 2005 and was traded to the Bruins.)

Signed - Lists the date the player signed his current contract. A lot of time and research went into finding out when the contract was signed by the players, and was quite possibly the most time consuming part of the tracker.

The 05-06 Salary and 06-07 Salary - Should be self-explanatory.

Free Agents Section

Free Agent - Categorizes the player was restricted or unrestricted free agent. Restricted free agents (RFA) basically belong to the Bruins, but other teams can offer the player an offer sheet that the Bruins have the right to match. Unrestricted free agents (UFA) are free to sign with any NHL team.

FA Group Definitions:

Qualified (II) - The player is a Group II (RFA) who received a qualifying offer from the Bruins to maintain the player’s rights. (Example: Former Bruin Andrew Raycroft received a qualifying offer, and then his rights were traded to Toronto where he signed his contract.) (Note: If a player signs or accepts a qualifying offer, then the player is under contract.)

Not qualified - A restricted free agent who didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Bruins and became an unrestricted free agent. (Example: Pat Leahy wasn’t qualified, so he became an unrestricted free agent and signed with Nashville.)

Bought out - The remainder of the player’s current contract was bought out (terminated), allowing the player to become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team. The team that bought the player out has to pay a portion of the remaining salary over twice the remaining years on the bought out contract. (Example: Travis Green had one year remaining on his contract [$700,000] that was bought out, so the Bruins pay ¾ of that salary [$525,000] over two years [$262,500].)

Group III (UFA) - A player who is 31 years old or older or has 4 seasons in the NHL. (Example: Brian Leetch is over 31 years old and is a Group III free agent.) (Note: Next year, players who are 29 years or older or has 8 seasons in the NHL will qualify as a Group III free agent.)

Group VI - A player who is 25 years or older who has completed 3 or more professional seasons and has played less than 80 NHL games (less than 28 NHL games for goaltenders). (Example: Ben Guite is over 25 years old and has played in one NHL game making him a Group VI free agent, who signed with Colorado.)

Other free agent groups not listed:

Group IV - Restricted free agent who is a “Defected Player” which means a player not unconditionally released.
Group V - Unrestricted free agent who has completed 10 or more minor league or NHL seasons, and did not earn in the last year of his contract

Hope that clarifies some things. I think I covered it all, but if I didn't, I will come back and add more when the temperature is much cooler.