from Jesse Spector of The Sporting News,

Say the Montreal Canadiens want to get out from under the final two years and $9 million on Scott Gomez’s contract. Let them do it. Who is going to complain other than Gomez, who has made $23.5 million over the past three seasons in Montreal, and scored 21 goals?

But if teams can break contracts just because they aren’t getting fair value, so can players. David Desharnais had 60 points in a breakout 2011-12 season, but his contract for 2012-13 is only worth $950,000. Why shouldn’t Desharnais be allowed to negotiate new terms with the Canadiens, or find another team that will pay him market value?

If Desharnais’ step forward last season proves to be a fluke, no worries, his new contract is non-guaranteed. If he winds up being a star, he will be paid like one.

Setting up a free-for-all system in which anyone on either side of a contract can walk away from their obligations at any time would lead to chaos, so some restraints would have to be included, and the NHL and NHLPA would have a chance to implement changes that would be financially beneficial on a long-term basis.

Global soccer already has a successful model in place with its system of transfer fees, the lion’s share of which go to the club losing a player, with cuts for agents and the players themselves.

more