NHLPA Sends Memo To Players. Awesome.

We are 9 days away from an NHL Lockout

After the jump, a memo to the players from their PA...

Stick tap the ThePensBlog. They posted this today and I want to get it out to our readers as well.

This shit does not look good. USA Today got their grubby mitts on a memo that Donald Fehr and the NHLPA sent out to their players that was titled “How Does the NHL Lockout Effect Me?”. This is actually the real title. The title reads like a fucking kindergartner’s book, but based on some of these guys sound during an interview (like uh, Milan, uh, Lucic) you’d think their reading level was somewhere around there. Might as well just take “Everyone Poops” and call it “Everyone Is Locked Out”.

 
I know, what a shitty paint job. I’m at work, what do you expect? 

Here’s a quick run down of what the memo read: 

• Injured players will still receive paychecks. Marc Savard, Chris Pronger, etc will get paid throughout the entirety of the lockout or until they are finished being injured. The article mentions Marian Gaborik, who will only be injured until November(ish) because he had shoulder surgery. 

“If you are unfit to play because of a hockey-related injury when a lockout begins, you are entitled to receive your salary until you are fit to play,” the memo said. “If you are currently injured, you should make sure that your condition is fully documented and that your club is aware of it. If you do not receive your salary payment when it becomes due, you should contact your agent and/or the NHLPA legal department immediately.”

• Players can sign up to play in other leagues (KHL, etc) but if they are injured in that league during the lockout, there could be some issues with their current NHL club. 

“We expect that your NHL club would suspend you without pay until you are fit to play,” the NHLPA memo said. “There also is a possibility that the club might take other disciplinary action. The NHLPA may be able to dispute such suspensions and disciplinary actions under the grievance and arbitration procedure.

“If you intend to play for a club in another league during a lockout, we recommend that you ask that club to insure the value of your SPC (standard players’ contract) against injury. If the club is unwilling to do so, we recommend that you purchase disability insurance on your own.”

• Signing bonuses, buyout payments and return of escrow payments will be paid out regardless. Good news for Bruins fans is that even if there is a lockout, Patrick Eaves will be off of the Bruins books in 2013, am I right?! 
• 18 and 19 year old players, if eligible, can return to their junior club before hockey begins. Dougie Hamilton has already stated that he would return Niagra if there was a lockout. Per Haggs:

The 2011 first round pick is too young at 19 years old to play in the AHL this upcoming season, and Hamilton confirmed that he will return to the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs if there’s a lockout to start the year. But the 6-foot-5 defenseman also said in the same breath he’s pretty sure he’ll be leaving Niagara to report to Bruins training camp once the CBA is finally completed.

It seems that the NHLPA is getting its players ready for a lockout. You don’t send the players a memo or a pamphlet or whatever you want to call it if you’re planning on agreeing to a CBA by September 15th. It would be like a company on the verge of shutting down sends their employees an action plan 9 days before they close, then magically stays open. It doesn’t happen very often people. If this isn’t a rude awakening, I don’t know what is.