TOSTI: SWAMP RABBITS EXTEND QUALIFYING OFFERS TO SEVEN 

Team offers set contracts to three forwards and four defensemen for upcoming season.

BY: Brian Tosti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Greenville, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits have extended qualifying offers to seven players from the 2017-18 season. Qualifying offers are specific contracts sent to players, but do NOT mean that they have signed a contract for the upcoming season. Details and FAQ on qualifying offers can be found below.

The following players have received offers from Swamp Rabbits head coach Kevin Kerr:

Because these players are not categorized as veterans, the Swamp Rabbits would retain their ECHL playing rights for the entire 2018-19 season if a contract agreement is not met.

As the offseason continues, stay tuned to SwampRabbits.com for a full updated list of players to sign for the upcoming season.

Qualifying Offers FAQ

Who Are Offers Extended To?: Players who had already signed a contract by June 30 did not need to receive a qualifying offer. Only players from a team’s season ending roster can be sent a qualifying offer.

How Many Players Can Be Offered?: Each team was entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players. Of those qualified players, no more than four could be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the upcoming 2018-19 season).

What Does Issuing A Qualifying Offer Mean?: Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded. The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until July 16 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

Qualifying Offers To Veterans: A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player will retain the rights to that veteran until July 16. After July 16, if the veteran player is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams.

Restricted free agents may not be traded. When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team with the player’s rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player’s rights and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association. The member with the player’s rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.

If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by Aug. 1, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.