Wildcatters Extend Qualifying Offers

[hockeyfan]

http://www.wildcattershockey.com/news/fullstory.php?id=481

BEAUMONT, TX (July 2, 2007) - The Texas Wildcatters announced Monday they have extended qualifying offers to eight players, the maximum number allowed by the ECHL. The list includes forward Marco Rosa and defenseman Jonathan Paiement.

Rosa, 25, a fan favorite in Southeast Texas last season, racked up 51 points (25-26-51) in only 36 games with the Wildcatters before being recalled by the Providence Bruins of the AHL.

Paiement, a rookie defensive stalwart in 2006-07, was a nominee for the PHPA Ironman Award. The 22 year-old blueliner netted a +16 rating and 46 points (7-39-46) while playing in all 82 regular season and playoff games last season

Below is the full list of qualified players:

Kevin Baker

Scott Champagne

Brandin Cote

J.F. David

Jonathan Paiement

Olivier Proulx

Marco Rosa

Matt Yeats

Each team was entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four could be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the upcoming 2007-08 season).  Proulx is the only veteran on the list. Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until Aug. 1, 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.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player will retain the rights to that veteran until Aug. 1. After Aug. 1, 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 August 31, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.