NHL player agent Kurt Overhardt of Denver-based KO Sports Inc. proposed a voluntary “player exception” rule Monday that would allow NHL teams to prevent their highest-paid player from counting towards the salary cap.
Overhardt suggests the voluntary rule would strengthen the league financially and competitively and stroke hockey’s “not me” culture.
For the Avalanche, it would take Mikko Rantanen’s club-high $12 million contract out of the equation in meeting the current salary cap of $81.5 million and Rantanen would contribute to players’ revenue — thus helping his teammates.
“The cost control system (salary cap) was a brilliant system by the league but it needs to evolve,” Overhardt said in a phone interview.