Reader feedback – Kieffer
Published 4:04 pm Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Craig W. asks the following:
“Perhaps you will be able to shed light on this topic. A few fans, both for Everett and Medicine Hat, are wondering about the Tyler Kieffer situation. Kieffer was traded from the Silvertips in exchange for Shayne Brown. However, it appears Kieffer has not reported to Medicine Hat and is possibly refusing to report. If this is true, will the Silvertips need to give up another player to compensate the Tigers’ loss of Shayne Brown? Or does the trade get killed, sending back Brown although he has already been playing with the Silvertips? Or something else? Are the Silvertips even liable if a player chooses not to report? What actually happens, in a case such as this one (or this one, specifically)?”
Well, my Nordic friend, this is an interesting one. For me, I go back to the 2005-06 season when Everett was on the other side of this occasion twice. First, the Tips made a trade with Swift Current for forwards Brady Leavold and Boris Leckovic, with Leavold deciding not to report. Later in the season the Tips traded for forward Kyle Howarth from Prince Albert, who also chose not to report. Each deal had a different conclusion, with the Leavold/Leckovic deal being reworked and the Howarth deal being voided. Of course, both these deals involved picks/prospects going the other way rather than active players, so it’s a little different from the current situation. But what it illustrates is that there doesn’t seem to be a set rule for what happens in this situation.
First off, I doubt Brown will be sent back to Medicine Hat. I would be surprised if the league forced a player who’s settled into a new situation to pack his bags again. However, I can envision a situation where if Kieffer ultimately choses not to report — and bear in mind, there’s been no official word from anyone regarding the situation — different compensation, probably in the form of a draft pick, would be worked out. I think it depends to an extent on the language used in the in the paperwork filed with the league for the deal. If I recall correctly, that was part of the complication in the Leavold/Leckovic trade that left Leckovic in limbo for a couple days. So whether there’s a contingency plan may hinge on whether it was written into the deal. Again, this is if my understanding is correct.
This trade just continues to perplex on several levels. Just like you, I’m anxious to find out what the final conclusion is going to be.
One other quick unrelated note. Kyle Beach is now apparently getting back on Thursday rather than Wednesday.
