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NHLPA memo prepares players for life during the lockout

NHLPA

With the possibility of a lockout looking more and more certain, the NHL Players’ Association is doing its part to help prepare their constituents for how things will go.

Kevin Allen at USA Today obtained a memo sent out to the players explaining what will happen if/when the league shuts out the players on September 15. Here are the highlights of what the players have to expect:

-- Injured players will still get paid

Guys like Marc Savard, Chris Pronger, and Marian Gaborik don’t have to pick up a second job during the lockout just so long as the injury is hockey-related and teams are aware of it. Those injured players will get paid until they’re fit to play.

-- Players are allowed to play in Europe during the lockout, but they might be in trouble if they get hurt

“We expect that your NHL club would suspend you without pay until you are fit to play,” the NHLPA memo said.

Players that go abroad could be suspended if they’re hurt there. The union asks that those players get insured against their NHL contracts if they head to Europe.

-- Players with signing bonuses, buyout payments, and escrow payments will see paychecks coming to them

This is one area where the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators take big hits having to pay out Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, and Shea Weber without having them on the ice.

-- The NHLPA expects that players won’t be moved during the lockout

“During previous lockouts, the clubs did not trade players or the rights to players after the lockout started,” the memo said.

That’d be a pretty jerky move to trade or cut a guy while games aren’t being played.

Related: Report: NHL will still have access to CHL talent if season starts late