Qualifying offers. I don’t get it

From: Lisa

Comment: Qualifying offers. I don’t get it.

Reply: Congratulations for sending us THE shortest Mailbag Question in Condors history, Lisa! Actually, I’m not sure it was a question… but I digress….

Long story short: this is the only way that Head Coach Matt O’Dette has of retaining the rights to players from the 2011-12 season. If they are qualified, the player cannot play anywhere else in the ECHL in 2012-13. If they don’t want to return to Bakersfield, they may sign in another league, but if they want to play in the ECHL, they’re coming here.

Long story long: The maximum number of players that could be reserved in this manner was eight. The Condors reserved six. Now… players already under contract did not need to be reserved, so Tyler Helfrich for example, did not need to receive a QO. Scott Freeman has already agreed to play in Europe this season, but the Condors qualified him so that they may retain his rights in case he comes back mid-season. For example, the Condors did NOT send a QO to Evan Stoflet last summer because he had already signed in Denmark. But when December came around and he was looking to come back to North America, it meant he was a free agent and could sign wherever he wanted. And he did. Just not in Bakersfield. So it goes.

Another instance from a few seasons ago: the Condors sent Mark Derlago a QO after he had been signed to an AHL deal by Manitoba. Then when Manitoba sent him down to the ECHL, they were forced to send him to us instead of their affiliate, Victoria, because we retained his rights.

So that’s the gist of it. Hopefully you’re less confused now! (Or maybe you’re more confused???)

-the Mailbag Guy