Wasn’t Josh Burrows on our “Protected List”?

From: Cathy

Comments: I see that Josh Burrows has signed with Chicago – and noticed he was on our “protected list”..can you give us hockey-loving-but-hockey-dumb fans information on what a protected list is or isn’t? I assumed he was “our’s”..as in BACK OFF, CHICAGO.

Reply: Josh was on the Protected List, but he was not sent a Qualifying Offer. Once the QO’s go out, everyone remaining from the Protected List who did not receive one is then deemed a free agent. It’s a part of the three-step off-season process that allows teams a grace period to re-sign players while still giving the players the flexibility of free agency later during the summer.

Without knowing the details on Burrow’s agreement to join the Condors last season – I’m just The Mailbag Guy – keep in mind that it is not at all uncommon for a player coming out of the college ranks at the end of the season to have a gentleman’s agreement to join a team, as long as that club agrees not to retain his rights for the next season (his full rookie campaign).

-The Mailbag Guy