I’d like to kick off the first of hopefully many blog entries on the NHL’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement. Enacted in 2005 to end a year-long lockout, it’s notoriously long (475 pages, to be exact). Brian Burke says even he doesn’t understand it completely. My goal this summer is to come as close to a level of “basic understanding” as possible. Along the way, I’m sure I’ll uncover some items of interest to the common man. Like this one …
The CBA defines “Living Companion” as someone who shares a primary residence with an unmarried player; isn’t related to the player by blood; isn’t married to the player, or anyone else for that matter; has been living with the player for at least six months; and is at least 18.
– The team puts you up for a month in a 2-bedroom hotel/condo/house with the player if the player gets called up from the minors, and again after 28 days if the team “has not decided whether the player will remain with the club.”
The moral of the story: Find an NHL player who needs a roommate and start accruing those six months, fast.