Rookie year guidelines?

[bluesfan6]

I was wondering who decides which rookies can be released during the season? The reason being I saw that Phil McRae has been released in the last few Panini products and this means he will not have a few of the Upper Deck rookie cards he would have had if both companies waited until next season. So does the league set down any rules regarding this or is it up to individual companies? Kind of sad to see a decent young prospect like McRae not get a young gun.

[hossa18sens]

There is a certain date that if the player players before he can be in that year and after that date he must be in the next year.

UD has tried to keep them back for the next year in the past.

Panini did follow the rules. UD seems to have missed the boat on a few players.

[RGM81]

The rules are thus....

Player must play in an NHL game (if a goalie, he simply must dress as a backup to eligible) prior to the cut-off date as decided by the NHL, the PA, and the companies. This year it was the All-Star Game, so any player who stepped on NHL ice prior to that date is fair game to be included in 2010-11 products.

[bluesfan6]

Thanks guys. Just kind of sucks some players are going to lose some rookie releases.

[comfortably9numb]

Thanks guys. Just kind of sucks some players are going to lose some rookie releases.

yeah but thats Upper Deck's fault, they should have been on the ball more to get them out

[qwas]

What happens this year when the final releases for 2010-11 are after the first releases for 2011-12?

[RGM81]

Personally I'm not too bothered by it - I think it's a bit over-the-top that we have guys like J.T. Wyman, who played 3 games in 2009-10 and 0 in all of 2010-11, stuffed into just about every product. But that's another story for another day. :)