As the NHL off-season continues, negotiating new contracts for restricted free agents (RFAs) can sometimes be a complicated process requiring an external resolution method.
To address potential contract disputes, the league uses salary arbitration. The NHL Players` Association recently announced that 11 players filed for arbitration before Saturday`s deadline.
The arbitration process involves a hearing where both the team and the player present arguments supporting their proposed salary figures to an independent third party. This third party then makes a binding decision on the financial terms of the upcoming contract.
It`s worth noting that teams and players can still negotiate and reach a settlement before an official hearing takes place. Historically, many cases are resolved this way; for instance, according to CapFriendly, all players who filed for arbitration in 2021 settled their contracts before their hearings.
The NHL is one of only two major North American sports leagues, alongside MLB, that utilizes a salary arbitration system.
The deadline for teams to elect arbitration is Sunday at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. The scheduled arbitration hearings are set to take place from July 20 to August 4.
Here is the complete list of the 11 players who have elected salary arbitration:
- Morgan Barron (Winnipeg Jets)
- Lukas Dostal (Anaheim Ducks)
- Drew Helleson (Anaheim Ducks)
- Kaapo Kakko (Seattle Kraken)
- Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Maple Leafs)
- Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg Jets)
- Arvid Soderblom (Chicago Blackhawks)
- Jayden Struble (Montreal Canadiens)
- Conor Timmins (Buffalo Sabres)
- Maksim Tsyplakov (New York Islanders)
- Gabriel Vilardi (Winnipeg Jets)
