NHL Arbitration Watch: 13 Players Still Negotiating Contracts
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While the initial flurry of NHL free agency has subsided, contract negotiations aren’t entirely finished.A meaningful number of players remain in the process of determining their salaries adn futures, with 13 now heading towards arbitration. This system, unique among major North American sports leagues besides MLB, offers a path to resolution when teams and players can’t agree on terms.
Understanding NHL Arbitration
Teams faced a crucial deadline of 5 p.m.ET on Sunday to extend qualifying offers to arbitration-eligible players. Those who didn’t receive offers, or who declined them, had until Saturday to file for a hearing. Ultimately, 11 players chose to pursue arbitration, while teams initiated the process for two others.
Here’s how it effectively works: When a team initiates arbitration, the player gets to choose the length of the awarded contract – a key advantage.Conversely, a player-initiated hearing prevents them from signing an offer sheet from another team.
Arbitration hearings are scheduled between July 20th and August 4th, according to CapFriendly. Though, negotiations can (and frequently enough do) continue right up until a hearing takes place, potentially leading to settlements and avoiding a formal ruling.
Key Players Headed for Hearings
Two players garnering particular attention are Bowen Byram and Jack McBain.
Bowen Byram (buffalo Sabres): The 24-year-old defenseman arrived in Buffalo in March 2024 via a trade with the colorado Avalanche. Originally selected fourth overall in the 2019 draft, Byram has demonstrated offensive upside, accumulating 110 points (33 goals, 77 assists) in 246 career games.The Sabres will be looking to secure him at a team-amiable rate as a key piece of their defensive core.
Jack McBain (Utah Mammoth): The 25-year-old forward has quickly established himself as a productive NHL player. Drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2018, he was later traded to Arizona, where he’s tallied 82 points (35 goals, 47 assists) in 241 games. McBain’s offensive contributions make him a valuable asset, and his arbitration case will be closely watched.
The Full List of Players in Arbitration
Here’s a complete breakdown of the 13 players whose contracts will be decided through arbitration:
Players Who Elected arbitration:
morgan Barron (Winnipeg Jets)
Lukas Got (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)
Teams Who Elected Arbitration:
Jack McBain (Utah Mammoth)
* Bowen Byram (Buffalo Sabres)
what to Expect Moving Forward
The next few weeks will be critical as teams and players continue negotiations. While arbitration provides a fallback, both sides generally prefer to reach an agreement that avoids a potentially unfavorable ruling. Expect a flurry of activity as agents and general managers work to finalize contracts before the arbitration hearings begin. The outcomes of thes cases will not onyl impact the players involved but could also influence future contract negotiations across the league.
