As the NHL off-season progresses and free agents determine their next teams, securing a new contract isn`t always straightforward for everyone.
For certain players, specifically restricted free agents, reaching a new agreement can sometimes involve seeking external assistance.
Before Saturday`s deadline, the NHL Players` Association announced that 11 players chose salary arbitration. This is a system the league employs to resolve contract disagreements between clubs and specific restricted free agents. The procedure involves a hearing where both sides present arguments supporting their proposed salary figures to an impartial third party, who then makes the final decision on the contract`s financial terms.
Teams and players can continue negotiating and reach a new deal before an official arbitration hearing takes place. For example, in 2021, every player who filed for arbitration settled their cases before their scheduled hearings, according to CapFriendly.
Alongside MLB, the NHL is one of only two major sports leagues in North America that uses the arbitration system.
The deadline for teams to elect salary arbitration is Sunday at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. Following this, arbitration hearings are scheduled from July 20 to August 4.
Players Electing Salary Arbitration
Below is the complete list of the 11 players who filed for 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)
Tristan Blackwood