Twenty Two Players File For Salary Arbitration

The NHLPA has announced the full list of players who’ve elected salary arbitration this offseason:

F Morgan Barron (WPG)
D William Borgen (SEA)
F Noah Cates (PHI)
F Ross Colton (COL)
F Brandon Duhaime (MIN)
D Vince Dunn (SEA)
D Cale Fleury (SEA)
F Trent Frederic (BOS)
G Filip Gustavsson (MIN)
F Brett Howden (VGK)
F Tanner Jeannot (TBL)
F Philipp Kurashev (CHI)
F Jack McBain (ARI)
F Ryan McLeod (EDM)
D Ian Mitchell (BOS)
F Drew O’Connor (PIT)
G Ilya Samsonov (TOR)
D Brandon Scanlin (NYR)
G Jeremy Swayman (BOS)
F Troy Terry (ANA)
F Alexey Toropchenko (STL)
F Gabriel Vilardi (WPG)

This is not the full list of players destined for arbitration hearings – NHL teams have another 24 hours to file for team-elected arbitration with certain players not listed above.

As a reminder, just because a player files for arbitration doesn’t mean they can’t sign a new deal with their team prior to the hearing. If they do reach the hearing stage, however, the arbitrator will provide a contract award within 48 hours.

The length of arbitration awards can only be one or two years, and the party that did not elect for arbitration gets to decide on the duration. If a player is in their final year of restricted free agency, they are entitled to only a one-year term.

If a player elects for arbitration and receives a settlement of one year with a salary exceeding $4.54MM, the team has the option to walk away from the awarded salary, which would make the player an unrestricted free agent. Similarly, if the player elects for a two-year arbitration settlement with a salary exceeding $4.54MM, the team can walk away from the second year of the awarded salary, allowing the player to become a free agent at the end of the first year.

Teams cannot walk away from an award reached via club-elected arbitration.

For teams involved in arbitration cases, a second buyout window becomes available. This window opens three days after the final arbitration case is settled, either through a new contract or an arbitration award. However, this opportunity is limited to players who meet two criteria: they must have a salary cap hit of $4MM or more, and they must have been with the team at last year’s trade deadline.

Per the NHLPA, this year’s slate of arbitration hearings will take place between July 20 and August 4.