Can NHL teams walk away from arbitration? Exploring the process of how players and teams navigate hearing

NHL free agency is underway, with teams around the league beginning to negotiate with players. During this time, restricted-free agents are eligible to go to arbitration with teams. An arbitrator will work as an intermediary for the two sides as they work through negotiations. Additionally, teams can also elect to take players to arbitration.

If a player takes a team to arbitration, the team can opt to walk away, making the player an unrestricted free agent. To do so, however, the contract must exceed $4.74 million. If the contract is less than $4.74 million, then teams cannot walk away from arbitration and must sign the player.

For a player to be eligible for arbitration, several conditions must be met. To start, only restricted free agents are eligible to go to arbitration. For example, a player who is an unrestricted free agent can't take their previous team to arbitration.

In addition, there are four different tiers that players fall into depending on their age and experience. The NHL defines experience as 10 or more games in a season.

For players 18–20 years old, this experience must come at the NHL level, while older players can be eligible with professional experience elsewhere.

• 18–20 years old; four years of NHL experience required (10+ games per season)
• 21 years old; three years of professional experience required (10+ games per season )
• 22–23 years old, with two years of professional experience (10+ games per season)
• 24+ years old—one year of professional experience (10+ games per season)

If a player wants to proceed with arbitration, they must do so by 5 PM Eastern Time on July 5. This means that the deadline for the current offseason has already passed, and players who have not yet stated their intention to seek arbitration are no longer eligible to do so.

Looking at the NHL arbitration requirements for teams and possible outcomes

In addition to players being able to take teams to arbitration, teams can also opt to go to arbitration with players. Teams are only allowed to go to arbitration with players twice per offseason.

In addition, teams must declare their intentions to take a player to arbitration within 48 hours of the Stanley Cup Finals ending.

Despite that, if a team opts to take a restricted free agent player to arbitration, the player is still eligible to sign an offer sheet with another team so long as they do so before the Jul. 5 deadline at 2 PM Pacific Time (5 PM Eastern).

When it comes to potential outcomes, arbitrators are only able to award a one- or two-year contract. If a player elects to take a team to arbitration, then the team gets to choose which contract term they want.

On the flip side, if a team elects to take a player to arbitration, then the player gets to choose the contract length.

(Suggested reading: Top 5 NHL players going to arbitration this summer.)