What do future considerations mean in NHL? Explaining the process of getting players & draft picks

When an NHL trade goes down, it usually means each team gets something right away, but sometimes future considerations go back to one team. So what does that mean?

Earlier this year, the Ottawa Senators traded defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to the Chicago Blackhawks along with a 2023 second-round and a 2026 fourth-round NHL draft pick for future considerations.

Many Sens fans were confused about the return. In this case, Ottawa was looking to get off Zaitsev's cap and they had to get something so they acquired future considerations. The teams need to complete the deal by sending either a player, a pick, or multiple of either, but there is no timeframe for when the deal needs to be completed.

Oftentimes, it is a minor-league player that will never play in the NHL, as the trade is more about teams dumping a salary/player. As well, sometimes the return is also never publicized so in reality, it truly is just getting rid of a player for the bare minimum.

What is the biggest NHL trade for future considerations?

In the past, future considerations could have been cash. The most famous trade involving future considerations was the Winnipeg Jets trading Kris Draper to the Detroit Red Wings.

Draper was a minor leaguer who the Jets didn't project to play in the NHL so they traded him for future considerations. This ended up being $1, as Detroit had to give up something.

Kris Draper played 16 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings from 1994-95 to 2010-11 and helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup four times. He hoisted the Cup in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008 and was a big part of their checking line and even won the Selke Trophy in 2004.

The future considerations ended up working out well for Detroit and after the Red Wings won the Cup in 1997, Draper decided to give the owners a dollar back for what they traded him for.

"I was able to give Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch the dollar back, so I'd like to think that we're even," Draper said. "Who would have thought that a player was going to be traded for a dollar, and then certainly I'm real proud of everything that went on and all the proud moments I had within the organization."

Ultimately, the Kris Draper story is one of a kind as when a player is traded for future considerations, it is likely due to the team up against the salary cap and needing to create cap space.