As the peak of NHL free agency passes, a few players are still in contract negotiations.
The Buffalo Sabres have elected salary arbitration with defenseman Bowen Byram, while the Utah Mammoth have done the same with forward Jack McBain.
Teams had until Sunday evening to file for arbitration, following a Saturday deadline for players to initiate the process themselves, which 11 players did.
Because the team filed for arbitration, the player will determine the length of the contract award, and they are ineligible to sign an offer sheet.
Arbitration hearings are scheduled from July 20 to August 4, though teams and players can continue negotiating to reach an agreement before their scheduled hearing. The NHL is one of only two major North American sports leagues, along with MLB, that utilize a salary arbitration system.
Byram, a 24-year-old defenseman originally drafted fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2019, has recorded 110 points (33 goals, 77 assists) in 246 career NHL games. He joined the Sabres in March 2024 via a trade for forward Casey Mittelstadt.
McBain, 25, was a 2018 third-round selection by the Minnesota Wild. He was traded to Arizona in March 2022 for a second-round pick. He has accumulated 82 points (35 goals, 47 assists) in 241 career appearances.
Players Headed to Salary Arbitration
Below is the complete list of the 13 players heading to salary arbitration:
Player elected:
- 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)
Team elected:
- Jack McBain (Utah Mammoth)
- Bowen Byram (Buffalo Sabres)