NHL arbitration hearings calendar set as 15 restricted free agents pick dates
NHL arbitration hearings for 15 restricted free agents are scheduled between July 20 and August 1, with one deal already settled ahead of the hearings.
The National Hockey League arbitration hearings calendar is set, with 15 restricted free agents who elected salary arbitration assigned dates between July 20 and August 1. The schedule, compiled by PuckPedia, includes several high-profile names and one pre-hearing settlement, and it puts NHL arbitration hearings squarely into teams’ summer cap planning. Players and teams retain the option to negotiate agreements at any point before a scheduled hearing.
Hearing schedule and confirmed dates
The scheduled hearings begin Monday, July 20 with Jamie Drysdale of the Philadelphia Flyers and Cole Perfetti of the Winnipeg Jets both listed for that date. Trevor Zegras is slated for Wednesday, July 22, and Jet Greaves is scheduled for Thursday, July 23.
Saturday, July 25 originally included Xavier Bourgault, Jason Robertson and Connor McMichael; Bourgault has since reached a one-year, $850,000 settlement with the Ottawa Senators ahead of his hearing. The remaining hearings run through Monday, August 1 and include Cole Sillinger, Nick Robertson, Braden Schneider, Ronan Seeley, Alex Jefferies, Kirby Dach, Akira Schmid and Peyton Krebs.
Settlement reached ahead of a hearing
The Ottawa Senators and forward Xavier Bourgault agreed to a one-year contract worth $850,000 before his July 25 hearing, removing his case from the arbitration calendar. Such pre-hearing deals are common and allow both sides to avoid the uncertainty of an arbitration panel ruling.
Teams and players frequently settle to control contract length and salary timing, and settlements also remove potential public scrutiny of arbitration testimony and comparative arguments used before arbitrators.
Arbitration rules that affect eligibility and contract length
Players who elect salary arbitration become ineligible to sign offer sheets from other teams while the process is pending. That restriction preserves the arbitration mechanism as an internal resolution tool for restricted free agents and their current clubs.
Through arbitration, awards can be for one or two years only. In player-elected hearings, the club determines whether an award will be one or two years, though players who are one year away from unrestricted free agency can be awarded only a one-year contract.
Notable players and potential implications for teams
The list includes several players with significant roles or upside: Trevor Zegras is an established playmaker for the Flyers, Jason Robertson is a top scorer for the Stars, and Kirby Dach is a high-profile asset for the Canadiens. Each hearing carries potential salary outcomes that could influence team salary-cap management.
Younger players such as Cole Perfetti, Cole Sillinger and Peyton Krebs represent pending developmental decisions for their clubs, and arbitration figures could set market benchmarks for comparably positioned restricted free agents around the league.
Timing, strategy and cap planning for NHL clubs
Arbitration hearings scheduled over a concentrated two-week span compress decisions into a short window, meaning front offices must prepare exhibits, comparables and financial plans quickly. Teams balance the risk of an arbitration award with the desire to retain players under controllable term lengths.
An arbitration award could create cap pressures or prompt subsequent roster moves, while settlements allow teams to manage term structure and salary smoothing. Clubs often weigh the public nature of hearings against the predictability of negotiated deals.
What to watch leading up to hearings
Watch for further settlements in the days before each hearing; many players and teams prefer to reach deals once comparable arbitration awards surface. Also monitor whether any players withdraw their arbitration filings after negotiating terms, as happened with Xavier Bourgault.
Media coverage of arbitration testimony and the financial outcomes for higher-profile players will shape perceptions of the restricted free agent market and may affect contract strategy league-wide.
The arbitration window will resolve a cluster of contract questions for multiple clubs and players, and outcomes this summer are likely to influence roster construction and salary-cap strategies into the season.
