Restricted free agents have limited options when it comes to negotiating their contracts, but one avenue available to them is salary arbitration. This process allows players to have an independent arbitrator make a final decision on their salary. Recently, 14 players have opted to take their clubs to arbitration, as revealed by Elliotte Friedman.
The list of players includes some notable names, such as Martin Necas and Ryan Lindgren, who have both been mentioned in trade conversations recently. Necas, in particular, is an interesting case, as he is now ineligible to sign an offer sheet with another team. This means that the Carolina Hurricanes have more control over his contract negotiations.
The arbitration process is a formal hearing where the player and team present their cases, and an independent arbitrator makes a binding decision. Players who file for arbitration are not allowed to negotiate with other teams, which limits their options. However, this process can provide a sense of security for players who feel they are not being fairly compensated.
The deadline for teams to file for team-opted salary arbitration is tomorrow, so we can expect more players to be added to this list. It will be interesting to see how these contract negotiations play out and how the arbitration process affects the players' careers.
Source: Blade of Steel
14 players file for salary arbitration ahead of Friday's deadline