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NHL Restricted Free Agency Explained

By Brendan Azoff

Toronto Maple Leafs v Boston Bruins - Game Seven
Toronto Maple Leafs v Boston Bruins - Game Seven / Omar Rawlings

We're all familiar with free agency at this point in professional sports, but what about the different types. What's the difference between Unrestricted and Restricted Free Agency? We've got you covered.

NHL Restricted Free Agency

Restricted Free Agency occurs when a player who is just out of an entry-level contract, which is the first deal all NHL players must sign, reaches free agency but does not yet have enough service time in the league to be unrestricted. Unlike unrestricted free agents, those players who are RFAs cannot freely sign and go play for any team.

If a player has restricted status, they can listen to and accept offer sheets from the other 30 teams in the league. If one of those offer sheets gets accepted, that player's current team has seven days to match the offer and keep that player as a member of their organization.

If a team does not match the offer sheet within the seven-day window, then the RFA can sign the contract with the new team, but the new organization must give draft pick compensation to the player's former team.

For example, if the Islanders signed RFA Mitch Marner to an offer sheet, Marner's current team the Maple Leafs would have seven days to match the Islanders offer. If they choose to not match, he becomes a member of the Islanders and in return the Islanders send draft pick compensation to the Leafs.

Top 2019 Restricted Free Agents

  • Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs: 26 G, 68 A, 94 P
  • Jacob Trouba, D, Winnipeg Jets: 8 G, 42 A, 50 P
  • Brayden Point, C, Tampa Bay Lightning: 41 G, 51 A, 92 P
Tampa Bay Lightning v Columbus Blue Jackets - Game Four
Tampa Bay Lightning v Columbus Blue Jackets - Game Four / Kirk Irwin
  • Zachary Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets: 11 G, 33 A, 44 P
  • Mikko Rantanen, RW, Colorado Avalanche: 31 G, 56 A, 87 P
  • Sebastian Aho, LW, Carolina Hurricanes: 30 G, 53 A, 83 P
Carolina Hurricanes v Boston Bruins - Game One
Carolina Hurricanes v Boston Bruins - Game One / Adam Glanzman
  • Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Calgary Flames: 34 G, 43 A, 77 P
  • William Karlsson, C, Vegas Golden Knights: 24 G, 32 A, 56 P
  • Patrik Laine, RW, Winnipeg Jets: 30 G, 20 A, 50 P
  • Timo Meier, LW, San Jose Sharks: 30 G, 36 A, 66 P

These 10 names highlight the strong crop of young RFAs available during the summer of 2019, an offseason period which could see the most offer sheet action in quite some time.