NHL

NHL offer sheet, explained: Compensation, qualifications for signing restricted free agents

Offer sheets are one of the most complex parts of NHL contracts. It’s not surprising to see how rare they are in today’s league.

The tactic for signing restricted free agents from other teams was utilized much more often in the ’80s and ’90s, with each summer bringing offer sheet drama. 

However, nowadays, offer sheets are extremely uncommon. Not only do they rarely come to fruition, but teams more often than not have matched the recent offer sheets. In fact, only twice in this century has a club elected not to match an offer and part ways with a player. 

The Sporting News explains what an offer sheet is in the NHL, and what the compensation is for one. 

MORE: NHL entry-level contract, explained

What is an NHL offer sheet?

An offer sheet is an NHL contract that is offered from one team to an eligible restricted free agent whose rights are owned by a different NHL club.

If a player chooses to sign an offer sheet with another NHL team, their original team has two options. The club can decide either to match the offer sheet, which means they inherit the signed contract as is, or they can choose not to match.

If a club elects not to match, the player joins the other team with their contract being the offer sheet. In return, the original team gets compensation in the form of draft picks from the signing team, depending on what the average annual value of the offer sheet was.

NHL offer sheet qualification

Only certain players are eligible for an offer. All of these players are restricted free agents, along with the following criteria. 

  • Have at least one NHL contract expire
  • Have played at least 80 NHL games if a forward or defenseman, or 28 NHL games if a goalie (applies only for players who have 3 years of NHL service)
  • Be younger than 27 on July 1 of that year
  • Be without a contract for the upcoming season
  • Be tendered a qualifying offer by the current team by June 25 or the Monday after that year’s NHL Entry Draft (whichever is later)

NHL offer sheet compensation

There are seven tiers when it comes to offer sheet compensation that is entirely based on the AAV of the offer sheet. 

It used to be that players, draft picks and/or cash could be sent the offer way if an offer sheet was not matched. However, now, a team will solely receive draft picks for not matching an offer sheet. 

Here is how the tiers break down and what the compensation given out is. 

AAV Compensation
$1 – $1,415,740 None
$1,415,741 – $2,145,061 1 3rd-round pick
$2,145,062 – $4,290,125 1 2nd-round pick
$4,290,126 – $6,435,186 1 1st-round pick, 1 3rd-round pick
$6,435,187 – $8,580,250 1 1st-round pick, 1 2nd-round pick, 1 3rd-round pick
$8,580,251 – $10,725,314 2 1st-round picks, 1 2nd-round pick, 1 3rd-round pick
$10,725,315 or more 4 1st-round picks

NHL offer sheet history

Player Year Original Team Offer Offer Team Result Compensation
Jesperi Kotkaniemi 2021 Montreal Canadiens 1 year, $6.1 million Carolina Hurricanes Not Matched 1st and 3rd-round picks in 2022
Sebastian Aho 2019 Carolina Hurricanes 5 years, $42.27 million Montreal Canadiens Matched N/A
Ryan O’Reilly 2013 Colorado Avalanche 2 years, $10 million Calgary Flames Matched N/A
Shea Weber 2012 Nashville Predators 14 years, $110 million Philadelphia Flyers Matched N/A
Niklas Hjalmarsson 2010 Chicago Blackhawks 4 years, $14 million San Jose Sharks Matched N/A
Steve Bernier 2008 Vancouver Canucks 1 year, $2.5 million St. Louis Blues Matched N/A
David Backes 2008 St. Louis Blues 3 years, $7.5 million Vancouver Canucks Matched N/A
Dustin Penner 2007 Anaheim Ducks 5 years, $21.5 million Edmonton Oilers Not Matched 1st, 2nd and 3rd-round picks in 2008
Thomas Vanek 2007 Buffalo Sabres 7 years, $50 million Edmonton Oilers Matched N/A
Ryan Kesler 2006 Vancouver Canucks 1 year, $1.9 million Philadelphia Flyers Matched N/A
Sergei Federov 1998 Detroit Red Wings 6 years, $38 million Carolina Hurricanes Matched N/A
Mattias Ohlund 1997 Vancouver Canucks 5 years, $10 million Toronto Maple Leafs Matched N/A
Chris Gratton 1997 Tampa Bay Lightning 5 years, $16.5 million Philadelphia Flyers Not Matched 4 1st-round picks
Joe Sakic 1997 Colorado Avalanche 3 years, $21 million New York Rangers Matched N/A
Arturs Irbe 1996 San Jose Sharks 1 year, $400,000 Dallas Stars Not Matched None
Ron Tugnutt 1996 Washington Capitals >$400,000 Ottawa Senators Not Matched None
Keith Tkachuk 1995 Winnipeg Jets 5 years, $17.2 million Chicago Blackhawks Matched N/A
Stu Grimson 1995 Detroit Red Wings 5 years, $2.5 million New York Rangers Matched N/A
Shayne Corson 1995 Edmonton Oilers 5 years, $6.975 million St. Louis Blues Not Matched 1st-round picks in 1996, 1997
Steven Rice 1994 Edmonton Oilers 1 year, $1.7 million Hartford Whalers Not Matched Bryan Marchment
Mike Craig 1994 Dallas Stars 4 years, $2.4 million Toronto Maple Leafs Not Matched Peter Zezel, Grant Marshall
Scott Stevens 1994 New Jersey Devils 4 years, $17 million St. Louis Blues Matched N/A
Petr Nedved 1994 Vancouver Canucks 3 years, $12 million St. Louis Blues Not Allowed to Match Craig Jenney, 2nd-round picks
Marty McSorley 1993 Los Angeles Kings 5 years, $10 million St. Louis Blues Matched N/A
Kelly Miller 1993 Washington Capitals 2 years, $2.65 million San Jose Sharks Matched N/A
Craig Simpson 1993 Edmonton Oilers 3 years, $3.09 million San Jose Sharks Invalidated N/A
Teemu Selanne 1992 Winnipeg Jets $2.7 million Calgary Flames Matched N/A
Sergei Makarov 1992 Calgary Flames 4 years, $2 million San Jose Sharks Matched N/A
Dave Manson 1992 Edmonton Oilers 3 years, $3.4 million Washington Capitals Matched N/A
Kevin Stevens 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins 5 years, $5.375 million Boston Bruins Matched N/A
Adam Graves 1991 Edmonton Oilers 5 years, $2.44 million New York Rangers Not Allowed to Match Troy Mallette
Troy Crowder 1991 New Jersey Devils Undisclosed Detroit Red Wings Not Allowed to Match Dave Barr, Randy McKay
Michel Goulet 1991 Chicago Blackhawks 4 years, $2.9 million St. Louis Blues Matched N/A
Brendan Shanahan 1991 New Jersey Devils 3 years, $3.015 million St. Louis Blues Not Allowed to Match Scott Stevens
Dave Tomlinson 1991 St. Louis Blues 1 year, $200,000 Boston Bruins Not Matched Part of Featherstone compensation
Glen Featherstone 1991 St. Louis Blues 2 years, $500,000 Boston Bruins Not Matched Dave Christian, 3rd-round pick in 1992, conditional pick, Dave Tomlinson
Dave Christian 1991 Boston Bruins 3 years, $1.775 St. Louis Blues Dropped N/A
Scott Stevens 1990 Washington Capitals 4 years, $5.1 million St. Louis Blues Not Matched 5 1st-round picks
Larry Robinson 1989 Montreal Canadiens 3 years, $1.6 million Los Angeles Kings Not Matched None
Guy Lafleur 1989 New York Rangers Undisclosed Quebec Nordiques Not Matched 5th-round pick in 1990, $100,000
Geoff Courtnall 1988 Edmonton Oilers Undisclosed New York Rangers Matched N/A
Gary Nylund 1986 Toronto Maple Leafs 3 years, $620,000 Chicago Blackhawks Not Matched Ken Yaremchuk, Jerome Dupont, 4th-round pick in 1997

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