News: 2025 RFA offer sheet compensation thresholds revealed

[MrLunatik]

Less likely due to the cap increasing. Except DAL with Bourque I don t see any team having that kind of issue (of course it can change if some UFAs get overpaid before signing RFAs)

Puckpedia already has 9 teams with less than 10m in space.

 

[miscs75]

Less likely due to the cap increasing. Except DAL with Bourque I don t see any team having that kind of issue (of course it can change if some UFAs get overpaid before signing RFAs)

It would be a team even with the cap increasing that has quite a few players to resign. Similar to the Edmonton situation last year.

 

[TGWL]

It's hard to say, depends how much he's offered elsewhere. If a team offers Bouchard 9.36m x 5... would the Oilers match? They only have 9.41m in space currently and almost everyone making 2m or more has some form of trade protection, many having full NMCs... it really seems like a they're f***ed if they do and f***ed if they don't situation

I'd assume Bouchard is looking for that 7 year deal, so I'm not quite sure he takes the offered 9.3x5, especially since I can't see the Oilers offering that much less over 7/8

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Puckpedia already has 9 teams with less than 10m in space.

Yeah, but of those 9, how many both:

1. Don't have any LTIR contracts?

2. Have a desirable RFA worth an offer sheet/pick compensation?

 

[BLNY]

Tom Fitzgerald said in his exit interview that he expects offer sheets to be used. No idea if he was alluding to NJ trying to do one or just a comment on what he's thinking is happening in the league.

Same was mentioned at HuGo presser. Trade market being what it is, teams are simply going to have to start using the tools available to them to try and get players entering their primes.

 

[RationalExpectations]

Puckpedia already has 9 teams with less than 10m in space.

So 8 teams without DAL.

TBL no major RFA
WSH no major RFA + Milano on LTIR
STL Krug not coming back, so more than 10m cap
MTL Price on LTIR
VGK always finds a way and no major RFA (except if somebody wants to go all in for Hague)
COL No major RFA
EDM Bouchard as major RFA but they can go to 9.5 with no problem


NYR true they may be a bit short and have Cuylle Miller so that is two Teams out of 32 at this point.

 

[credulous]

Yeah, but of those 9, how many both:

1. Don't have any LTIR contracts?

2. Have a desirable RFA worth an offer sheet/pick compensation?

it's basically bourque and lundqvist on dallas, hofer on st louis, goncalves on tampa, cuylle, kaliyev, rempe and (k'andre) miller on new york, struble on montreal, malinski on the avs, bouchard on edmonton and hague on vegas

of those i'd expect only really bourque and hague are likely to be offer sheet targets. the rangers can make space pretty easily, edmonton will move mountains to retain bouchard and the other guys probably aren't worth the compensation

 

[HugeInTheShire]

I feel like Fitz probably won't do it, but I think Zetterlund is definitely a guy that you'd give consideration to signing if he wants to come back. Given the short tenure with Ottawa, they may not feel any real pull to match an offer sheet and just take the compensation unless they plans for him.

Fitz will probably have to free up some money first though.

I wonder if Ottawa will even qualify him, he may just end up a UFA

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Yzerman said in his that he doesn't really see much opportunity with teams having pressure on them. I kinda agree. The cap hike is good for teams tight against the cap.

Maybe Dallas? Which is why Bourque's name keeps circulating.

Definitely could see Bourque getting one, if he's interested in signing one.

 

[seabass45]

Just curious, would Islanders match 11.7M on Dobson? That's 2x1st, 2nd and 3rd

Have a blast. Might trade him before it got to that point though, particularly if he's aiming for that AAV.

 

[Coach Parker]

Who's the asshole to throw 5 x $9.35M at Knies?

Boston.

Don't think he signs it though.

 

[atlanticobserver]

Where are the hot spots? Bourque in Dallas has been mentioned frequently. Tampa's only notable (using this term loosely) RFA is Goncalves. Could $4.68 mil for Cuylle cause the Rangers a problem?

Given the state of the TB prospect pool, seems unfathomable that they let Goncalves walk. Especially with the Howard situation playing out like it has.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

it's basically bourque and lundqvist on dallas, hofer on st louis, goncalves on tampa, cuylle, kaliyev, rempe and (k'andre) miller on new york, struble on montreal, malinski on the avs, bouchard on edmonton and hague on vegas

of those i'd expect only really bourque and hague are likely to be offer sheet targets. the rangers can make space pretty easily, edmonton will move mountains to retain bouchard and the other guys probably aren't worth the compensation

Agreed. And Krug being LTIRetired pretty much eliminates STL. Price for Montreal, also.

 

[STL fan in MN]

The Blues don’t have their own 2026 2nd (unless they get it back from Pittsburgh AGAIN) but them posting this is downright hilarious.

 

[atlanticobserver]

FWIW

 

[Forge]

I wonder if Ottawa will even qualify him, he may just end up a UFA

Hadn't even considered that

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Hague would be an interesting one for Detroit, though I almost feel it'd be more beneficial for both Detroit and Vegas if they worked out something where Wallinder/Buium were traded.

As in, Vegas would rather get back a low cost NHL ready (Or close to it) replacement than a pick, and Detroit receiving Hague would kinda eliminate the need for Wallinder/Buium.

I dunno. That'd entirely depend on how highly Vegas regarded either prospect.

 

[dgibb10]

I feel like Fitz probably won't do it, but I think Zetterlund is definitely a guy that you'd give consideration to signing if he wants to come back. Given the short tenure with Ottawa, they may not feel any real pull to match an offer sheet and just take the compensation unless they plans for him.

Fitz will probably have to free up some money first though.

I'd throw more Holloway type offer sheets than Broberg type offer sheets tbh if I were to do it. In reality I'd always prefer to just make a trade instead of the hostile action but I digress

 

[Frank Drebin]

Is mason mctavish eligible? I don’t think anaheim is in any type of crunch but 9.2 x6 would be a little rude

 

[dgibb10]

I wonder if Ottawa will even qualify him, he may just end up a UFA

His QO is what like 1.5 mill? They'd be stupid to not QO

 

[dgibb10]

Hadn't even considered that

A QO of 1.5 mill makes that highly unlikely

 

[atlanticobserver]

Is mason mctavish eligible? I don’t think anaheim is in any type of crunch but 9.2 x6 would be a little rude

Yes, he is eligible. But not sure why Ducks wouldn't just sign him unless the ask is crazy. Also can't help but feel that they might be able to do better in a sign and trade.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Is mason mctavish eligible? I don’t think anaheim is in any type of crunch but 9.2 x6 would be a little rude

Anaheim easily matches, and still has the cap to put the screws to whoever the asshole GM was that tried it a few years down the line.

You can do that stuff when it's Edmonton and they wont have cap for another 10 years and all is forgotten. Not so much when it's a team like Anaheim that will have cap for the foreseeable future.

 

[miscs75]

Have a blast. Might trade him before it got to that point though, particularly if he's aiming for that AAV.

I hope someone does that and the Isles don’t match because they want to keep him under $9m AAV. That would be sweet to wind up with a teams 2026&2027 1sts, 2026 2nd and 2026 3rd to go with the 2 2026 1sts already in the inventory. That’s 3 1sts in a much deeper draft.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

His QO is what like 1.5 mill? They'd be stupid to not QO

Really? Didn't realize it was so low. They'll definitely qualify him then.