Posted at 5:00 am
With or without compensation?
What is the difference between restricted and unrestricted free agents?
Alice Methot
Response from Simon-Oliver Lorenz:
Generally speaking, a free agent refers to a player who is not under contract with a team, otherwise a player who was never drafted and is not yet under contract. Until a player turns 27 or the end of his first seven full seasons in the NHL, his team retains his rights if his contract expires. He’s a free agent with compensation, meaning any team can make an offer to him — known as enmity — but his home team has the exclusive right to match the offer. Take Jesperi Kotkaniemi for example in the summer of 2021. The Carolina Hurricanes offered him 6.1 million. After consideration, the Habs decided not to match the offer and Kotkaniemi became a member of the Hurricanes. His new team, however, had to pay compensation — a first-round pick here and another third-round pick. Compensation is fixed as per the contract value. At age 27, a player becomes a free agent without compensation after seven full seasons or if his team does not offer him a new contract. Hence he can agree with the team of his choice.
Home field advantage
Photo by Eric Canha, USA TODAY Sports
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