CONTRACT + PLAYER TERMINOLOGY

A player that is a restricted free agent (RFA) has reached the end of their initial entry-level contract but is not yet an unrestricted free agent. Their rights are still held by the NHL team.

A player is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) if older than 25 (or after 7 years, whichever comes first) and his contract ends. UFAs can sign with any team.

All new players, under the age of 25, are required to sign an entry-level contract. Entry-level contracts are three years if the player is age 18-21, two years if age 22-24 and one year if age 24.

If a player signs an AHL contract, then he is not eligible to play in the NHL.

If a player is currently on a two-way contract, then his pay is dependent on if he is assigned to the NHL or the AHL. All entry-level contracts are two-way contracts.

If a player is currently on a one-way contract, then he is paid the same amount of money regardless of whether he plays in the NHL or AHL.

JULY 7-8, 2022: NHL DRAFT

The NHL Entry Draft is Thursday, July 7 (first round) and Friday, July 8 (second through seventh rounds) at the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec.

The Buffalo Sabres currently hold the 9th overall, 16th overall (via the Vegas Golden Knights), and the 28th overall (via the Florida Panthers) picks in the first round.

 

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JULY 12, 2022: QUALIFYING OFFERS

NHL teams must send a Qualifying Offer by the Monday following the NHL Draft (July 12, 2022) in order to retain the rights to any Restricted Free Agent. A Qualifying Offer is a raise BASD ON THIS AND THIS. The Qualifiying Offer is considered "on the table" for two weeks, and if a player signs his Qualifying Offer, he is under contract with the Sabres for one more season.

Teams are not required to send Qualifying Offers to RFAs. RFAs that do not receive a Qualifying Offer become UFAs on July 13, the opening of NHL Free Agency.

Other NHL teams can send an RFA an offer sheet. An offer sheet is for a contract with a certain term (years) and dollar amount. The team that holds the RFA's rights has seven days to match the offer sheet. If the team matches, then the player remains with his team under the terms of the offer sheet. If the team does not match, the player goes to the team that signed him to the offer sheet and his former team receives compensation in terms of draft picks based on the financial terms of the offer sheet.

The four Sabres' Restricted Free Agents that ended the season with the Amerks are Brandon Biro, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Brett Murray, and Arttu Ruotsalainen.

JULY 13, 2022: NHL FREE AGENCY BEGINS

The Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans can sign any unrestricted free agents starting on July 13.