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

Bryan Murphy

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

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. 

AAVCompensation
$1 - $1,511,701None
$1,5111,701 - $2,290,4571 3rd-round pick
$2,290,457 - $4,580,9171 2nd-round pick
$4,580,917 - $6,871,3741 1st-round pick, 1 3rd-round pick
$6,871,374 - $9,161,8341 1st-round pick, 1 2nd-round pick, 1 3rd-round pick
$9,161,834 - $11,452,2942 1st-round picks, 1 2nd-round pick, 1 3rd-round pick
$11,452,294 or more4 1st-round picks

NHL offer sheet history

PlayerYearOriginal TeamOfferOffer TeamResultCompensation
Philip Broberg2024Edmonton Oilers2 years, $4.5 millionSt. Louis Blues Not Matched2nd-round pick in 2025
Dylan Holloway2024Edmonton Oilers2 years, $2.2 millionSt. Louis BluesNot Matched3rd-round pick in 2025
Jesperi Kotkaniemi2021Montreal Canadiens1 year, $6.1 millionCarolina HurricanesNot Matched1st and 3rd-round picks in 2022
Sebastian Aho2019Carolina Hurricanes5 years, $42.27 millionMontreal CanadiensMatchedN/A
Ryan O'Reilly2013Colorado Avalanche2 years, $10 millionCalgary FlamesMatchedN/A
Shea Weber2012Nashville Predators14 years, $110 millionPhiladelphia FlyersMatchedN/A
Niklas Hjalmarsson2010Chicago Blackhawks4 years, $14 millionSan Jose SharksMatchedN/A
Steve Bernier2008Vancouver Canucks1 year, $2.5 millionSt. Louis BluesMatchedN/A
David Backes2008St. Louis Blues3 years, $7.5 millionVancouver CanucksMatchedN/A
Dustin Penner2007Anaheim Ducks5 years, $21.5 millionEdmonton OilersNot Matched1st, 2nd and 3rd-round picks in 2008
Thomas Vanek2007Buffalo Sabres7 years, $50 millionEdmonton OilersMatchedN/A
Ryan Kesler2006Vancouver Canucks1 year, $1.9 millionPhiladelphia FlyersMatchedN/A
Sergei Federov1998Detroit Red Wings6 years, $38 millionCarolina HurricanesMatchedN/A
Mattias Ohlund1997Vancouver Canucks5 years, $10 millionToronto Maple LeafsMatchedN/A
Chris Gratton1997Tampa Bay Lightning5 years, $16.5 millionPhiladelphia FlyersNot Matched4 1st-round picks
Joe Sakic1997Colorado Avalanche3 years, $21 millionNew York RangersMatchedN/A
Arturs Irbe1996San Jose Sharks1 year, $400,000Dallas StarsNot MatchedNone
Ron Tugnutt1996Washington Capitals>$400,000Ottawa SenatorsNot MatchedNone
Keith Tkachuk1995Winnipeg Jets5 years, $17.2 millionChicago BlackhawksMatchedN/A
Stu Grimson1995Detroit Red Wings5 years, $2.5 millionNew York RangersMatchedN/A
Shayne Corson1995Edmonton Oilers5 years, $6.975 millionSt. Louis BluesNot Matched1st-round picks in 1996, 1997
Steven Rice1994Edmonton Oilers1 year, $1.7 millionHartford WhalersNot MatchedBryan Marchment
Mike Craig1994Dallas Stars4 years, $2.4 millionToronto Maple LeafsNot MatchedPeter Zezel, Grant Marshall
Scott Stevens1994New Jersey Devils4 years, $17 millionSt. Louis BluesMatchedN/A
Petr Nedved1994Vancouver Canucks3 years, $12 millionSt. Louis BluesNot Allowed to MatchCraig Jenney, 2nd-round picks
Marty McSorley1993Los Angeles Kings5 years, $10 millionSt. Louis BluesMatchedN/A
Kelly Miller1993Washington Capitals2 years, $2.65 millionSan Jose SharksMatchedN/A
Craig Simpson1993Edmonton Oilers3 years, $3.09 millionSan Jose SharksInvalidatedN/A
Teemu Selanne1992Winnipeg Jets$2.7 millionCalgary FlamesMatchedN/A
Sergei Makarov1992Calgary Flames4 years, $2 millionSan Jose SharksMatchedN/A
Dave Manson1992Edmonton Oilers3 years, $3.4 millionWashington CapitalsMatchedN/A
Kevin Stevens1991Pittsburgh Penguins5 years, $5.375 millionBoston BruinsMatchedN/A
Adam Graves1991Edmonton Oilers5 years, $2.44 millionNew York RangersNot Allowed to MatchTroy Mallette
Troy Crowder1991New Jersey DevilsUndisclosedDetroit Red WingsNot Allowed to MatchDave Barr, Randy McKay
Michel Goulet1991Chicago Blackhawks4 years, $2.9 millionSt. Louis BluesMatchedN/A
Brendan Shanahan1991New Jersey Devils3 years, $3.015 millionSt. Louis BluesNot Allowed to MatchScott Stevens
Dave Tomlinson1991St. Louis Blues1 year, $200,000Boston BruinsNot MatchedPart of Featherstone compensation
Glen Featherstone1991St. Louis Blues2 years, $500,000Boston BruinsNot MatchedDave Christian, 3rd-round pick in 1992, conditional pick, Dave Tomlinson
Dave Christian1991Boston Bruins3 years, $1.775St. Louis BluesDroppedN/A
Scott Stevens1990Washington Capitals4 years, $5.1 millionSt. Louis BluesNot Matched5 1st-round picks
Larry Robinson1989Montreal Canadiens3 years, $1.6 millionLos Angeles KingsNot MatchedNone
Guy Lafleur1989New York RangersUndisclosedQuebec NordiquesNot Matched5th-round pick in 1990, $100,000
Geoff Courtnall1988Edmonton OilersUndisclosedNew York RangersMatchedN/A
Gary Nylund1986Toronto Maple Leafs3 years, $620,000Chicago BlackhawksNot MatchedKen Yaremchuk, Jerome Dupont, 4th-round pick in 1997

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.