As the initial flurry of NHL free agency subsides, attention shifts to players and teams still working to finalize contract terms.
The Buffalo Sabres have elected salary arbitration for defenseman Bowen Byram. Similarly, the Utah Mammoth have chosen arbitration for forward Jack McBain.
Teams had until Sunday at 5 p.m. ET to file for arbitration on eligible players. Earlier, on Saturday, 11 players had initiated the arbitration process themselves.
When a team initiates arbitration, the player is given the right to select the term of the resulting award and cannot sign an offer sheet with another club.
Arbitration hearings are scheduled to take place from July 20 through Aug. 4. Teams and players retain the ability to continue negotiating and reach a settlement at any point before a formal hearing concludes. Salary arbitration is a system used by only two major North American sports leagues: the NHL and MLB.
Bowen Byram, 24, was originally selected fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 NHL Draft. The defenseman has recorded 110 points (33 goals, 77 assists) over 246 career games. Buffalo acquired him in March 2024 in a trade package that sent forward Casey Mittelstadt to Colorado.
Jack McBain, 25, was a third-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in the 2018 draft. He was later traded to Arizona in March 2022 in exchange for a second-round pick. The forward has accumulated 82 points (35 goals, 47 assists) across 241 career games.
Below is the complete list of the 13 players who are scheduled for salary arbitration:
Players who filed for arbitration:
Morgan Barron (Winnipeg Jets)
Lukas Dostal (Anaheim Ducks)
Drew Helleson (Anaheim Ducks)
Kaapo Kakko (Seattle Kraken)
Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg Jets)
Arvid Soderblom (Chicago Blackhawks)
Jayden Struble (Montreal Canadiens)
Conor Timmins (Buffalo Sabres)
Maksim Tsyplakov (New York Islanders)
Gabriel Vilardi (Winnipeg Jets)
Players whose teams filed for arbitration:
Jack McBain (Utah Mammoth)
Bowen Byram (Buffalo Sabres)
