With free agency now set to open within a month, it’s time to look at the flowchart for another extremely compact offseason. Below are some notable dates and deadlines to watch for as all but the Oilers and Panthers begin their offseason preparations in earnest.
June 3 – June 8
NHL Scouting Combine
June 8
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
June 24
The last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final.
48 hours after Stanley Cup Final ends
The first buyout window (and the only buyout window for teams without any arbitration filings) opens. Teams can spread out two-thirds of their remaining base salary over twice the remaining length of their deal for players 26 and older and one-third for players 25 and younger. The players must first be placed on unconditional waivers before being bought out unless they have a no-move clause.
This also marks the deadline for the first club-elected salary arbitration window. If a team elects for arbitration with an eligible pending restricted free agent in this window, it serves as a qualifying offer.
June 27
2024 NHL Awards
June 28
Round 1 of the 2024 NHL Draft
June 29
Rounds 2-7 of the 2024 NHL Draft
June 30, 4 p.m. CT
Deadline for teams to tender qualifying offers to their pending RFAs. Those who don’t receive QOs will become unrestricted free agents the following day.
This is also the end of the first buyout window afforded to teams. Clubs dealing with arbitration filings will have a second buyout window lasting 48 hours beginning three days after the later of the settlement of the team’s final arbitration case or the receipt of the team’s last arbitration award. In this window, a buyout can only be performed on a player who was on the team’s reserve list at 2 p.m. CT on March 8 (trade deadline day) and has a cap hit of at least $4MM in the 2024 offseason.
July 1, 11 a.m. CT
The new league year begins, and players on expiring contracts officially become restricted/unrestricted free agents.
July 5, 4 p.m. CT
Deadline for eligible RFAs to file for salary arbitration.
July 5, 4:01 p.m. CT – July 6, 4 p.m. CT
The second window for clubs to file for salary arbitration with eligible RFAs.
July 15, 4 p.m. CT
Qualifying offers expire unless extended in writing by the team. Even if unsigned, teams retain qualified players’ signing rights.
July 20 – August 4
Salary arbitration hearings are held.
August 15, 4 p.m. CT
Exclusive signing rights for unsigned graduated college-drafted players expire.