The NHL offseason is officially in full swing now that the expansion draft and entry draft have passed us by with very little fanfare.
Every important NHL offseason 2017 date until free agency on July 1
Don’t get caught unaware as the NHL’s offseason rolls on.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
This year, there have been a lot more moving parts thanks to the inclusion of the Vegas Golden Knights as the NHL’s 31st team. The expansion is the NHL’s first since 2000, but now that the meat of the offseason has come and gone, what’s next for the NHL?
Glad you asked! Thanks to the team at CapFriendly, we have a schedule in this busy time. For your convenience, here’s every important date you need to know leading up to the expansion draft and free agency on July 1.
NHL dates of interest through July 1
Date (All 2017, EST) | Deadline/Event |
|---|---|
| June 12 | Deadline for formal requests of players to waive NTCs or NMCs for the purpose of protection lists |
| June 15 | Deadline for first club-elected salary arbitration |
| June 15 | NHL first player buyout period opens |
| June 17, 5 p.m. | Expansion draft protection list submission |
| June 18, 10 a.m. | Expansion draft protection lists released to the public |
| June 18-21 | Vegas can negotiate and sign UFAs and unprotected RFAs |
| June 21, 10 a.m. | Vegas submits player selections |
| June 21 | Vegas team released to the public during NHL Awards ceremony |
| June 23-24 | NHL Entry Level Draft |
| June 25-30 | UFAs may speak to other teams, but not sign new contracts until July 1 |
| June 25, 5 p.m. | Deadline for qualifying offers |
| June 26 | RFAs may speak to other teams, but not sign new contracts or offer sheets until July 1 |
| June 30, 5 p.m. | First buyout period ends |
| June 30 | Setting of upper and lower limits |
| July 1, 12 p.m. | NHL Free Agency |
Now, after the expansion draft and the entry draft, the normal offseason pattern has set in with July 1 being the start of free agency. It’s a lot to take in, and things have already been set in motion. While we know what Vegas’ roster will mostly look like, there’s still rumblings that the Golden Knights will deal or add a few more players before or after July 1.
So, don’t get caught unaware. Memorize this schedule for the next few weeks. Or, just check back when needed to see what the NHL has in store for us all.
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