The first of two NHL contract buyout windows will open on June 20, 2025. A quick refresher:
- If the player is age 26 or older, a buyout is for two-thirds of the remaining salary owed on the contract. The team absorbs dead space on their salary cap spread across twice the remaining length of the contract. For example, if the play has two seasons remaining on his contract, the buyout is reflected on the cap for the next four seasons. If there’s one year left on the contract, it’s two seasons until the contract is off the books.
- For players younger than age 26, a buyout is for one-third of the remaining salary on the contract.
For a full rundown of the rules and calculations, see the PuckPedia overview. In lieu of buyouts, teams prefer to trade the player if possible. This often means accepting a minimal return, adding “sweeteners” (Draft picks and/or prospect) and/or retaining a portion of the player’s cap hit.
Per NHL rules, the first buyout window this year opens at 5 p.m. EDT two days after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final. The buyout window ends on June 30, one day before free agency begins. Buyouts are the first aspect of the yearly offseason calendar.
The second buyout window occurs when a player files for salary arbitration and the case either settles or the arbitrator makes a ruling (in favor the player, of course). This window opens 72 hours later and lasts for the next 48 hours. Note: this only applies to players with a cap hit of $4 million or more.
