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Heading into an offseason where offer sheets might be prevalent, there are new guidelines for teams seeking to go after restricted free agents.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the NHL will have new compensation thresholds for offer sheets moving forward.
Offer sheet comp levels for 2025:
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) May 13, 2025
<$1.54M no comp
$1.54M – 2.34M: 3rd
$2.34M – 4.68M: 2nd
4.68M – 7.02M: 1st, 3rd
7.02M – 9.36M: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
9.36M – 11.7M: 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd
11.7M+: 1st x 4@FriedgeHNIC had these 1st
Check out requirements:https://t.co/Cac7a5LRpE
With the salary cap projected to rise to over $92 million next season, and even more in the next couple of years, the compensation tiers will also feature elevated AAV numbers. For example, if a player’s offer sheet was less than $1.51 million, a team would not receive draft picks. Now, the “base” offer sheet would have to be over $1,554,424 in order for a team to be compensated with a third-round pick starting in 2026.
The highest tier saw a sizeable pay bump. If a player was offered over $11.45 million, a team would receive four first-round picks. Now, AAV has risen to $11.7 million, though it isn’t likely any RFA will receive that level of interest anytime soon.
The draft pick compensation tiers remain the same, ranging everywhere from a second-round pick to two firsts, a second, and a third. Interested teams will just have to pony up a few more bucks to reach those totals.
There are a number of players who are currently set to become RFAs on July 1. Including Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher has become a spark plug for the team’s offense and could be a hot commodity if the Maple Leafs don’t sign him to an extension prior to the opening of free agency.
Knies’ teammate Nick Robertson, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi and New York Rangers forward Will Cuylle are among names that might be available this summer.
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