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Should Players Like Schenn and Mangiapane Be Paid to Waive No-Trade Clauses?

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Mar 10, 2026 3:20 PM ET

Four days after his trade from the St. Louis Blues to the New York Islanders, center Brayden Schenn was with his new team, discussing what led him to waive his no-trade clause when asked for the second time. Saying he knew it was time to leave because it became clear the Blues weren’t looking to make him part of their future plans, the trade raises a recurring question in the NHL: when a player waives a no-trade clause (NTC), should they be given something by the team in exchange?

Jeff Marek argued, “Again, asking a player to waive is like saying ‘give me something in exchange for nothing’. More than ever the league + PA should have a conversation about paying players for agreeing to waive no trade/move clauses.”

The responses to his question were intriguing. Mark Spector of Sportsnet argued a counterpoint, asking, “Agreed Jeff. But what about when a guy with an NTC asks for a trade? Does team get a service fee from the player?”

Many fans suggested the power sat with the player, so there really wasn’t a need to compensate them. Still, it’s an interesting debate given how many players waived their no-trades to facilitate deals this season.

In St. Louis, for example, every facet of the no-trade dynamic was covered. Schenn waived, while defenseman Colton Parayko refused when asked. Robert Thomas confirmed he wasn’t asked, but it sounds like things got close and the Blues might have if the Sabres had met the trade ask.

Schenn said, “Well, when (the Blues) ask you two times two years in a row, that’s when it makes sense,” he said. “At some point, the organization doesn’t see you as part of the picture, and other teams want you. It’s good to be wanted. They’re going in a different direction, and that’s the reality of it.”

Marek appears to be arguing that Schenn should have been compensated for agreeing, essentially being painted into a corner because it was clear that staying in St. Louis might be emotionally problematic. Marek added that teams shouldn’t be compensated because they are under no obligation to make a trade, even if a player requests it. “Players aren’t the ones making the trades,” he tweeted, highlighting that the leverage lies mostly with the team, not the player.

Does This All Need to Change?

It’s an interesting question: Should the NHL Players’ Association consider compensating players for waiving NTCs? The players fought for the right to negotiate them into their contracts, and some actually attach a dollar value to them, taking less in contract talks to have that security.

So, when a team applies pressure to waive, not only are some players feeling unwanted, but they’ve now lost money because they took a haircut to get that protection worked in. Marek is right that players can say no, but in the case of someone like Andrew Mangiapane, it was clear he wasn’t going to get an opportunity in Edmonton. How comfortable is that environment to stay in?

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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