Montour Files For Arbitration

Photo: Associated Press

By Michael Walters

Today the NHL announced the list of players who elected for salary arbitration. There are 44 players total and Anaheim’s Brandon Montour is one of them.

Under the current CBA, only restricted free agents(RFAs) are allowed to utilize the salary arbitration process. The NHL uses the salary arbitration process as a method of resolving salary disputes between a team and player. A player may elect for arbitration if they are not satisfied with the qualifying offer received from their team and feel their market value is higher than what their offer states.

Procedure

Once a player files for arbitration, then a hearing is scheduled. Before the meeting happens both sides are required to submit a brief to the arbitrator, the side who had arbitration filed against them gets to decide if the arbitration contract length will be for a one or two-year deal. The briefs also include each sides’ desired salary number.

Both sides get to explain how they value the player by presenting their evidence which includes stats, the role with the team, the player’s time in the NHL. Agents often use comparable contracts signed by other RFA’s. Each side gets 90 minutes to make their case and then each side also gets a 10-minute rebuttal.

After the hearing, the arbitrator is will decide the amount the player will earn for the season. Within 48 hours of the hearing, the arbitrator will give each side the decision, which includes the yearly salary, any minor league options if necessary, and the length of the contract.

The hearings dates are usually scheduled for the last two weeks of July and run through the first couple days of August. Both sides can avoid the hearing date if they can come to an agreement on what the contract beforehand. Filing for arbitration doesn’t prevent both sides from communicating before the hearing.

Update 7/12:

Montour’s hearing date has been scheduled for July 24th.

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July 5th, 2018