Why NHL No-Trade Clauses Are Under Scrutiny as Players Seek Exits
Summary: Readers will learn how NHL no-trade and no-movement clauses work, why commissioner Gary Bettman says they have drifted from their original purpose, and what recent trade requests from Dylan Larkin, Brady Tkachuk, and Connor Hellebuyck mean for the league.
When an NHL player asks for a trade, the team normally controls whether a deal happens. But a contract with a no-movement clause changes that. The player can veto a move to any team. That combination has created a growing conflict across the league.
According to Sportsnet, trade requests were the defining storyline of the recent NHL offseason. Dylan Larkin went public with his desire to leave the Detroit Red Wings with four years still on his contract. Brady Tkachuk, then the Ottawa Senators' captain, was traded to the Florida Panthers after requesting a move following Ottawa's first-round playoff exit. Connor Hellebuyck has five years remaining on an eight-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets and has made it clear he wants out.
In all three cases, Sportsnet reported, the players had full no-movement clauses. That gave them the power to block any trade. Instead of using that protection to stay where they signed, they effectively used it to direct where they would go. Bettman does not like what he sees. "I don't think that's a good thing," he said, as reported by Sportsnet. The Athletic also quoted Bettman saying trade protection has gone past its "original intention."
What the Clauses Were Meant to Do
No-trade clauses were written into the collective bargaining agreement to give players security, according to Daily Faceoff's reporting on Bettman's comments. A player signing a long-term deal could trust that the team would not surprise him with a trade. The clause was meant as a shield.
The current use is different. Players are invoking their no-movement clauses to force their current teams into action. Bettman said that protection was not designed for a player demanding out. It was designed for a player who wanted to stay.
The NHL has an unprecedented number of players with trade protections compared with other major North American sports, according to Sportsnet. That makes the dynamic more visible and harder to ignore.
What Happens Next
Bettman said one difficult offseason does not necessarily mean the league has a problem. But he also said that if players keep forcing trades this way, the league will have to look into the situation, according to Daily Faceoff.
That leaves the clauses in place for now. The power they give players remains intact. Whether the league acts will depend on whether the pattern continues.