For the third time in the past two summers, an NHL team and a player convened in Toronto for an arbitration hearing, at odds over the parameters of their next contract together, only to settle during the 48-hour window before the binding ruling came down. It happened last August with P.K. Subban and the Montreal Canadiens, less than a week ago with Craig Smith and the Nashville Predators and finally Friday afternoon, when the Washington Capitals found common ground with their starting goaltender, Braden Holtby.
“I think the arbitration process forced both parties to look at how they’re viewing it, the evaluation part, differently,” General Manager Brian MacLellan said.