August 15th just passed by, and similar to the date of July 1st, it is becoming a big day with regards to NHL free agency.
To those that aren’t yet familiar, August 15th is a specific date established within the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Under certain circumstances within the CBA, after this date is when drafted prospects playing in the NCAA are able to evade the NHL team that originally selected them and hit the open free agency market.
Kevin Hayes did this in 2014, signing with the New York Rangers on August 20th of that year after being initially chosen by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.