The word that typically defines free agency in the NHL is "uncertainty." Players with expiring contracts enter a marketplace unsure of what their next deals will look like or where they'll next call home.
But in the 2020 free-agent frenzy, that uncertainty has reached previously unseen levels for players and teams. There's a flat salary cap of $81.5 million for at least the next two seasons. There are internal budget constraints for teams that haven't had a home game attended by fans since March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. No one knows what revenues will look like next season.