When NHL free agency opens at noon ET July 13, much of the focus of fans and pundits will be on where the top unrestricted free agents will end up. There are, however, a number of restricted free agents whose contract negotiations could dominate offseason headlines once the unrestricted free-agency signing frenzy has subsided.
Unlike with UFAs, the rights of RFAs remain with their clubs when their contracts expire. It could take weeks or months for some players to reach agreements on new deals. It's not unusual for talks to extend into the training camp period in September.