NHL free agency opens on July 1 at noon ET. In 2026 it opened on Wednesday, July 1. The NHL had listed no 2027 free agency date by November 7, 2026.
The labor agreement sets the day and the hour for every year. July 1, 2027 falls on a Thursday. The tool below turns noon in New York into your own clock.
When does NHL free agency start?
The signing period begins at 12:00 p.m. New York time on July 1. NHL Exhibit 15 of the labor agreement lists that hour.
Qualifying offers also open for acceptance at that moment. July 1 is the first day of the new league year.
The 2026 opening
NHL.com reported that free agency began at noon ET on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. NHL Network planned a show for 11 a.m. ET, an hour earlier.
The old contract limits still applied that day. Any club could offer an unrestricted free agent 7 years at most.
The 2027 date
The NHL had listed no 2027 free agency date on November 7, 2026. The labor agreement writes one rule for every year. Free agency opens on July 1 at noon New York time.
The Entry Draft sets two floating days: the restricted free agent contact window and the qualifying offer deadline. The NHL lists the 2027 Draft for June 25 and 26, 2027.
Those dates put the qualifying offer deadline on Monday, June 28. The restricted free agent contact window opens on Tuesday, June 29.
The time in other time zones
This table converts noon on July 1 in New York to local clocks.
| City | Local time on July 1 |
|---|---|
| Vancouver and Los Angeles | 9 a.m. |
| Edmonton and Denver | 10 a.m. |
| Chicago and Dallas | 11 a.m. |
| Toronto and New York | Noon |
| London | 5 p.m. |
| Berlin | 6 p.m. |
| Karachi | 9 p.m. |
| Sydney | 2 a.m. on July 2 |
Los Angeles is 3 hours behind New York. Noon minus 3 hours is 9 a.m.
Free agency in your time zone
Pick a year and a place. See the local time for free agency and the dates around it.
What can teams do before July 1?
Other clubs cannot sign these players before the bell. A player’s own club can still sign him again until his contract ends. For the pay scale a new deal starts from, see how much NHL players make.
No interview window
The 2013 agreement let teams meet unrestricted free agents in the days before July 1. The July 2020 agreement eliminated that interview period.
The 2013 text on NHL.com still prints the old window. The 2025 agreement’s list of changes does not bring it back.
The restricted free agent contact window
A restricted free agent may talk with clubs, including his own. The window opens on the later of June 26 or the Tuesday after the Entry Draft.
He cannot sign a new contract or an offer sheet until the signing period opens.
The buyout window
The first buyout window opens on June 15 or 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final ends, whichever is later. It closes at 5:00 p.m. New York time on June 30.
Who is a UFA and who is an RFA?
A player whose contract has ended is an unrestricted free agent by the usual test. He is 27 or older on June 30, or he has 7 accrued seasons.
A restricted free agent is under both marks. This table sets the two side by side.
| Unrestricted (UFA) | Restricted (RFA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age and seasons | 27 or older, or 7 accrued seasons | Under 27 and under 7 accrued seasons |
| Who can sign him | Any club | Any club, but his old club can match |
| Old club’s job | None | Make a qualifying offer by the deadline |
| Section | 10.1(a)(i) | 10.2(a)(i) |
Accrued seasons
An accrued season takes 40 games on a club’s active roster. A goalie needs 30 games.
The restricted free agent chart
A Group 2 restricted free agent also needs pro experience. The chart sets the years by his age at his first contract:
- Ages 18 to 21: 3 years
- Ages 22 and 23: 2 years
- Age 24 or older: 1 year
Qualifying offers
A club keeps an RFA’s rights with a qualifying offer. The deadline is 5:00 p.m. New York time on the later of June 25 or the first Monday after the Entry Draft.
In 2026 that day was June 29. Section 10.2(a)(iv) covers a club that makes no qualifying offer. If it also skips salary arbitration, the player becomes a UFA at once.
An offer stays open until 5:00 p.m. New York time on July 15, unless it is extended in writing (Section 10.2(a)(v)).
Offer sheets
Offer sheets begin at noon on July 1. Any club with the needed draft picks may sign one. Section 10.3 sets these steps:
- The old club has 7 days to match.
- Once signed, the offer sheet cannot be withdrawn.
- The old club cannot trade a matched player for one year.
- An old club that does not match may receive draft picks.
The picks depend on the deal’s average yearly value. The lowest value level brings none. Section 10.4 divides salary and bonuses by the number of years, up to five.
What changes for the 2027 market?
The 2025 agreement took effect on September 16, 2026. July 2026 ran on the old contract limits. July 2027 is the first market under the new ones.
This table sets the two markets side by side.
| Rule | July 2026 market | July 2027 market |
|---|---|---|
| Own club, before he is a UFA, or for an RFA | 8 years | 7 years |
| Any club, once he is a UFA | 7 years | 6 years |
| Year to year pay swing on front loaded deals | Up to 25 percent | Up to 20 percent |
| Lowest year of a front loaded deal | At least 60 percent of the top year | At least 71 percent of the top year |
| Minimum salary | $850,000 in 2026 to 27 | $900,000 in 2027 to 28 |
| Payroll upper limit | $104.0 million for 2026 to 27 | $113.5 million for 2027 to 28, projected |
Contract length
Since September 16, 2026, an NHL contract can run 6 years at most (Section 50.8(b)(iv)). Clubs may offer 7 years to a player held since the Trade Deadline.
That 7 year option ends when the player becomes an unrestricted free agent. After that, every club is limited to 6 years.
A restricted free agent’s own club can still offer 7 years. Our guide to the NHL trade deadline covers the deadline date.
Salary and bonus rules
A front loaded deal must keep its years close together. One year can differ from the next by 20 percent of year one. No year can fall below 71 percent of the top year (Section 50.7(a)).
Signing, roster and reporting bonuses together are capped at 60 percent of a contract’s pay. Contracts signed after September 16, 2026 cannot include deferred pay.
Qualifying offer amounts
The qualifying offer lines change too. The offer depends on the player’s last salary (Section 10.2(a)(ii)):
- Up to $1,250,000: 110 percent of that salary
- Above $1,250,000: 105 percent, but never above $1,750,000
- $1,750,000 or more: 100 percent
Minimum salary and payroll range
The league minimum is $850,000 in 2026 to 27. It rises to $900,000 in 2027 to 28.
The NHLPA lists the 2025 agreement. The league and the players’ union also posted a projected 2027 to 28 payroll range. It runs from $83.9 million to $113.5 million and can move with small adjustments.
The same agreement set an 84 game season. Our guide to games in an NHL season shows how the schedule works.
What happens after the bell?
Signings and offer sheets start at the bell. Qualifying offers expire on July 15 unless extended. Group 2 restricted free agents have until December 1 to sign.
Our guide to the NHL season end date shows when the season finishes.
Open market questions
What time does free agency start in the NHL?
Free agency starts at noon ET on July 1, which is 9 a.m. Pacific. The labor agreement sets noon New York time.
When did free agency start in 2026?
Noon ET on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, according to NHL.com.
Can teams talk to players before July 1?
Not to unrestricted free agents. The 2020 agreement removed that window. Restricted free agents may talk with clubs once their contact window opens in late June.
How long can an NHL contract be now?
Since September 16, 2026, the limit is 6 years. A club can offer 7 years to its own player until he is a UFA.
What is the difference between a UFA and an RFA?
A UFA can sign with any club for any offer. An RFA can sign an offer sheet, and his old club can match it.
When is the qualifying offer deadline?
The deadline is the later of June 25 or the first Monday after the Entry Draft. It was June 29 in 2026.
How many games make an accrued season?
An accrued season takes 40 games, or 30 for a goalie.
Take your shot
An unrestricted free agent reaches the open market in July 2027. What is the longest deal any club can offer him?
Pick one to take your shot.
Checked against NHL CBA Exhibit 15
NHL collective bargaining agreement page
NHLPA collective bargaining agreement page
Checked November 2026
