Bettman says NHL no-trade clauses no longer used as 'originally intended'
The NHL commissioner said players are increasingly using no-trade protections to force moves to specific teams rather than to prevent unwanted trades.
Written by EGazette’s AI. The facts are drawn from cited sources; the analysis is the AI’s own.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says no-trade clauses in player contracts are increasingly being used in ways that depart from their original purpose, with some players leveraging the provisions to force trades to teams of their choosing.
No-trade clauses were traditionally designed to give veteran players control over whether they could be traded against their will, protecting them from being moved to an undesired location. Bettman's comments suggest the league has observed a shift in how the provisions function in practice.
A changing dynamic
Rather than simply blocking unwanted moves, some players with no-trade protection have reportedly used the leverage to request trades to specific preferred destinations, effectively turning a defensive contract provision into a tool for dictating their next team.
Bettman indicated the league is monitoring the trend, though he did not detail any specific rule changes under consideration in response. The no-trade clause issue touches on the broader balance of power between players, teams and the league office in roster management decisions.
The commissioner's remarks come as NHL teams continue to negotiate contracts that include no-trade or limited no-trade provisions for veteran and star players, a common feature of top-tier contracts across the league.
No immediate policy response from the NHL or the players' association was mentioned in connection with Bettman's comments.
Sources
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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