Rocco Grimaldi of the Nashville Predators (one year, $1 million) was one of three players to be awarded a contract Tuesday after having his hearing Sunday. Carolina Hurricanes goalie Anton Forsberg (one year, $775,000) and St. Louis Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson (one year, $3.1 million) also were awarded a contract Tuesday.
Buffalo Sabres forward Evan Rodrigues had his hearing July 23 and was awarded a one-year, $2 million contract.
On July 24, Washington Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos was awarded a one-year, $1.25 million contract following a hearing two days earlier. Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp was awarded a two-year, $4.56 million contract (average annual value of $2.28 million) July 23 after becoming the first player to have a hearing this offseason on July 21.
Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, Calgary Flames forward Sam Bennett and goalie David Rittich, New York Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich and defenseman Jacob Trouba, and Predators forward Colton Sissons are among the players who agreed to a contract after filing but before their scheduled hearing date. Hurricanes forward Brock McGinn agreed to a contract July 20, the same day he was scheduled for a hearing, and Florida Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, who had a hearing scheduled for July 22, agreed to terms on a one-year contract the Panthers announced July 25 without releasing financial terms.
Last offseason, 44 restricted free agents filed for arbitration. Trouba, then with the Jets; Ottawa Senators defenseman
Cody Ceci
, now with the Toronto Maple Leafs; and Flames defenseman Brett Kulak, now with the Montreal Canadiens, were the only players to have their salary determined by an arbitrator. Anaheim Ducks defenseman Brandon Montour, now with the Sabres, had a hearing but signed before the arbitrator's ruling. The other 40 each came to an agreement before his scheduled hearing.