The Stanley Cup Final has started, which means the hockey season is almost completed for the 2016-17 year. As soon as the Cup Final is over there will be a flurry of activity as teams prepare for the expansion draft, the entry draft and free agency.
Here’s a quick primer for the days to keep in mind.
June 15 (or 48 hours after the final game of the Cup Final, whichever is first)
The buyout window officially opens at 3 p.m. MT. Functionally, all this means is that as of that time teams can place players on what’s known as “unconditional waivers” for the purposes of terminating their contracts.