In 2019, the theory — largely advanced by Bob McKenzie — was that RFAs with star power had negotiating power too, and the good old days of obedient young players allowing themselves to be squeezed on salary were over. The classic example of a player unhappily squeezed is Nikita Kucherov, who was backed into a bridge deal in 2016 for a very paltry $4.77 million. Steve Yzerman accomplished that task by making it clear he would let Kucherov sit out if he didn’t solve their cap problems by earning less than the KHL would pay him for three years.
When is an RFA really a UFA?
