Livescore
When it comes to a trade in the NHL, a player can’t be acquired for nothing. I know, shocking.
While most often a player, prospect or picks are involved in a deal, sometimes nothing is sent back the other way at first. In those circumstances, part of the transaction involves “future considerations.”
We saw this recently with the Nikita Zaitsev trade to the Blackhawks. The Senators sent Zaitsev and two draft picks to the Blackhawks, and in return, received future considerations.
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What does that mean? Here is an explainer of what future considerations are in the NHL.
What are future considerations in the NHL?
Turns out, that future considerations are exactly what they sound like.
When a team agrees to send another club future considerations, it means that at another point in time, they will complete the deal by sending either a player, a pick or multiple of either. In the case of the Zaitsev deal, the Senators will eventually receive some sort of return from the Blackhawks, but as of now, they do not have anything.
In the NHL, teams cannot trade a player or draft picks for cash alone, so a player or pick has to go back the other way. Oftentimes, a team wants to wait and figure out what position they need, or if they want to get a draft pick in a later round.
It’s similar to a player to be named later (PTBNL) in the MLB, where it can be included in the trade and then finalized at a later date.
Arguably the most famous trade involving future considerations was the deal in 1993 between the Jets and the Red Wings involving Kris Draper. At the time, Draper was a minor leaguer and was traded from Winnipeg to Detroit for future considerations.
Back then, you could use cash as a part of a transaction and the Jets ended up receiving a check for $1. Yes, you read that right. One single dollar.
Draper went on to have an extremely successful career with the Red Wings, helping the team to four Stanley Cup wins as a part of the “Grind Line”. He also won a Selke Trophy in 2004. Best dollar the Red Wings or any NHL team ever spent.
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