NHL favors no-trade clauses far more than other North American leagues
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 27, 2026, 12:25 PM
Last updated Jun 27, 2026
The NHL has approximately 245 no-trade and no-move clauses compared to significantly fewer in other major North American sports leagues. Factors contributing to this trend include lower average NHL salaries, a culture emphasizing loyalty, and a salary cap that limits salary flexibility. As a result, teams often offer clauses to secure player commitment while providing contractual security. The situation reflects a distinct contrast to the NFL, NBA, and MLB, where such clauses are rare and alternative protections exist for players.
- •NHL features 245 no-trade clauses versus 8 in the NFL, 2 in the NBA, and 35 in MLB.
- •Lower salaries in the NHL lead players to seek contract security over higher pay.
- •Hockey culture places high value on loyalty between franchises and players.
- •The NHL's salary cap encourages the use of no-move clauses as negotiating tools.
- •Alternative protections in other leagues reduce the need for similar clauses.
- 12:25 PMYahoo Sports — The NHL's Obsession With No-Trade Clauses: Why Hockey Is The Outlier In North American Sports
"No-trade and no-move clauses have become so commonplace in the NHL that many fans assume they are simply part of the business of sports. They aren’t.
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