The Difference Between No-Trade And No-Movement Clauses And The NHL Players That Have Them

The definition of no-trade and no-movement clauses – 

February 29, 2016, is the NHL trade deadline and in the upcoming weeks, you are bound to hear plenty of trade banter around the NHL and more importantly, if you’re a Jets fan lots of trade rumours surrounding Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien (if they haven’t signed contract extensions before the deadline).

You are also going to hear about certain players that might have to waive a no-movement clause (NMC) or a no-trade clause (NTC) they have in their contracts.  Below is some info on how NHL players become eligible for these clauses, their definition, and a list of the players that have them.

No-Movement Clause (NMC) and No-Trade Clause (NTC) Eligibility:

Once a National Hockey League player has played seven years or reached twenty-seven years of age (Group 3 Free Agent Status) he is eligible to qualify for the NMC or NTC in his contract.  These clauses can start mid-contract once the player reaches his Group 3 status. (example: in the fourth year of a seven-year deal)

There are basically two types of movement clauses NHL GMs need to pay attention to and/or work around with some players.

The No-Movement Clause:

A No-Movement Clause prohibits a team from moving a player by trade, waivers, or assigning that player to the minors without the player’s consent. This keeps the player with the pro team unless the player approves one of these moves. The player has the final say.  Some players will often have a limited trade list here as well.   A No-Movement Clause does not restrict a team from buying out or terminating a player’s contract.

The No-Trade Clause:

A No-Trade Clause is much less restrictive.  It only places restrictions on movement by trade.  A player with a No-Trade Clause cannot be traded by a team unless the player provides consent.  A limited (partial or modified) No-Trade Clause is often less restrictive than a full No-Trade Clause and depends on the conditions negotiated in the player’s contracts.  Often with these No-Trade Clauses, the player is asked to provide a list of teams to which he would be willing to be traded or NOT traded to.  This list can change or fluctuate from season to season. 

This is the updated list of NHL players that have some sort of movement restriction. 

(if I have inadvertently missed anybody please let me know)

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