What Does Future Considerations Mean In NHL Trades?

If you’ve ever wondered what future considerations mean in NHL trades, you’re not alone. It’s a common term that is often used in trades, but its meaning can be a bit confusing. Let’s take a closer look at what future considerations mean in NHL trades and how they can affect a team’s long-term plans.

Definition of “Future Considerations”

In the National Hockey League (NHL), “future considerations” refers to a part of a trade in which one team agrees to send, at some future date, an asset (such as a draft pick or a player) to another team in exchange for a current asset. The asset to be exchanged is usually specified in the trade, but the timing of the exchange is not. Instead, it is generally agreed that the receiving team will receive the asset “at some future date” that is mutually agreeable to both teams.

The most common use of future considerations in NHL trades is in the form of draft picks. For example, if Team A trades Player X to Team B in exchange for a 2nd round draft pick and “future considerations,” that means that Team A will receive a 2nd round draft pick from Team B at some point in the future. The draft pick may be exchanged immediately after the trade is made (e.g., if Team B agrees to send their 2nd round pick from the upcoming NHL Draft to Team A), or it may be exchanged at some later date (e.g., if Team B agrees to send their 2nd round pick from the 2025 NHL Draft to Team A).

Another common use of future considerations in NHL trades is when one team agrees to take on a player’s contract from another team in exchange for an asset at some future date. For example, if Player X has an annual salary of $1 million and is under contract for two more seasons, and Team A trades him to Team B for “future considerations,” that means that Team B has agreed to pay Player X’s $1 million salary for the next two seasons, and they will receive an asset from Team A at some point in the future (usually a draft pick).

The value of future considerations can vary widely depending on when and what is exchanged. For example, if two teams agree that one team will receive a 2nd round draft pick from the other team five years from now, the value of that future consideration is obviously much lower than if two teams agree that one team will receive a 2nd round draft pick from the other team tomorrow. Similarly, if two teams agree that one team will receive a 5th round draft pick from the other team five years from now, the value of that future consideration is obviously much lower than if two teams agree that one team will receive a 1st round draft pick from the otherteam tomorrow. As such, when evaluating trades involving future considerations, it is important to take into account not only when but also what will be exchanged.

Future considerations are often seen as being somewhat risky for both teams involved because they can be difficult to assess (e.g., it can be difficult to predict how valuable a draft pick five years from now will be). As such, they are often seen as being somewhat unbalanced – i.e., one team usually benefits more than another – which can lead to criticism by fans and media members whenever trades involving them are made.

How Future Considerations Are Used in Trades

Future considerations in NHL trades are used as a way for teams to balance out the value of players in a trade. If one team is trading a player that is worth more than the player they are receiving, they may ask for future considerations to even out the trade. For example, if Team A is trading a veteran player to Team B for a younger player and a draft pick, Team A may ask for future considerations to make the trade fair.

As a sweetener to even out the value of a trade

Future Considerations are assets that are traded for at a later date. They can be used to sweeten a deal or to even out the value in a trade. For example, if Team A is trading Player 1 to Team B for Player 2 and a 2nd round pick, but Team B feels that Player 2 is worth more than just a 2nd round pick, they may ask for Future Considerations as well.

Future Considerations can be anything from picks (draft picks or future picks) to players. In some cases, teams will agree on a certain amount of Future Considerations, while in others it may be open ended (such as “a future 1st round pick”).

While Future Considerations can be used to help balance out a trade, it’s important to remember that they are often seen as “throwing in the towel” on a trade. As such, many teams will be loathe to give up too much for Future Considerations.

As a way to complete a trade without having to give up a player

Future considerations are often used in trades as a way to complete a trade without having to give up a player. For example, if the Vancouver Canucks trade defenseman Kassian to the Edmonton Oilers for center Gagner, they may include future considerations in the form of a second-round draft pick. This would mean that, in addition to Gagner, the Oilers would also receive a second-round pick in the future. The value of the future considerations is typically based on how well the player performs with his new team.

What Happens if the Team Receiving Future Considerations Does Not Use Them?

If a team acquires another team’s player in exchange for future considerations, it means that the team is giving up the rights to that player at a future date. The team receiving the player will have to wait until the specified date to receive the player. If the team receiving the player does not use them, the player will become a free agent.

They can be traded to another team

If a team that owes future considerations makes a trade before the conditions of the earlier trade are met, they can include the future considerations owed in the new trade. For example, if Team A trades Player X to Team B for Future Considerations, and then Team A trades Player Y to Team C, they can include the Future Considerations owed to them from Team B in the Player Y trade.

They can be used to draft a player in the next year’s NHL Entry Draft

If a team receiving future considerations in a trade does not use them, they can be used to draft a player in the next year’s NHL Entry Draft. The team can also trade the future considerations to another team.