The NHL season is in its third week. And as teams approach their tenth game of the year, we’re going to start hearing more about a unique rule that applies to entry-level contracts.

Some call it the nine-game slide. Others refer to it as the nine-game tryout.

But for our purposes, we’ll call it the slide rule.

Simply put, the slide rule can delay—or slide back—the start of a player’s entry-level contract (ELC) if they don’t play more than nine games in a season.

From article 9.1, section d, subsections (i) and (ii) of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA):

• (i) In the event that an 18 year old or 19 year old Player signs a Standard Player Contract (SPC) with a Club but does not play at least ten (10) NHL Games in the first season under that SPC, the term of his SPC and his number of years in the Entry Level System shall be extended for a period of one (1) year
• (ii) In the event that a Player signs his first SPC at age 18 and has had his SPC extended pursuant to Subsection (i), and such Player does not play at least ten (10) NHL Games in the second season under that SPC, then the term of his SPC and his number of years in the Entry Level System shall be extended for one (1) additional year.

To explain it with a metaphor: Imagine having a timer for every NHL contract. For players who are 20 years of age or older, that timer begins the moment they sign their deal (or the moment their deal kicks in). But for those who are younger, the timer doesn’t start until they play their tenth game in a single season. Until then, it’s on pause.

This means a prospect’s three-year ELC can turn into a one that lasts four, or even five, years if they don’t meet that benchmark.

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Let’s use Mason McTavish as a real-world example.

The Anaheim Ducks drafted the Swiss-born centerman third overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and signed him to his three-year ELC prior to the start of the 2021-22 season. Under normal circumstances, that deal would expire on July 1, 2024

However, McTavish played just nine NHL contests in his first year before being sent back to his junior team. This means the Ducks were able to slide the start of his contract to the 2022-23 season—where he appeared in 80 games for the organization.

Now, instead of the deal expiring on July 1, 2024, it will expire on July 1, 2025.

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But what is the benefit to an NHL team?

An ELC is often the most cap-friendly deal of a player’s career because the CBA limits how much these contracts can pay out. For those drafted in 2023, that limit is $950,000 (plus any possible performance bonuses).

That means that, regardless of how highly touted a prospect is, they will not take up more than 1.2% of an organization’s cap space. This allows teams to get cost-controlled production from their young stars without facing any serious salary cap implications for at least three years.

And this can pay big dividends. Just look back at the Toronto Maple Leafs.

During the 2016-17 season, the Maple Leafs saw their young trio of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander put up a combined 191 points.

If they were on their current, multi-million dollar contracts, the team would have essentially spent $155,000 against the cap per tally. But because they were all on their entry-level deals at the time, the real price was significantly lower:

Just $14,000 per point.

That’s how valuable a good player is while they’re on their ELC, which is why teams try to burn those years wisely.

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The biggest candidates for the slide rule are high-potential prospects who aren’t quite ready for the NHL. Teams will use the nine games to gauge their future stars and give them a touch of NHL experience before sending them down to continue their development.

Some players who may fall into this category include:

• Leo Carlsson — Anaheim Ducks
• Logan Cooley — Arizona Coyotes
• Zachary Benson — Buffalo Sabres
• Adam Fantilli — Columbus Blue Jackets
• David Jiricek — Columbus Blue Jackets

These are all talented skaters who are projected to make a big impact in the league. It’s just a matter of whether their organizations feel it’s worth burning a year off of their deal to get them into the NHL right now.

Connor Bedard is an excellent example of someone who is worth doing this for.

Technically speaking, he is eligible for the slide rule if the Chicago Blackhawks were to send him back to the Western Hockey League before his tenth game. But while doing that would extend his ELC by another year—presumably into when the team is more competitive and the cap savings are more impactful—it would also damage his professional development, as he has little to gain by playing at the junior level.

That’s not to mention the PR firestorm that would come out of that decision, as well as a drop in ticket sales for the organization and a damaged relationship between the player and the franchise.

It’s important to weigh the pros and cons when it comes to enacting the slide rule.

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.