PETITION UPDATE: The Evidence Is Growing — NHL No-Trade Clauses and Competitive Balance
Thank you to everyone who has signed and shared this petition!
I wanted to provide some credible, published sources supporting our concerns about the competitive disadvantages facing Winnipeg and other Canadian NHL franchises.
1. Nearly 49% of surveyed players selected Winnipeg
In The Athletic's 2025 anonymous NHL player poll, 48.78% of the 82 players who answered the no-trade-list question selected the Winnipeg Jets as their first choice.
Buffalo finished a distant second at 19.51%.
This doesn't mean 49% of all NHL players have Winnipeg on their actual no-trade lists, but it highlights the challenges smaller markets can face when trying to attract talent.
Source — The Hockey News (February 8, 2025):
2. Some players reportedly exclude ALL SEVEN Canadian teams
Respected NHL insider Elliotte Friedman specifically discussed players who include all seven Canadian franchises on their no-trade lists.
In his March 24, 2022, Sportsnet article, Friedman also explained that the specific details of these lists are generally private.
This raises serious questions about how Canadian franchises can compete for available players when some are excluded before trade discussions even begin.
Source — Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-evgenii-dadonov-and-trade-deadline-fallout/
3. Even NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has raised concerns
On October 1, 2026, Gary Bettman publicly questioned how no-trade and no-movement clauses are being used, particularly when players request trades while restricting which teams can acquire them.
He suggested the issue may eventually need to be discussed with the NHL Players' Association.
The NHLPA has defended these clauses as legitimate, collectively bargained player rights.
Source — Sportsnet (October 1, 2026):
4. More than 300 NHL players have trade protection
In October 2026, NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh stated that more than 300 players have no-trade or no-movement protections in their contracts.
With trade protection this widespread, its potential effects on competitive balance deserve serious consideration.
Source — Sportsnet (October 14, 2026):
Why This Petition Matters
The NHL's salary cap is designed to promote competitive balance among all 32 franchises. However, the salary cap alone cannot guarantee equal opportunities to acquire talent.
When players can exclude certain teams or entire markets, those franchises may face additional barriers to improving their rosters.
We are not asking to eliminate players' rights or invalidate existing contracts.
We are asking the NHL and NHLPA to seriously examine whether the current system creates disproportionate disadvantages for smaller-market and Canadian franchises, and to consider reasonable reforms through future collective bargaining.
32 TEAMS. ONE SALARY CAP. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
Thank you for helping bring attention to this issue. Please continue sharing this petition with hockey fans across Canada and beyond.
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