Salary arbitration hearings scheduled for four Calgary Flames RFAs

The National Hockey League Players Association announced the salary arbitration hearing schedule on Thursday morning, and four Calgary Flames’ restricted free agents have their hearing dates now set.

Matthew Phillips has his hearing on July 30, Andrew Mangiapane’s is on August 5, Oliver Kylington’s is on August 10 and Matthew Tkachuk’s is on August 11.

Hearing dates are scheduled based on availability of the teams, the agents and the arbitrator. Teams can negotiate and sign contracts with players scheduled for arbitration up until the beginning of the hearing, at which point the sides are then forced to abide by the arbitrator’s ruling. Expect to see a lot of contracts agreed to in the days (and hours) prior to the hearings, as has become common in these situations. A small proportion of the hearing scheduled are actually held.

Given the rumblings that Tkachuk may be traded by the Flames prior to his hearing, having his hearing scheduled on the final day of the hearing window is a really nice bit of scheduling circumstance.