Given what we’ve seen already this summer, you could easily get the idea that being a restricted free agent in the NHL isn’t particularly restrictive.

Out in Edmonton earlier this month, restricted free agents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway got impressive paydays after they agreed to sign offer sheets with the St. Louis Blues and the Oilers declined to match. And over in Nashville, Yaroslav Askarov exerted an NHL version of NBA-style player empowerment. As a restricted free agent without a clear path to NHL playing time, the top goaltending prospect requested a trade. And though the club did what clubs often do — while general manager Barry Trotz publicly insisted they were looking forward to seeing him in training camp — the strategy worked. Not long after Askarov asked to be moved he was gone to San Jose, where he promptly signed a two-year extension worth $2 million (U.S.) a season. Not bad for an unproven 22-year-old who’s made a grand total of two NHL starts.