When it comes to a trade in the NHL, a player can't be acquired for nothing.
However, when a transaction initially goes through, there are times when nothing is immediately going back to one team in the deal. In those circumstances, part of the transaction involves "future considerations."
The majority of trades in the NHL involve players and/or draft picks. However, there are the rare circumstances when future considerations are dealt.
Most of these trades involving future considerations are for lower-profile players. One recent example was a trade between the Stars and the Avalanche. Dallas sent Colorado forward Fredrik Olofsson in exchange for future considerations.
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What does that mean? Here is an explainer of what future considerations are in the NHL.
What are future considerations in the NHL?
Future considerations are exactly what they sound like — part of a trade that will be finalized at a later date.
When a team agrees to send another club future considerations, it means that at another point in time, they will complete the deal by sending a player, a pick or both to the other team.
In the NHL, teams cannot trade a player or draft picks for cash alone, so a player or pick has to go back the other way. Oftentimes, a team wants to wait and figure out what position it needs, or if it wants to get a draft pick in a later round.
It's similar to a player to be named (PTBN) in MLB deals, where that placeholder can be included in the trade and then finalized at a later date.
Arguably the most famous trade involving future considerations was the deal in 1993 between the Jets and the Red Wings involving Kris Draper. At the time, Draper was a minor leaguer and was traded from Winnipeg to Detroit for future considerations.
Back then, you could use cash as a part of a transaction and the Jets ended up receiving a check for $1. Yes, you read that right. One single dollar.
Draper went on to have an extremely successful career with the Red Wings, helping the team to four Stanley Cup wins as a part of the "Grind Line". He also won a Selke Trophy in 2004.
Best dollar the Red Wings or any NHL team ever spent.