Sometimes, all the negotiations in the world can't yield an agreement on a contract. That's what salary arbitration is for, a mediator listens to the sides, evaluates and settles on a ruling.

Either the player or the team can request arbitration to finish the deal. If the team requests it then they have to accept the arbiter's ruling no matter the result. If the player requests it then the team is allowed to reject the arbiter's ruling and the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.

This summer's list of players requesting arbitration has 16 names with hearings being heard in Toronto from July 20 to Aug. 4. If a still-unsigned restricted free agent isn't heading to arbitration then they can receive offer sheets, and the teams will try to get a contract the old fashioned way ... negotiating. The 16 players requesting arbitration:

Ducks -- Nick Bonino

Avalanche -- Jamie McGinn

Stars -- Richard Bachman, Mark Fistric

Red Wings -- Kyle Quincey

Oilers -- Sam Gagner

Panthers -- Kris Versteeg

Canadiens -- Raphael Diaz

Predators -- Sergei Kostitsyn

Devils -- Mark Fayne

Rangers -- Anton Stralman

Senators -- Kaspars Daugavins

Blues -- T.J. Oshie, David Perron (now signed)

Sharks -- T.J. Galiardi

Canucks -- Dale Weise

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