Quoting: Black61
a couple questions for this move. With him filing for arbitration:
Does he have to sign before being traded?
If he doesnt and the habs sign him does that reopen their 2nd buyout window?
To my understanding, the arbitration would proceed as normal, including the buyout window and all of the other items it involves. I cannot however, find an example of a team trading for a player headed to arbitration, without first having a contract in place that would negate the arbitration process.
The new CBA MOU also prevents the arbitration process from being interrupted once it has begun. You can no longer sign a player after the hearing but before the verdict. Any contract which avoids arbitration must be signed before their scheduled hearing.
Common sense would suggest no team is going to trade for a player without knowing what their contract is going to be, so I'd be surprised if it has ever happened. You'd normally get permission to discuss a contract with the player's agent and have a sign and trade, or an agreement to be finalized immediately after a trade. That would also preempt a 2nd buyout window.
Only the team has walk away rights if they disagree with the arbitration award. Until then, the player remains an RFA and may be traded as one. As with any RFA, a value and length of contract has to be negotiated, the only difference with arbitration is that a 3rd party sets those terms when negotiations fail.
So in short, yes. A trade is legal and doesn't change the process, but no team is going to make a trade under those circumstances.