Two NHL teams file for salary arbitration on Sunday.

A pair of teams in the National Hockey League have elected to file for salary arbitration and, in both of these cases, it seems like a risky move on the part of the team.

On Sunday, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman announced that both Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram and Utah Mammoth forward Jack McBain are now facing team-elected arbitration.

What this means for the players involved is that they will now get to dictate the term of the arbitration award, should things go all the way to arbitration, which comes with either a one or a two year term.

Filing for arbitration protects both the Sabres and the Mammoth from any potential offer sheets from rival teams in the league, but as I mentioned it comes with the downside of allowing the player to choose the term of the arbitration award. Both Byram and McBain will now have the option of selecting a two year term, a term that would walk both players right to unrestricted free agency and give them considerable leverage over their respective teams in the next contract negotiation.

This seems to be especially risky in the case of the Buffalo Sabres who have struggled to keep young talent within the fold. Should Byram elect a two year arbitration award we could be taking about another highly talented Sabres player walking away from the team in 2 years.

Did the Mammoth and the Sabres make the right decision here? Or is this a decision that both teams could potentially face consequences for two years from now? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.