Roope Hintz’s contract extension caught some people off guard this week, as far as its timing, but it also came as a reminder that for pending restricted free agents, the timeline for getting a deal done is not nearly as obvious as for unrestricted free agents.

There’s less urgency in getting RFAs signed ahead of time because of the simple fact that those players aren’t walking into the market like UFAs can. Technically speaking, RFAs eligible for offer sheets can talk to other teams, but we know how rarely one of those materializes.

RFAs who are one year away from UFA status can force a trade, as we saw this past summer with Matthew Tkachuk. More on that later, because we might have an RFA or two going down that path this summer.

In any case, it’s always interesting to see a pending RFA get a deal done ahead of time. Both Stars general manager Jim Nill and Hintz’s agent, Markus Lehto, said the deal — eight years with an $8.45 million average annual value — got done rather quickly, which is important, to avoid any lingering in-season talks weighing on Hintz’s mind. That’s why so many teams and agents agree to wait on RFAs until after the season. Or extend one year out.

Hintz’s contract also signals that the NHL is perhaps leaving behind its pandemic, flat-cap marketplace and entering better times with the promise of a salary cap that’s going to jump up meaningfully either this summer or next.

The Stars are clearly betting on an improving economic NHL environment and trying to get ahead of what might have been a more expensive proposition a year and a half from now, when Hintz would have had UFA-eligible leverage on his side.

Will the contract impact other negotiations to come over the next several months? Which ones might already be in motion?

Let’s check in on some of the most intriguing pending RFA situations.

Jesper Bratt, Devils

Evolving-Hockey’s last contract projection from before the 2022-23 season: Four years, $5.612 million AAV

2022-23 stats: nine goals, 27 points, plus-12 and 17:11 ATOI in 24 games

The Devils punted the ball a year down the line after signing the very talented winger to a one-year, $5.45 million deal in August, avoiding a scheduled arbitration hearing. There were talks last summer about a long-term deal, but the two sides couldn’t bridge the gap.