"Sergei Kostitsyn, the Nashville Predators' leading goal scorer last season, was one of 23 eligible NHL players who filed for arbitration rights, the NHL Players Association announced Tuesday.

Hearings will take place between July 20 and Aug. 4 in Toronto, and an independent judge will set contract terms, which the team may then accept or not. If the team walks away from the ruling, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Kostitsyn, 24, scored a career-high 23 goals and added 27 assists last season, when he earned $550,000 on a one-year deal."