What occurs when a team matches a RFA qualifying offer?

When a team matches a restricted free agent (RFA) qualifying offer, the outcome is that the sheet becomes binding between the player and the prior team. This means that the player is effectively signed back to the team that originally offered the qualifying offer, and the terms of the offer are agreed upon.

Matching the qualifying offer means that the player will continue their contract with that team under the specified terms, making it a binding agreement. Therefore, the player's rights remain with the team, preventing them from negotiating with other teams unless the offer is not matched within a designated timeframe.

In this context, the other options do not align with the rules governing RFAs. For instance, the cancellation of the offer does not occur when it is matched; rather, it solidifies the contract with the original team. Further negotiations are typically not allowed since the player is already under a binding contract with the matching team, and the player does not become an unrestricted free agent because their status as an RFA means they are still under the control of their original team unless certain conditions are met.