Following the 1992–93 season, his contract with Modo expired on 30 April 1993, and he had not yet come to terms with the Penguins. According to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NHL and NHL Players Association (NHLPA), he was entitled to free agency within the league, beginning on 1 July. However, a conflicting agreement between the league and Swedish ice hockey officials required that he sign an NHL contract on or before 30 June in order to leave Sweden. With the deadline approaching, Näslund filed a federal lawsuit against the NHL claiming that their agreement with Swedish officials could not override his rights as a player under the CBA. The case went to a federal judge in Newark, New Jersey, who ruled in favour of Näslund on 29 June. League president and lawyer Gil Stein released an affidavit stating the NHL-Swedish agreement did not apply to Näslund, as he was not under contract with any Swedish team.