At least one prominent player agent thinks the NHL's six-day free agency interview period is a waste of time.

"I just don't find it productive at all," said J.P. Barry, who represents pending free agents Andrew Ladd and Loui Eriksson. "It's become like maybe a bit of a temporary beauty contest. It doesn't necessarily predict what's going to happen going forward."

Since 2013, the NHL has allowed teams and players entering unrestricted free agency to interact freely over a six-day period ahead of July 1. It's a concept the NHL Players' Association proposed to help both sides in free agency, where big money is doled out by clubs and big, life-changing decisions are made by players.

Barry would rather it disappear, believing it to be an unconstructive charade that only complicates the process.

Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill was also lukewarm on the subject, believing it effective only on a case by case basis.

Nill said teams use the meetings to present a vision of the future to players, detailing goals for the short and long-term. Those on the outside can't possibly know or understand the inner workings of any one particular team. The interview period allows a peak into that process.

"Every team is in a different spot," said Nill, whose Stars owned the best record in the Western Conference last season. "Some teams are built to win today or yesterday and other teams might be two, three years away. It's a chance for you to explain to the players, 'Here's why we're thinking about doing this' so at least it gives them a feel for what's going on."

Team representatives also use the courting period to offer a look at life in their city — the schools, the neighbourhoods, what family life is like — any information that will help inform a decision that alters the scope of life for the player and his family.

"When they've played on other teams they've flown in at midnight and they go to the hotel and then they go play the game and leave," Nill said. "They don't get to see a lot of the different things around that area."

Maybe most important, contract terms can also be discussed, though not signed until free agency officially begins at noon on June 1.

Barry thinks the meetings benefit the team in most cases. He's found the process unproductive.

"Don't get me wrong some of the calls are very educational for the player and very nice for them to understand what the team's approach is, what their style of play is going to be, where they fit into the lineup," he said. "But you simply don't know whether you're target A, B, C, D, or E.

"Unfortunately some players can get excited about saying 'Yeah, this is great. I want to go there.' And we end up being their third or fourth target."

Barry said it's hard to know who's really interested and who's just lining up options if another target falls through. But while agents like Barry fear their players could be used, teams have to wonder if contract terms are being shopped around as leverage.

"Some agents and players will benefit, some clubs will benefit," said Ian Pulver, whose agency, the Will Sports Group, represents Tyler Seguin among others. "It all comes down to how effective the managers and the agents are."

The alternative doesn't seem much better.

Prior to 2013, the two sides could not officially connect before the start of free agency, which meant that any courting process was likely just a hurried phone call and offer. Some teams might not even get a chance to make a well-rounded pitch, while a player might get an hour to make a life-changing decision.

July 1 tended to be a frenzy back in those days, a wild-west which saw exorbitant contracts passed out left and right. If anything, the interview period seems to have helped eliminate the rush that often accompanied the start of free agency.

Nill says the new format relaxes the process and offers players better opportunity to ponder their options.

The Stars GM doesn't believe the interview period is good for everyone though. He said some players just aren't comfortable talking to a GM or team president while others revel in it.

Barry doesn't believe his players have generally benefited from the process.

"There's a lot of talking, but you don't necessarily know where you stand," he said. "Personally, I'd like to get rid of it."