When does a player qualify for arbitration I believe it 4 years of service

https://www.capfriendly.com/qualifying-offer-calculator
rules on Arb below:
https://www.capfriendly.com/arbitration
and the tool to see if they qualify:
https://www.capfriendly.com/arbitration-calculator
No he doesnt have to accept, he stays an RFA so Edmonton can negotiate, but he isnt forced to take league minimum or this league would be in a completely different place

depends on the age they signed their ELC. Bear signed his ELC at 19 so he needs 4 years of professional experience (which he doesnt have), but it may be different for other players. He is not required to sign his qualifying offer, he just isnt able to go to a third party arbitrator to determine a fair contract. He still has every right to decline his QO of 735k

depends on signing age: 4 years for 18-20, 3 years for 21, 2 years for 22-23, 1 year for 24+. Bear signed at at 19 years old so he wouldnt be eligble for arb.

that doesnt mean he has to accept his offer: look at what nylander did where he held out. bear could technically do the same thing.

Well hopefully the Oilers can convince him to take a 1 year 1M deal for 20-21 and then we will have a little more money available with Russell and a couple others coming off the books to sign him to a more appropriate contract.

I think it's unlikely but you never know. Deangelo did something similar with NYR last summer