2025 Free Agency

21. D Ryan Lindgren / Columbus Blue Jackets / 4 years, $4.75MM AAV

Josh: A few years ago, it looked as though Lindgren would be a long-term piece in Manhattan as the Rangers’ first-pairing lefty alongside Adam Fox. Injuries have derailed his effectiveness in recent seasons, though, and he was traded to the Avalanche as part of the Blueshirts’ in-season retooling of their blue line. He’s still managed 102 points and a strong +99 rating over 405 career NHL games, but his two-way play at 5-on-5 has been middling enough in the past two years to make it difficult to justify top-pairing deployment. He needs something of a fresh start this summer, and there should be a fair amount of interest with teams looking to bet on the 27-year-old’s upside and previous performance as a strong top-four piece.

Signed with Kraken, 4 years, $4.5MM AAV

22. D Matt Grzelcyk / San Jose Sharks / 3 years, $3.67MM AAV

Josh: Grzelcyk was down at No. 50 on our board last year and signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Penguins. That paid dividends, as he got expanded power-play minutes on an underwhelming Pittsburgh defense corps and enjoyed the best offensive season of his career as a result. The 5’10” lefty had 40 points in 82 games, leading all UFA defensemen. He also averaged a career-high 20:37 per game. He still had underwhelming possession impacts, though, and his point totals were likely boosted somewhat due to playing alongside Erik Karlsson. Nonetheless, he likely repaired his stock enough for a multi-year deal.

23. LW Andrew Mangiapane / Winnipeg Jets / 2 years, $3.75MM AAV

Josh: A 35-goal man with the Flames a few years ago, those days are in the rearview for Mangiapane. He’s put up goal totals of 17, 14, and 14 in the three seasons since – still fine, but not top-six caliber. He’s indicative of a drop-off in the forward market after the Kane/Kuzmenko/Roslovic tier, particularly considering his down year overall in the point department with Washington in 2024-25. While he still managed a couple of 40-point seasons with the Flames in recent years, he was traded to the Capitals last summer and only had 28 points in 81 games for them in 2024-25. His lengthier track record as a solid tertiary scorer will help out his market value this summer, but he hits UFA status at one of the lower points of his career.

Signed with Oilers, 2 years, $3.6MM AAV

24. D Cody Ceci / Buffalo Sabres / 2 years, $3.5MM AAV

Brian: Some of Ceci’s underlying numbers aren’t necessarily the prettiest, but he has a well-established track record of being someone who can play a top-four role and see time on both special teams when needed.  While the 31-year-old had some injury issues in the past, he has averaged more than 80 games over the last four seasons.  He’s also a right-hand shot, the side that’s always in high demand or short supply.  Ceci would be a good fit for a contending team looking to add top-four help, while a rebuilding team could use him as a short-term stabilizer to allow a youngster more time to develop in the minors.  He won’t be a flashy addition, but history suggests that he’ll be a useful one.

Signed with Kings, 4 years, $4.5MM AAV

25. D Nate Schmidt / Florida Panthers / 1 year, $2MM AAV

Josh: An up-and-down few seasons for Schmidt ended on a high note in Florida with his first Stanley Cup. The 33-year-old found a bit more confidence in his game in Sunrise after being bought out by the Jets last summer. He only averaged 16:32 per game, so his point totals were still pretty conservative at a 5-14–19 scoring line in 80 regular season games, but he did operate at a much higher pace in the postseason with a 3-9–12 line in 23 appearances. That boosts his value heading into July 1, so much so that he may not be back in Florida with much bigger pending UFA fish to fry.

Signed with Mammoth, 3 years, $3.5MM AAV

26. D Henri Jokiharju / Vancouver Canucks / 3 years, $3.67MM AAV

Josh: A deadline deal to a selling Bruins team meant more opportunity down the stretch for Jokiharju, who was back to seeing over 21 minutes per game in Boston after falling out of favor in the Sabres organization over the past couple of years. He looked good doing so, posting four assists and a plus-seven rating in 18 games with some spectacular possession impacts. He’s also one year removed from a career-high 20 points and +14 rating in Buffalo. He gained plenty of experience in top-four deployment there alongside Owen Power and occasionally Rasmus Dahlin. He’s not overly physical for his 6’0″, 200-lb frame, but is the youngest player on this list at age 26 and still has some untapped two-way upside.

Re-signed with Bruins, 3 years, $3MM AAV

27. LW Victor Olofsson / Seattle Kraken / 2 years, $3.33MM AAV

Josh: Things worked out well for Olofsson in 2024-25 after heading to Vegas on a cheap one-year deal. The longtime Sabre was in and out of the lineup due to injuries and a rotating cast of depth scorers the Knights tried in top-six minutes, but he managed a 15-14–29 scoring line in 56 games after posting just 15 points in 51 games the year before. The 29-year-old is a pure offensive specialist with three 20-goal seasons under his belt, but proved this season he won’t be a drag on a team’s defensive/possession play if deployed in a well-insulated system. He had a career-high +17 rating and 53.6 CF% at even strength with Vegas.

28. RW Mason Appleton / Buffalo Sabres / 3 years, $3.25MM AAV

Josh: Appleton has spent almost all of his career with the Jets since being drafted in the sixth round in 2015. He’s been a good third-line presence for them since emerging as a full-timer in 2019-20. He even scored a career-high 14 goals and 36 points a year ago while averaging over 16 minutes per game, but he saw his point totals and usage come back down to earth in 2024-25. Whatever team he ends up with will be getting a checking winger with good two-way play but a limited offensive skillset himself, averaging 12 goals and 28 points per 82 games over his seven-year career.

Signed with Red Wings, 2 years, $2.9MM AAV

29. D Brian Dumoulin / Detroit Red Wings / 2 years, $3MM AAV

Josh: The two-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh is still an effective defensive presence, even if he’s better suited as a No. 2/3 option on the left side than a No. 1 as he enters his mid-30s. He hits free agency after a post-deadline stint with the Devils that saw him provide high-end defensive play as an injury stopgap for Jonas Siegenthaler, posting a 54.5 CF% in 19 games down the stretch while averaging 18:45 per game. A good penalty killer as well, he’ll be a welcome addition for a team looking to stabilize their blue line.

Signed with Kings, 3 years, $4MM AAV

30. RW Anthony Beauvillier / Washington Capitals / 2 years, $2.33MM AAV

Brian: Viewed as a top-six winger only a couple of years ago, Beauvillier’s stock has taken a bit of a tumble since then to the point where he had to take a low-cost, one-year deal last summer.  With 15 goals this season, he helped his cause from a value standpoint while also chipping in with six points in ten postseason games, ending his year on a strong note.  Notably, he started to play more of a physical game this season as he spent most of the year in the bottom six and acquitted himself relatively well in that role.  Beauvillier isn’t going to land a contract similar to the $4.15MM per year he was making just a couple of years ago. Still, a multi-year commitment around double what he made this season ($1.25MM) would be a reasonable expectation.

Re-signed with Capitals, 2 years, $2.75MM AAV

31. LW Brandon Tanev / Toronto Maple Leafs / 2 years, $2.25MM AAV

Brian: Last time he reached free agency, Tanev surprised many when he landed a six-year contract.  That won’t be the case this time around at the age of 33 but not a lot has changed over these past six seasons.  When healthy, he has been an energetic and gritty winger who has chipped in with some depth scoring having reached the double-digit goal mark in two of the last three years.  He’s a pure bottom-six player at this stage of his career but at a time when the league is starting to shift back toward adding some physicality, that should help Tanev’s market and it’s likely he’ll be one of the more sought-after depth players.

Signed with Mammoth, 3 years, $2.5MM AAV

32. RW Evgenii Dadonov / Florida Panthers / 1 year, $2.75MM AAV

Josh: Dadonov signed a two-year contract in Dallas in 2023, and his career looked like it was on its last legs when he became a semi-frequent healthy scratch and was limited to 23 points in 51 games in the first year of the deal. He rebounded for a 20-goal campaign in 80 games in 2024-25, his fifth time hitting the mark, while finishing eighth on the Stars in scoring with 40 points. He almost certainly won’t be back in Texas with a cap crunch forcing him out, but he’ll definitely have some legitimate interest in free agency for a team looking to beef up their scoring depth with a veteran presence.

Signed with Devils, 1 year, $1MM AAV + performance bonuses

33. D John Klingberg / Ottawa Senators / 1 year, $2.25MM AAV

Brian: Klingberg returned to the NHL midseason after missing more than a year following hip resurfacing surgery, joining Edmonton.  He didn’t play much during the regular season, but he could still be at least a secondary offensive contributor from the back end.  In the playoffs, he got a chance to play a bigger role, logging over 17 minutes a night in 19 games.  That said, it’s hard to see a team making a multi-year commitment to him until he can get a full season under his belt that’s injury-free.  That will have Klingberg looking to balance maximizing his earnings with maximizing his opportunity for playing time for next season.

Signed with Sharks, 1 year, $4MM AAV

34. RW Connor Brown / Edmonton Oilers / 2 years, $2MM AAV

Josh: Brown had an extremely trying 2023-24 campaign in Edmonton, coming off ACL surgery, but reestablished himself as a legitimate top-nine two-way winger this season. He was back to sniffing his career-average production in 2024-25, posting 13 goals and 30 points in all 82 games for the Oil. He’s also been a good playoff performer for Edmonton over the last two years with 15 points in 39 games. He’s an adept penalty killer, too, and should have multiple suitors if he doesn’t return to Edmonton.

Signed with Devils, 4 years, $3MM AAV

35. D Nick Perbix / Colorado Avalanche / 3 years, $2.67MM AAV

Brian: Perbix is one of the more intriguing depth options available this summer.  He has only been an NHL regular for three years and was largely deployed in a sheltered role with Tampa Bay.  However, he was often quite effective in his limited minutes.  Just 27, he’s one of the youngest players on this list. There will likely be teams who think he can play a bigger role, while being right-handed will also help his value. Assuming enough teams feel that he has another level to get to, that higher expectation could drive his market price higher than expected and what his early-career performance would warrant.

Signed with Predators, 2 years, $2.75MM AAV

36. G Daniel Vladař / New Jersey Devils / 2 years, $2.25MM AAV

Josh: Vladař turns 28 in August and is one of the higher-upside goalie targets on the open market, but he’s yet to put together a truly above-average season in the NHL. Last year marked something of a rebound after a horrid 2023-24 showing, posting a 12-11-6 record with a .898 SV% in a career-high 30 appearances. That was good enough for 0.9 goals saved above expected behind Calgary’s defense, per MoneyPuck. At 6’5″ and 209 lbs, he’ll have more than a few calls for teams looking for a backup or even a 1B option this summer.

Signed with Flyers, 2 years, $3.35MM AAV

37. RW Joel Armia / New Jersey Devils / 2 years, $2.5MM AAV

Josh: The 32-year-old has spent the last seven years in Montreal, ending up in the press box (and even on waivers) at times. He’s coming off one of his better seasons, though. He plays a similar style to the aforementioned Brown with slightly less offensive upside but still managed 11 goals and 29 points in 81 games for the Habs while forming one of the better checking lines in the league this year with Jake Evans and Emil Heineman. He’s still a great bottom-six option who can feature on a top penalty-killing unit.

Signed with Kings, 2 years, $2.5MM AAV

38. RW Gustav Nyquist / Tampa Bay Lightning / 1 year, $2.5MM AAV

Josh: After an improbable career-high 75 points with Nashville last season, Nyquist came crashing down in 2024-25. He had just 28 points and a -24 rating in 79 games on the year, including seven points in 22 games after a deadline trade to the Wild. He’s in line for a reduced paycheck and reduced role next season as a result and is likely primed for a one-year deal to add cheap veteran scoring depth for a contender.

Signed with Jets, 1 year, $3.25MM AAV

39. LW Brandon Saad / Vegas Golden Knights / 1 year, $1.5MM AAV

Josh: Saad ended up pursuing a rare mid-season mutual contract termination with the Blues and quickly ended up with the Golden Knights, where he’s expected but not confirmed to remain. He finished the year with 14 points in 29 games, a fine 39-point pace over a full season. The 32-year-old isn’t really a top-six piece anymore but is settling in nicely as a fine veteran piece on a scoring-oriented third line.

Re-signed with Golden Knights, 1 year, $2MM AAV

40. C Nick Bjugstad / Columbus Blue Jackets / 2 years, $2.33MM AAV

Josh: A largely up-and-down career for Bjugstad continued this season. He logged 22 goals and 45 points with the Coyotes one year ago but saw his ice time slashed as the franchise shifted its operations to Utah, producing an 8-11–19 scoring line in 66 games in a checking role. Now 32 years old, he may be looking for more opportunity elsewhere but could also settle in as a bottom-six anchor down the middle for another young team.

Signed with Blues, 2 years, $1.75MM AAV

41. C Christian Dvorak / St. Louis Blues / 2 years, $2MM AAV

Brian: Dvorak was a high-end point producer at the junior level, but he hasn’t been able to come close to that level of success in the NHL, either with Arizona or Montreal, as he has yet to reach the 40-point mark in a single season.  However, he has settled in as a useful bottom-six center in recent years, one who can win faceoffs at an above-average clip while being an effective penalty killer.  While that’s not necessarily the most exciting profile, it’s one that will appeal to several teams looking to shore up their depth down the middle.  That should give him a fairly strong market even if he’s not one of the early players off the board.

Signed with Flyers, 1 year, $5.4MM AAV

42. G Ilya Samsonov / San Jose Sharks / 1 year, $2MM AAV

Brennan McClain: Although it wasn’t great by any stretch of the imagination, Samsonov had what could be considered a bounce-back year in 2024-25. Having his responsibility dramatically reduced in Vegas, Samsonov secured a 16-9-4 record in 29 games with a .891 SV% and 2.82 GAA. Still, there wasn’t much movement in his expanded metrics, making for back-to-back disappointing years on two competitive teams. Even in a thin goaltending market, Samsonov could be headed for a third-string role, but could see increased playing time on a poorer-performing team.

43. C Adam Gaudette / Tampa Bay Lightning / 1 year, $1.25MM AAV

Brennan: What a difference a season can make. After spending the last two years as an impressive scorer at the AHL level, Gaudette got another full-time opportunity at the NHL level with the Senators this past season. He rewarded them well by scoring 19 goals and 26 points in 81 games, setting a new career-high for himself. However, due to the lack of consistency throughout his career, Gaudette shouldn’t expect to be paid as a typical 20-goal scorer this summer. For any team looking for an effective scoring option in their bottom-six on the cheap, Gaudette would be an ideal candidate.

Signed with Sharks, 2 years, $2MM AAV

44. RW Taylor Raddysh / Vegas Golden Knights / 2 years, $1.75MM AAV

Brennan: Raddysh has become a difficult player to project after scoring 20 goals with the Blackhawks in 2022-23. Since then, typically in a third-line role, Raddysh has scored 12 goals and 41 points in 153 games between the Blackhawks and Capitals. Without much in the way of possession or defensive quality, Raddysh strikes as a cheaper minute-eating winger. His career-high in assists from the 2024-25 campaign was largely due to improved teammates around him, and he could benefit from landing with a team that already has an established bottom-six with quality talent.

Signed with Rangers, 2 years, $1.5MM AAV

45. G Alex Lyon / Columbus Blue Jackets / 2 years, $1.75MM AAV

Brennan: After nearly backstopping the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023-24, Lyon’s slipped in 2024-25. He finished the season with a quality record of 14-9-1 in 30 games, but his SV% dropped to .896 while his goals saved above average fell to -2.5. He’s likely destined for his third-straight strip as a team’s higher-end third-string option, and should see a significant raise on his $900K salary in Detroit.

Signed with Sabres, 2 years, $1.5MM AAV

46. LW Jeff Skinner / Toronto Maple Leafs / 1 year, $2MM AAV

Brennan: Skinner is coming off a tumultuous season with the Oilers, to say the least. The former Calder Trophy winner ended his 15-year postseason drought this year, but was moved up and down the lineup through the regular season, leading to the second-worst point-per-game average of his career. Despite making the playoffs for the first time in his career, he was typically scratched by Edmonton, scoring one goal and two points in five games, averaging 12:13 of ice time per night. If he’s given a consistent role on a new team, there’s reason to believe Skinner can remain a quality tertiary scorer.

47. G Anton Forsberg / Calgary Flames / 2 years, $1.75MM AAV

Brennan: There is some indication that Forsberg could become a shrewd option for any team looking to add a backup netminder. He’s accrued a 62-56-10 record in 142 games over the last five years in Ottawa with a .905 SV% and 3.9 goals saved above average. His output doesn’t necessarily jump off the page, but it appears better when considering the Senators have been in the bottom half of the league in GA/G in four of those five years.

Signed with Kings, 2 years, $2.25MM AAV

48. G Alexandar Georgiev / New York Islanders / 1 year, $1.25MM AAV

Brennan: Coming off the worst season of his NHL career, Georgiev will have limited options this summer. The Ruse, Bulgaria native managed a 15-26-4 record in 49 games between the Avalanche and the Sharks, with a .875 SV% and a dismal -33.1 goals saved above average. Any team that signs Georgiev will likely view him as a strong third-string goaltender if not a palatable backup option. If he wishes to continue his NHL career beyond the 2025-26 campaign, he’ll have to correct a lot of the issues that plagued him this past season.

49. C Lars Eller / Buffalo Sabres / 1 year, $1.5MM AAV

Brennan: Spending the last several years as one of the better third-line centers in the league, Eller should be expected to land in a fourth-line role on his next contract. He achieved a solid 52.2% faceoff success rate in 751 draws between the Penguins and Capitals, maintaining his consistently positive defensive metrics. Unfortunately, his scoring dropped off in his second stint with the Capitals, scoring six goals and 15 points in 63 games after the trade.

Signed with Senators, 1 year, $1.25MM AAV

50. D Tony DeAngelo / New York Islanders / 1 year, $1.5MM AAV

Brennan: Continuing his tour of the NHL’s Metropolitan Division, DeAngelo is entering the summer as an unrestricted free agent on the heels of a $775K agreement with the Islanders. As expected, he displayed quality offensive output with four goals and 19 points in 35 games, which benefited a team like the Islanders, who desperately needed more offense. Still, and this was dramatized due to his 23:21 ATOI, DeAngelo showed little effort in the defensive zone, earning an 87.9% on-ice save percentage at even strength.

Re-signed with Islanders, 1 year, $1.75MM AAV