Kings Sign Samuel Bolduc, Logan Brown, Cole Guttman
The LA Kings continue to bolster their depth on the second day of free agency, signing defenseman Samuel Bolduc and forwards Logan Brown and Cole Guttman to two-way contracts, per a team release. In that same release, the team also confirmed the signing of forward Taylor Ward, who was previously reported to have inked a one-year, two-way deal with the team.
Bolduc’s one-year deal comes with an $775K AAV at the NHL level. Bolduc, 24, appeared in just one game for the New York Islanders last season, spending most of the season with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. In 52 career games at the NHL level, the 6’4″, 220-pound defender has produced four goals and eight assists. However, he had produced far better offensive numbers in the AHL, including last year when he secured nine goals and 35 points in 69 games for Bridgeport.
Brown, 27, was selected 11th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2016 NHL Draft. He has appeared in 99 NHL games over six seasons, posting seven goals and 27 points. However, he hasn’t appeared at the top level since a 30-game stint with the St. Louis Blues during the 2022-23 season. He spent last season in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization but only secured playing time in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, where he posted 29 points in 33 games. His contract is a one-year deal with a $775K AAV.
Guttman’s two-year deal also comes with a $775K AAV at the NHL level. Guttman, 26, last appeared in the NHL with the Blackhawks during the 2023-24 season, where he posted four goals and eight points in 27 games. While he didn’t appear in an NHL game last season, Guttman had his best year as a professional, posting 23 goals and 57 points for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
Canucks Sign Defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph
The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph to a one-year contract worth $775,000, per a team release.
The former first-round pick (23rd overall in the 2017 NHL Draft) joins Vancouver after skating in 194 career games over five NHL seasons. Joseph spent time with both the St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins last season, the latter reacquiring him midway through the year. In 47 games between the two teams, he recorded just three assists and finished with a minus-22 rating.
During the 2022–23 season with the Penguins—his first full NHL campaign—Joseph displayed the potential that made him a first-round pick, setting career highs in games played (75), goals (five), points (21), and plus/minus (plus-eight). However, he has been unable to replicate that level of success in the seasons since.
It’s worth noting that Jim Rutherford, now the Canucks’ president of hockey operations, was the Penguins’ GM when they brought in Joseph as part of the trade that sent Phil Kessel to the Coyotes. The deal also reunites Joseph, 26, with former teammate Marcus Pettersson. The Canucks appear set in their top four with Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers, and Pettersson, but Joseph could compete for a role on the third pairing or, at the very least, provide the organization with a reliable depth option on the blue line.
“Pierre-Olivier has good speed and mobility and will add to our depth on the back end. His addition gives us a player with some solid NHL and pro hockey experience, he is comfortable playing both sides, and he won a world championship with Tyler Myers in 2023. We look forward to getting him here to start working with our group,” said GM Patrik Allvin.
2025 Free Agency Day 1 Recap: Atlantic Division
With July 1 in the rearview, we’re listing every team’s moves from the opening day of free agency and the beginning of the new league year. Below are the bodies of work for the Atlantic Division clubs out of the gate:
Boston Bruins
Signed F Tanner Jeannot – five years, $17MM ($3.4MM cap hit)
Signed F Sean Kuraly – two years, $3.7MM ($1.85MM cap hit)
Signed F Michael Eyssimont – two years, $2.9MM ($1.45MM cap hit)
Signed F Matej Blumel – one year, $875K
Signed F Alex Steeves – one year, $850K
Signed D Jordan Harris – one year, $825K
Signed F Riley Tufte – one year, $775K (two-way)
Signed D Jonathan Aspirot – one year, $775K (two-way)
Signed G Luke Cavallin – one year, $775K (two-way)
Acquired F Viktor Arvidsson from Oilers for 2027 fifth-round pick
Buffalo Sabres
Signed F Ryan McLeod – four years, $20MM ($5MM cap hit)
Signed F Justin Danforth – two years, $3.6MM ($1.8MM cap hit)
Signed G Alex Lyon – two years, $3MM ($1.5MM cap hit)
Signed D Ryan Johnson – three years, $2.33MM ($775K cap hit)
Signed F Tyson Kozak – three years, $2.33MM ($775K cap hit)
Signed F Riley Fiddler-Schultz – two years, $1.73MM ($865K cap hit, entry-level)
Signed D Mason Geertsen – two years, $1.55MM ($775K cap hit, two-way)
Signed F Carson Meyer – two years, $1.55MM ($775K cap hit, two-way)
Signed D Zachary Jones – one year, $900K (two-way)
Signed D Zach Metsa – one year, $775K (two-way)
Acquired 2026 sixth-round pick from Blackhawks for F Sam Lafferty
Detroit Red Wings
Signed F James van Riemsdyk – one year, $1MM
Signed D Jacob Bernard-Docker – one year, $875K
Signed D Ian Mitchell – one year, $775K
Signed F John Leonard – one year, $775K
Florida Panthers
Signed G Kirill Gerasimyuk – two years, $1.75MM ($875K cap hit, entry-level)
Signed G Daniil Tarasov – one year, $1.05MM
Signed F Tomas Nosek – one year, $775K
Signed D Jeff Petry – one year, $775K
Signed F Jack Studnicka – one year, $775K (two-way)
Signed G Brandon Bussi – one year, $775K (two-way)
Signed F Nolan Foote – one year, $775K (two-way)
Montreal Canadiens
Signed G Kaapo Kahkonen – one year, $1.15MM
Signed F Sammy Blais – one year, $775K
Signed D Nathan Clurman – one year, $775K (two-way)
Signed F Alex Belzile – one year, $775K (two-way)
Acquired F Zachary Bolduc from Blues for D Logan Mailloux
Ottawa Senators
Signed F Lars Eller – one year, $1.25MM
Signed F Olle Lycksell – one year, $775K (two-way)
Signed F Wyatt Bongiovanni – one year, $775K (two-way)
Tampa Bay Lightning
Signed F Pontus Holmberg – two years, $3.1MM ($1.55MM cap hit)
Signed F Jakob Pelletier – three years, $2.525MM ($841.67K cap hit)
Signed F Gage Goncalves – two years, $2.4MM ($1.2MM cap hit)
Signed D Simon Lundmark – two years, $1.55MM ($775K cap hit, two-way)
Signed F Tristan Allard – two years, TBA (entry-level)
Signed F Nicholas Abruzzese – one year, $775K (two-way)
Signed F Boris Katchouk – one year, $775K (two-way)
Signed G Ryan Fanti – one year, $775K (two-way)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Signed F Michael Pezzetta – two years, $1.625MM ($812.5K cap hit)
Signed D Dakota Mermis – two years, $1.625MM ($812.5K cap hit)
Signed F Benoit-Olivier Groulx – two years, $1.625MM ($812.5K cap hit)
Signed F Travis Boyd – one year, $775K
Signed F Vinni Lettieri – one year, $775K
Acquired F Nicolas Roy from Golden Knights for F Mitch Marner
List Of Players Not Receiving A 2025 Qualifying Offer
The deadline to issue a qualifying offer to pending restricted free agents is today at 4:00 p.m. CT, making any player who has not received one eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday. Below are the players who will not be issued a qualifying offer:
(this list will be updated as reports continue to come in)
[Related: How Do Qualifying Offers Work?]
Anaheim Ducks
F Brett Leason, F Josh Lopina, F Isac Lundeström
Boston Bruins
F Trevor Kuntar, F Jakub Lauko, F Jaxon Nelson, F Oliver Wahlstrom, D Drew Bavaro, D Daniil Misyul, D Ian Mitchell
Buffalo Sabres
F Alexander Kisakov, F Bennett MacArthur, F Tyler Tullio, D Jacob Bernard-Docker
Calgary Flames
G Waltteri Ignatjew, G Connor Murphy
Carolina Hurricanes
D Anttoni Honka, D Ty Smith, G Yaniv Perets
Chicago Blackhawks
F Cole Guttman, F Philipp Kurashev, F Jalen Luypen, F Aku Raty, F Antti Saarela
Colorado Avalanche
F William Dufour, F Jean-Luc Foudy, D John Ludvig, G Kevin Mandolese
Columbus Blue Jackets
D Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm, D Cole Clayton, D Jordan Harris, D Samuel Knazko
Dallas Stars
None
Detroit Red Wings
G Gage Alexander, F Cross Hanas
Edmonton Oilers
F Jacob Perreault, G Olivier Rodrigue, F Cameron Wright
Florida Panthers
D Nathan Staios, D Zachary Uens
Los Angeles Kings
D Cole Krygier, F Jack Studnicka
Minnesota Wild
F Graeme Clarke, F Adam Raska, F Luke Toporowski, D Ryan O’Rourke
Montreal Canadiens
F Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, F Xavier Simoneau, D Gustav Lindström, D Noel Hoefenmayer
Nashville Predators
F Jordan Frasca, F Ondrej Pavel, F Jesse Ylönen, D Luke Prokop
New Jersey Devils
F Nolan Foote, D Santeri Hatakka, G Isaac Poulter
New York Islanders
D Samuel Bolduc, D Aidan Fulp, D Scott Perunovich
New York Rangers
F Lucas Edmonds, F Arthur Kaliyev, F Jake Leschyshyn, D Zachary Jones
Ottawa Senators
F Philippe Daoust, F Jamieson Rees, F Tristen Robins
Philadelphia Flyers
F Elliot Desnoyers, F Jakob Pelletier, F Zayde Wisdom
Pittsburgh Penguins
F Raivis Ansons, F Emil Bemström, F Connor Dewar, F Philip Tomasino, D Pierre-Olivier Joseph, G Taylor Gauthier
San Jose Sharks
F Carl Berglund, F Nolan Burke, F Brandon Coe, F Noah Gregor, F Klim Kostin, F Nikolai Kovalenko, G Georgi Romanov, F Mitchell Russell
Seattle Kraken
St. Louis Blues
F Tanner Dickinson, D Anton Malmstrom
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Jaydon Dureau, F Gage Goncalves, F Ryder Korczak
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Pontus Holmberg, F Reese Johnson, F Cedric Pare, D Mikko Kokkonen
Utah Mammoth
Vancouver Canucks
F Ty Glover, F Tristen Nielsen, D Christian Felton, D Cole McWard
Vegas Golden Knights
Washington Capitals
F Pierrick Dube, D Alexander Alexeyev, G Mitchell Gibson
Winnipeg Jets
F Mason Shaw, D Simon Lundmark
East Notes: Islanders RFAs, Penguins, Lauko
After a busy stretch that included trading Noah Dobson and drafting Matthew Schaefer first overall, the Islanders and GM Mathieu Darche have shifted their focus to free agency by extending qualifying offers to all of their pending restricted free agents, per Stefen Rosner of NHL.com.
The list of current pending RFAs for the Islanders includes forwards Simon Holmstrom, Emil Heineman, Maxim Tsyplakov, and Marc Gatcomb, as well as defenders Alexander Romanov and Scott Perunovich. Of note, Rosner expects Gatcomb to be back with the Islanders, whether by accepting his qualifying offer or signing a different deal.
All four forwards showcased some success last season. Homstrom, 24, posted 20 goals and 45 points last season. Holmstrom was the Islanders’ 2019 first-round selection (23rd overall) and has skated in 75 games each of the previous two seasons. Gatcomb showcased a solid scoring touch, netting eight goals in 39 NHL games (a projected 17-goal pace over 82), while Heineman chipped in 10 goals and 18 points across 62 contests, and Tsyplakov tallied 10 goals and 35 points in 77 games. And with only five defenders under contract, excluding non‑rostered players, re-signing Romanov and/or Perunovich could provide valuable depth on the blue line.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:
- The Penguins may have recently announced multiple coaching hires, but the team is still looking to add one additional assistant coach, per Shelly Anderson of Pittsburgh Hockey Now. General manager Kyle Dubas recently discussed new head coach Dan Muse’s staff and confirmed the team intends to hire an assistant specifically to oversee the Penguins’ defense. Dubas also discussed the role each recently hired assistant would have next season, with Todd Nelson tasked with running the power play and Rich Clune serving as an “eye in the sky” and helping with development. Recently retired Nick Bonino will support the team with faceoffs and will learn the ins and outs of coaching, Anderson passes along.
- Boston Bruins’ restricted free agent Jakub Lauko will not receive a qualifying offer and is set to become an unrestricted free agent, his agent JP Barry told Boston Herald reporter Steve Conroy. Lauko was the team’s third-round selection in the 2018 draft and was traded last June to the Minnesota Wild. However, he was traded back to Boston on March 6 as part of a package that sent Justin Brazeau to Minnesota. He posted five goals and 11 points in 56 games last season. Through 139 NHL games, the Czech Republic native has scored 11 goals and 28 points.
Flyers, Cam York Closing In On Extension
The Philadelphia Flyers and pending restricted free agent Cam York are closing in on a contract extension, per Ken Kurz of The Athletic. Kurz adds that he doesn’t believe the Flyers are worried at all about York being an offer sheet candidate.
With Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster recently signing extensions, it appears Flyers general manager Daniel Briere is looking to solidify the team’s blueline for years to come as well. While York is coming off a down year compared to his 2023-24 season, where he established career highs in goals (10) and assists (20), he’s still only 24 years old, a former first-rounder, and will more than likely benefit from the organization’s recent coaching change.
York’s struggles last season were at least partly linked to his tumultuous relationship with coach John Tortorella. He was made a healthy scratch multiple times and excluded from the power play despite his offensive upside. The tension peaked on March 25 during a 7–2 loss to Toronto, when York and Tortorella reportedly had a heated verbal exchange. Soon after, Tortorella was fired, and York sat out the next game versus Montreal (dressing but not skating) as a disciplinary measure.
Kurz previously reported that the Flyers and York held extension talks early last season, discussing both short-term and long-term options. Although those talks didn’t yield a deal last season, both sides appear to have returned to the negotiating table, likely signaling the belief that York is a strong fit for the system that new coach Rick Tocchet is looking to install. The Flyers currently have just north of $15MM in cap space (per PuckPedia), and an extension with York should still leave plenty of wiggle room for Briere and the front office to use in free agency.
Senators Expected To Show Interest In Tanner Jeannot
With the Kings not expected to offer winger Tanner Jeannot a new contract, he’s expected to hit the open market on Tuesday with teams looking for extra grit being likely to show interest. It appears that the Senators will be one of those as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Ottawa is expected to pursue Jeannot in free agency.
Jeannot was one of the bigger surprises in the NHL back in 2021-22. In his first full NHL season, he wound up collecting 24 goals and 17 assists along with 130 penalty minutes and 318 hits in 81 games, earning the 28-year-old a seventh-place finish in Calder Trophy voting. All of a sudden, it looked like Nashville had a key power forward of the future in the mix.
But things didn’t go anywhere near as well the following year as his output dropped to just 14 points in 56 games. Nonetheless, Tampa Bay still believed in him, sending the Preds draft picks in the first five rounds (including the 23rd pick last night, one that was moved in a trade-up swap) to acquire Jeannot’s services.
The change of scenery didn’t boost his scoring prowess as Jeannot had just four points in 20 games down the stretch in 2023 and then followed that up with just seven goals and seven assists in 55 outings in 2023-24. While the physicality was still there, the offensive touch certainly wasn’t. Needing to clear cap space last summer, the Lightning moved Jeannot and his $2.665MM contract at the draft last year for second and fourth-round picks.
Once again, the change of scenery didn’t yield an increase in production as Jeannot posted seven goals and six assists along with 89 penalty minutes and 211 hits in 67 games while logging just 11:01 per night. As a result, he’s going to be entering the open market with teams now viewing his breakout year as the outlier, not necessarily a sign of things to come.
After that 24-goal rookie year, Jeannot has managed just 20 in the three seasons since combined, making him more of a fourth liner than an impactful middle-six piece. As a result, he didn’t earn a spot on our Top 50 UFA list. After playing on a bridge deal the last two seasons, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jeannot effectively get another one as it would be difficult to see a team making a longer-term commitment to someone whose production has been so limited lately. But with a lot of teams looking for added grit, Jeannot should nonetheless have a solid group of suitors next week with the Sens appearing to be one of them.
East Notes: Kyrou, Cody Glass, Rust
Pittsburgh Penguins veteran winger Bryan Rust has been linked to trade discussions involving multiple teams, including the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast.
The Penguins have bolstered their forward pipeline by drafting Benjamin Kindel at No. 11 overall, and GM Kyle Dubas appears to be open to offers for veteran forwards. Even though Rust posted a career-best season in 2024-25, Pittsburgh’s rebuild means he and Rickard Rakell are among the tradeable players that contenders may target for scoring help.
Rust posted 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games last season, largely playing alongside Rakell and Sidney Crosby. Rust also excels as a penalty killer and has a history of elevating his game and scoring timely goals in the playoffs. While he’s 32 and has a history of injury concerns, Rust has three years remaining on his $5.125MM AAV deal that could prove team-friendly for a contending team.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:
- Friedman also discussed that while the New Jersey Devils have expressed interest in retaining pending restricted free agent Cody Glass, the team may not have the financial flexibility to do so. With several pending free agents—including Curtis Lazar, Brian Dumoulin, and Jake Allen—and a significant restricted free agent in Luke Hughes, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald must be strategic in allocating the team’s $14.3 million in cap space (per PuckPedia). Glass spent last season between the Penguins and Devils and posted a combined six goals and 22 points in 65 games. The former sixth overall pick (and first in Golden Knights history), added a career-high 51.2 faceoff win percentage.
- As the Montreal Canadiens continue to explore trade options, they have checked in on St. Louis Blues’ sniper Jordan Kyrou, per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. The Habs traded for defensemen Noah Dobson earlier today and will absorb his new eight-year, $76MM contract. However, the team also appears interested in adding to its forward group. The Canadians finished 17th in the league with 243 goals last season, and a player like Kyrou could certainly help them climb those rankings. Playing all 82 games last season, he posted 36 goals and 70 points. It represented his third consecutive 30-goal campaign, and the 26-year-old added three goals in seven playoff games. Kyrou has five years left on his eight-year, $65MM contract, which comes with a cap hit of $8.125MM annually.
PHR’s 2025 Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents
The past two weeks have already seen the offseason enter a period of high activity. Still, many big-ticket names remain available with just four days left to go until July 1. There’s only been a handful of last-minute re-signings, and while there’s sure to be more before the market opens, most of the top names look to be available.
While the depth of this year’s class doesn’t sniff last year’s, it does feature perhaps the highest-caliber player to test free agency since Artemi Panarin six years ago. As a reminder, our rankings and predictions are voted on by the entirety of our writing team based on a combination of talent perception and expected demand.
All predictions are independent and have no bearing on each other, while each player is presumed to be signing a one-way contract. Due to this year’s compact offseason schedule, voting was done before the buyout window opened and the June 30 qualifying offer deadline.
1. RW Mitch Marner / Anaheim Ducks / 7 years, $14.25MM AAV
Josh Erickson: It would surprise no one to hear that Marner was the unanimous No. 1 UFA among our writers. He’s the only bona fide top-line forward available and one of the league’s premier playmakers – not to mention he’s coming off a career-high 75 assists and 102 points in 2024-25. Since beginning his NHL career in 2016, the lifelong Maple Leaf is eighth in the league with 741 points in 657 games. After failing to advance past the second round with Toronto again, it’s become a foregone conclusion that he’ll be testing the open market and landing a well-compensated package to take his elite talent to another team.
Sign-and-trade with Golden Knights, 8 years, $12MM AAV
2. LW Nikolaj Ehlers / Carolina Hurricanes / 7 years, $8.5MM AAV
Josh: After Ehlers was limited to 0.74 points per game in 2023-24, his worst per-game showing in five years, there were questions about his long-term fit, and there was a legitimate chance of Winnipeg trading him before his walk year. The Jets stayed the course. While Ehlers lost a few games to injury, he rebounded with one of the better seasons of his career with 63 points in 69 games. A consistent top-six scoring threat who’s a slam dunk for 25 goals and 60 points, he’ll be among the most well-compensated players this summer, whether he stays in Winnipeg or not.
Signed with Hurricanes, 6 years, $8.5MM AAV
3. C Sam Bennett / Florida Panthers / 8 years, $8.25MM AAV
Josh: No one on this list has seen his stock rise more in the last few months than Bennett. The Flames selected him fourth overall in the 2014 draft, but it was a trade to Florida at the 2021 deadline that truly sparked his career. He’s got 196 points in 289 games since joining the Panthers and has served as their second-line center in back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, leveraging his hard-nosed and sometimes over-the-line style of play physically into a 15-goal, 22-point showing in this year’s playoffs that earned him a Conn Smythe Trophy. He’s a high-priority target for the Panthers to retain, and since they still haven’t worked out deals for their other pending UFAs, there’s little reason to believe this one won’t result in an extension.
Re-signed with Panthers, 8 years, $8MM AAV
4. C John Tavares / Toronto Maple Leafs / 4 years, $5MM AAV
Josh: While the veteran center is in no position to command the $11MM cap hit his expiring contract boasted, he’s still an extremely effective second-line center as he enters his mid-30s and would be a No. 1 option on weaker teams. He averaged 18:14 per game last season – his highest workload since COVID – and returned the favor with 38 goals and 74 points with a +10 rating in 75 games. While age-related decline is a valid fear in signing Tavares to any mid-to-long-term contract, he finished second in points among the players on his list and led them in goals by a significant margin. Whether he forgoes an extension with his hometown team and tests the market is the biggest question.
Re-signed with Maple Leafs, 4 years, $4.38MM AAV
5. D Aaron Ekblad / Florida Panthers / 7 years, $7.75MM AAV
Josh: It’s beginning to look like Ekblad may test the open market and find a new home after spending the first 11 years of his career with the Panthers. The 2014 first overall pick had dealt with health issues and declining point totals the past few years. He at least overcame the latter in 2024-25, rebounding for 33 points in 56 games while receiving expanded power-play deployment. He stayed healthy for the most part, too – most of his absence was due to a PED-related suspension late in the year.
Re-signed with Panthers, 8 years, $6.1MM AAV
6. RW Brock Boeser / Minnesota Wild / 6 years, $8.35MM AAV
Josh: Boeser will almost certainly move on from the Canucks this summer; they’re the only NHL organization he’s ever known since being drafted No. 23 overall in 2015. The 6’1″ winger seemingly delivered on his season a year ago, potting a career-high 40 goals and 73 points as the Canucks marched to a division title. Scoring woes plagued Vancouver this season, though, and his production dropped off to 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games. Injuries have been an issue for him over his entire career – he averages 64 points per 82 games but has only ever surpassed the 60-point mark once in actuality. While that would typically mean teams would be wary of giving him too large a contract this summer, his recent burst of production – and the fact he’s still just 28 – will be enough to make him one of the more well-compensated players on the open market this summer.
Re-signed with Canucks, 7 years, $7.25MM AAV
7. LW Brad Marchand / Toronto Maple Leafs / 2 years, $8MM AAV
Josh: While Marchand goes by many nicknames, Big Game Brad may be the most apt. After spending his entire career with the Bruins, the now-former Boston captain was shipped to the Panthers at the trade deadline. The 37-year-old had a somewhat underwhelming offensive showing in the regular season, which was presumably set to limit his market this summer. That all changed with a spectacular postseason showing, finishing as the runner-up to Bennett for the Conn Smythe after scoring 20 points in 23 games, including six goals in six Stanley Cup Final games. Age-related decline is a legitimate concern here, but teams may find him so desirable to give him more term than usual/expected to fend off other suitors.
Re-signed with Panthers, 6 years, $5.25MM AAV
8. D Vladislav Gavrikov / Detroit Red Wings / 7 years, $7.75MM AAV
Josh: Gavrikov enters the market as the top left-shot and top shutdown defenseman available after something of a breakout season in Los Angeles. The 29-year-old was given an extended run in top-pairing minutes for the first time to begin the season with Drew Doughty injured, and he delivered with his best NHL season out of his six. The 6’3″ Russian provided 30 points and a +26 rating while averaging north of 23 minutes per game. He also had spectacular possession impacts for his heavy defensive zone deployment. He’s shown he may not be the best fit on a weaker team in the past (his two-way numbers weren’t nearly as strong in his days with the Blue Jackets), but that likely won’t scare teams off, considering the strength of his platform year.
Signed with Rangers, 7 years, $7MM AAV
9. D Ivan Provorov / New York Rangers / 6 years, $7.25MM AAV
Josh: Provorov could be on the move to the third team of his career this summer. The Blue Jackets took a swing on retaining the pending UFA at the trade deadline – unfortunately, it didn’t materialize in a playoff berth and extension talks have reportedly been slow. He’s coming off a decent but not career year, posting 33 points and a +11 rating while logging heavy minutes in Columbus. One thing working in his favor despite historically average possession impacts and some visual defensive faults – he’s extremely durable, playing 696 out of 699 possible games since making his NHL debut in 2016-17.
Re-signed with Blue Jackets, 7 years, $8.5MM AAV
10. RW Claude Giroux / Ottawa Senators / 2 years, $5.25MM AAV
Josh: While Giroux is squarely in his twilight years, the 37-year-old still projects as an effective middle-six piece for the next couple of seasons. He still managed 15 goals and 50 points in 81 games for the Senators this season. While he’d likely prefer to remain with his hometown team after their first playoff appearance in a while in 2024, he remains without an extension a few days from the market opening. He’s a better fit stylistically on the wing at this stage of his career, but could be a great fit for a team looking for a veteran piece to pair with a young center who struggles in the dot. Giroux still takes a huge amount of faceoffs, winning a career-high 61.5% of them in 2024-25.
Re-signed with Senators, 1 year, $2MM AAV + $2.5MM in performance bonuses
11. C Mikael Granlund / Montreal Canadiens / 3 years, $5.5MM AAV
Brian La Rose: A couple of years ago, Granlund was basically salary ballast as part of the three-team Erik Karlsson trade. But the opportunity to play a top-line role in San Jose gave the 33-year-old a chance to showcase that he can still be a solid offensive contributor with back-to-back seasons of at least 60 points while playing important penalty killing minutes as well. That made him a key addition for Dallas at the trade deadline, and while he was a winger with them, he’ll be viewed as one of the better available centers in this market, putting him in a good position for another multi-year deal.
Signed with Ducks, 3 years, $7MM AAV
12. D Brent Burns / Carolina Hurricanes / 1 year, $5MM AAV
Josh: A Hall-of-Fame career is expected to continue for Burns in 2025-26 as he gears up for his 22nd NHL season. While he was still a top-pair threat heading into his age-39 season, Father Time began to catch up to him in 2024-25. He’ll enter the season at age 40 and coming off a highly underwhelming 29 points in 82 games while seeing a sharp reduction in minutes. He did finish as high as 10th in Norris Trophy voting as recently as two years ago and can still be a good top-four presence – something there aren’t many of on the open market this summer – but he likely won’t receive any multi-year offers.
Signed with Avalanche, 1 year, $1MM AAV + $4MM in performance bonuses
13. D Dmitry Orlov / Los Angeles Kings / 3 years, $5.5MM AAV
Josh: Orlov was No. 1 on this list in 2023 amid an exceptionally weak class. He was coming off a career season then, not so much now. There’s no denying Orlov, 34 next month, can still be an effective top-four piece, but he never lived up to the $7.75MM cap hit he signed for on his two-year deal with Carolina. That was mostly due to his deployment; he averaged only 18:36 per game for the Canes after seeing over 20 minutes per night for most of his career. The undersized but physical lefty posted 28 points and a +16 rating in 76 games this year but saw his stock fall due to a tough postseason in which his declining foot speed was exposed.
Signed with Sharks, 2 years, $6.5MM AAV
14. C Pius Suter / Minnesota Wild / 3 years, $5MM AAV
Brian: Two years ago, Suter didn’t have a particularly strong market, eventually needing to wait nearly six weeks before signing a low-cost two-year deal with Vancouver. That shouldn’t be the case this time around. Suter is coming off a career year with the Canucks, one that saw him score 25 goals, putting him in a tie for third-most among pending UFAs. He was tied with Bennett and Boeser and behind Tavares and Marner. Pretty good company to be in. However, his shooting percentage jumped over 18%, a rate that’s usually viewed as unsustainable while he has only surpassed the 30-point mark once. That means there’s some risk with the signing if he reverts more toward his career numbers but as a versatile two-way player, he can be an effective addition even if the offense takes a step back.
Signed with Blues, 2 years, $4.125MM AAV
15. LW Jonathan Drouin / Washington Capitals / 3 years, $4.5MM AAV
Josh: Reuniting with former junior teammate Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado has re-ignited Drouin’s career. The 2013 third-overall pick is still by no means a standalone top-line threat but has had two of the three best offensive seasons of his career with the Avalanche since first arriving in Denver as a free agent in 2023. While injuries, a common theme in Drouin’s career, limited him to 43 appearances this season, he still managed 11 goals and 37 points for the highest point-per-game output of his 11 NHL seasons. His value will be limited on the open market based on his career numbers outside of Colorado; in Tampa Bay and Montreal, Drouin averaged only 13 goals and 48 points per 82 games.
Signed with Islanders, 2 years, $4MM AAV
16. D Dante Fabbro / Columbus Blue Jackets / 6 years, $4.5MM AAV
Josh: Fabbro landed on waivers at the beginning of the season after he fell out of the regular lineup in Nashville. It was a blessing in disguise for the 2016 first-rounder, who was picked up by the Blue Jackets and emerged as a top-pairing threat alongside Zach Werenski. The 27-year-old had his birthday just last week and is one of the youngest options as a result. He had 26 points and a +20 rating in 68 games between Nashville and Columbus, averaging 20:54 per game with the best possession impacts of his career. He’s the second-best right-shot option on the market behind Ekblad and will get a nice bit of security if he doesn’t extend with the Jackets.
Re-signed with Blue Jackets, 4 years, $4.125MM AAV
17. RW Patrick Kane / Detroit Red Wings / 1 year, $5MM AAV
Josh: Kane has successfully rebounded from his major hip surgery two years ago. While not the perennial All-Star he was a decade ago, he’s still an effective top-six producer and future Hall-of-Famer. He’s scored 106 points in 122 games over the last two years with Detroit. His extreme defensive deficiencies at this stage of his career take away from his on-ice value, but the 36-year-old remains an effective point producer and a fine second-line option. Whether he’ll continue serving that role in Hockeytown remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see him extend what’s been a mutually beneficial fit so far.
Re-signed with Red Wings, 1 year, $3MM AAV + $4MM in potential performance bonuses
18. G Jake Allen / Philadelphia Flyers / 2 years, $3.5MM AAV
Brian: Allen hasn’t been a full-fledged starter for several years but is still considered the top goalie available on the open market this summer. He’s coming off a solid showing in New Jersey as the backup to Jacob Markstrom and has played in at least 30 games in four straight seasons. While there won’t be teams necessarily looking at him to be a number one option, he’s someone who can come in and stabilize the backup position and play starter minutes in the short term when injuries arise. In a market bereft of proven and reliable options, Allen stands out as the one goaltender who can be counted on to be a steady performer, which will give him plenty of suitors.
Re-signed with Devils, 5 years, $1.8MM AAV
19. LW Andrei Kuzmenko / Los Angeles Kings / 3 years, $4.5MM AAV
Josh: Kuzmenko’s inconsistency has caused him to suit up for four different teams in his three-year NHL career, including two trades in 2024-25. It’s his high-end flashes and good timing that should lead to significant interest this summer, though. While he had just 11 goals in 66 games on the year after starting his NHL career with seasons of 39 and 22 tallies, respectively, he still put up a strong 5-12–17 scoring line in 22 games for the Kings after they picked him up from the Flyers at the deadline. He also had six points in six playoff games. While by no means a play-driver on his own, he’s proven time and again he can be a good fit as the third-best player on a line and a spectacular complementary scorer if deployed correctly.
Re-signed with Kings, 1 year, $4.3MM AAV
20. C Jack Roslovic / Philadelphia Flyers / 3 years, $3.5MM AAV
Brian: Roslovic has had his ups and downs and recent years and has been with three different organizations over the last 16 months. However, while he’s prone to streakiness, he’s also one of the more consistent secondary scorers in terms of point production in this free agent class as he has surpassed the 30-point mark for the past five years. Roslovic is coming off a 22-goal season and has shifted between center and the wing routinely over the years, a versatility that should be particularly appealing in a market that has lost some of its better options at center recently.
Evgeny Kuznetsov Eyeing NHL Comeback
After signing a four-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL last summer, it looked like Evgeny Kuznetsov’s days of playing in North America were over. However, that may not be the case anymore. His agent, Shumi Babayev, announced (Telegram link) that his client will play in North America next season and that he has been in contact with several teams already.
The 33-year-old played in 39 KHL contests this past season, tallying 37 points. However, despite the solid performance, the remaining three years of the contract were terminated back in April. At the time, it seemed like he might simply land with another team in Russia but now, it appears that won’t be the case.
Kuznetsov last played in the NHL in the 2023-24 season. He started the year with Washington but re-entered the Player Assistance Program in February 2024. Upon being cleared to return, the Capitals placed him on waivers and after he cleared, he was dealt with 50% retention to Carolina for a third-round pick. Kuznetsov went on to record seven points in 20 games with the Hurricanes before adding six more in 10 playoff outings. However, he requested and was granted a termination of the final year of his contract last summer to allow him to go play in Russia which he has now evidently had a change of heart about.
Kuznetsov has 743 career NHL appearances, notching 173 goals and 402 assists over that span. That immediately makes him one of the higher-scoring UFA centers available on the open market this summer.
But the question is which version of Kuznetsov that teams would be getting. He’s only a few years removed from a 78-point campaign in Washington but his 2023-24 performance saw him notch just 24 points in 63 contests despite averaging over 17 minutes a night of ice time. Was that just a down year or a sign that he can’t keep up with NHL-level competition as much as he used to?
That’s a question that teams will undoubtedly be weighing as July 1st approaches. On the one hand, there could be some upside if he’s able to come in and play in the middle six somewhere. On the other hand, if Kuznetsov was a step slow two seasons ago, that could be further exacerbated now. Assuming a deal is reached, it seems reasonable to think that it might just be a one-year agreement, one that allows both sides a chance to walk away if things don’t go well. But just a few days out from free agency, it appears a new middleman is in play.