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Poll: Top Remaining Free Agent

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More than two weeks into NHL free agency, it’s no surprise that the top-tier players on the market have already secured deals. In fact, many secondary and depth signings have also been completed. According to PuckPedia, 244 contracts have been signed, totaling just over $1 billion.

Still, there are a few recognizable names left on the open market who could make positive contributions at the NHL level. Let’s take a look at the list and assess who’s most likely to succeed.

D Matt Grzelcyk – Believe it or not, Grzelcyk’s 40 points last season is tops among all remaining free agents. After spending eight seasons with the Boston Bruins, Grzelcyk signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins last offseason. After a slow start in Pittsburgh, Grzelcyk hit his stride and showcased his highest career point total despite scoring just one goal on the year. The 31-year-old left-shot defenseman should give a team a reliable option on a third pairing. In 527 career games, Grzelcyk has posted 175 points and a plus-131 rating. With a thinning market for blue liners remaining, he should find a new home soon.

F Jack Roslovic – Despite a 20-plus goal season last year, center Jack Roslovic is still searching for a new home. After signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes last offseason, Roslovic posted 22 goals and 39 points on the year, while adding one goal and four points in nine playoff games. While Roslovic showcased an incredible turnaround in the faceoff circle with a 54.1 percent win rate (compared to his career average of 44.4), his 13:49 average ice time per game was his lowest since 2018-19. He also had a career-high 63 giveaways last season. While the Maple Leafs expressed interest in Roslovic earlier in free agency, the forward remains unsigned.

F Victor Olofsson – While Olofsson struggled to stay healthy last season (a common theme for his career), the 29-year-old winger produced 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games for the Vegas Golden Knights. That put Olofsson on an 82-game pace of 22 goals and 42 points, which would have been the most he’s scored since notching his career-high 49 points in the 2021-22 season. He also chipped in two goals and four points in nine playoff games. Olofsson has produced three career 20-plus goal campaigns, including 28 with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2022-23 campaign. He could provide quality depth scoring, and perhaps even more if he stays healthy. The native of Sweden has played more than 72 games in a season just once (75 in 2022–23).

F Joel Kiviranta – While Kiviranta produced 16 goals in 79 games this season with the Colorado Avalanche, it far exceeded what he’s showcased throughout the rest of his NHL career. Last season, Kiviranta posted a 19 percent shooting percentage, nearly doubling his career average of 10.9 percent. With that said, he made the most of his career-high 12:31 average ice time, which included setting career highs in goals, assists, points, plus/minus rating, faceoff percentage, and blocked shots. However, the well dried up in the postseason, as Kiviranta went scoreless in seven games. In 298 career games, the 29-year-old Kiviranta has produced 35 goals and 60 points.

F Luke Kunin – The last remaining free agent who produced double digit goal scoring last season is Kunin, who lit the lamp 11 times in 63 games for the San Jose Sharks before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the deadline. While Kunin’s time in Colombus didn’t prove to be a good fit (zero points in 12 games), he has proven to be a quality physical presence throughout his eight-year career, and the 27-year-old has received interest from several teams during free agency.

F Robby Fabbri – When healthy, Fabbri has been a solid contributor throughout his nine-year NHL career. However, like Olofsson, Fabbri has struggled to stay on the ice. That was no different last season with the Anaheim Ducks, where Fabbri fought through knee surgery and a hand injury that took away nearly half his season. He ended up posting eight goals and 16 assists in 44 games. The 29-year-old does have four seasons of at least 15 goals under his belt but has never played more than 72 games in a season. In 442 career games, Fabbri has produced 106 goals and 216 points.

Let us know below which remaining free agent will make the most significant impact in the 2025-26 season.

Who Is The Best Remaining Free Agent?
Jack Roslovic 49.46% (876 votes)
Matt Grzelcyk 24.90% (441 votes)
Victor Olofsson 9.20% (163 votes)
Robby Fabbri 6.44% (114 votes)
Luke Kunin 3.90% (69 votes)
Other 3.50% (62 votes)
Joel Kiviranta 2.60% (46 votes)
Total Votes: 1,771

 

 

 

 

NHL Releases Full Regular Season Schedule

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The NHL has officially released its full regular season schedule for the 2025/26 season.

The 1,312-game season starts on Tuesday, October 7, and will end on Thursday, April 16. The season will kick off with the defending champion Florida Panthers taking on the Chicago Blackhawks.

The schedule features the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators participating in the 2025 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 14 and 16. It also includes two outdoor games in Florida: the Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park on January 2, and the Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium on February 1.

The league will also pause from February 5 to 20 for the Winter Olympics in Milan.

Listed below are links to the full 2025/26 season schedules for each NHL team, organized by conference and division.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic

Metropolitan

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central

Pacific

Alex Ovechkin Could Play Beyond 2025-26

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All-time leading goal scorer Alexander Ovechkin dismissed reports of a possible retirement next season as ’nonsense,’ and previously noted that he plans to continue playing as long as his love for the game remains strong, reports Sammi Silber of DC Backcheck.

He told reporters during locker clean-out day that he fully intended to honor the final year of his contract but was unsure of his future beyond that, saying he hadn’t given any thought to whether or not he’d be open to extension talks with the Caps as soon as he becomes eligible to sign one on July 1. However, as Silber notes, speculation about Ovechkin’s potential retirement following next season was actually sparked by the Capitals themselves, when a social media post mistakenly referred to next season as the captain’s last. With one year left on his current deal and the goal-scoring record secured, the puzzle pieces were in place to assume next year would be Ovechkin’s last.

However, speaking with Russian-based Sport-Express, Ovechkin dismissed any retirement rumors as ’pure nonsense.’ He also hinted that anything could happen regarding his career, including a potential return to Russia to finish his playing days. That echoes comments Ovechkin made to Silber back in February, where he expressed his interest in playing for as long as his love for the game remains intact, which could include extending his NHL career.

Ovechkin, 39, proved last season that he isn’t slowing down. Not only did he break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring mark, but he also scored 44 goals and 73 points in just 65 games. He added five goals in 10 playoff games this last season. Over the last four seasons (age 36-39), he has produced 167 goals and is just three away from 900 for his career.

Although Ovechkin has nothing left to prove in the NHL, he could reach the 1,000-goal milestone if he stays in the league. Remarkably, he continues to perform at a high level despite playing a physically demanding style throughout his career. Not only does Ovechkin have the most goals in league history, but is also third all-time in hits, trailing leader Cal Clutterbuck by less than 300.

Hurricanes Expressed Interest In Retaining Burns, But With Reduced Role

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The Carolina Hurricanes came into the offseason with a lot of cap space and were going to make a push to sign big-name free agents. Offensively, they did just that, signing free agent Nikolaj Ehlers to a six-year, $51MM deal. The team also seems eager to continue to bolster their offensive group and is reportedly eyeing Pittsburgh Penguins veterans Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust.

However, the team also revamped their defensive unit, highlighted by a sign-and-trade for K’Andre Miller, which sent right-shot defender Scott Morrow the other way, and the signing of depth defenseman Mike Reilly. The Hurricanes also opted to let veteran Brent Burns walk in free agency, though there was interest in keeping the potential Hall of Famer in a lesser role. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast, Carolina informed Burns that, should he stay with the team, his role would be diminished.

“In Carolina, it’s not that they didn’t want to keep him. It’s that they told him that his role was going to decrease. And I’ve seen this before. Even if players are being told the truth by their team, they have such pride and sometimes they like to go somewhere else and take a lesser role than the place where they already are,” Friedman said.

Friedman noted that the Hurricanes are satisfied with their current group of blueliners, believing they fit seamlessly into Coach Rod Brind’Amour’s system. Miller will undoubtedly be a key part of that system for years to come after signing an eight-year deal worth a total value of $60MM for $7.5MM per season. The Hurricanes will also likely rely on the continued development of Alexander Nikishin, who began his NHL career in the playoffs last season.

Burns eventually landed a one-year deal with the Avalanche. Burns, 40, comes to the Avalanche after registering 29 points in 82 games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. While his offensive numbers dipped considerably in 2024-25, he still logged a hefty 20:57 of ice time per game on the season. He added five points in 15 playoff contests.

 

 

Bruins Looking Ahead To 2026 Free Agency

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While the Bruins have kept a low profile during this year’s free-agent frenzy, don’t expect the same laid-back approach next year. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman stated on the latest 32 Thoughts Podcast that he believes the Bruins are strategically saving cap space to make a big splash in free agency next offseason.

The Bruins have made a few moves so far this summer, including a trade for veteran Viktor Arvidsson and signing winger Tanner Jeannot to a five-year deal worth $3.4MM per season. But as the team moves on from the Zdeno Chara/Patrice Bergeron/Brad Marchand era, they’ll aim to be strategic about adding pieces to a roster anchored by building blocks like David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy.

“If some of these guys who are supposed to be free agents next year (reach free agency), whether they get one or not, I think Boston wants to have the opportunity to take a shot at one of those guys,” Friedman said. “So, if you’ll notice, they didn’t really do much to hamstring themselves in the future. They got Arvidsson on a one-year deal. Traded for him, gave up a late-round pick, one-year deal. Aside from Jeannot, they didn’t take any massive swings.”

While many were puzzled by the contract given to Jeannot, Friedman pointed out how competitive the market was for the physical forward. Though a five-year deal north of $3MM per year is steep for a player coming off a 13-point season, the 27-year-old has produced four 200-plus hit seasons and could take on the enforcer role currently filled by key players like defenseman Nikita Zadorov. Jeannot also fits the mold of the type of players GM Don Sweeney noted he’d like to bring in to make the Bruins harder to play against.

“Yes, it’s a five-year deal. But the number isn’t going to hurt you. Another thing I heard is that at least 10 teams were after him. I heard the competition for Jeannot was fierce. The Rangers were in it. I heard Ottawa was in it. He fit with Toronto and what Toronto likes. And there’s just not a lot of guys like him around anymore,” he said.

The biggest addition the Bruins made this offseason, Friedman noted, was selecting James Hagens with the seventh overall pick. While many believed at this time last year that Hagens was destined to be the first overall pick in this year’s draft, he slipped to seventh after producing less than expected in the NCAA. Still, Hagens game may be more NHL-ready than any of his peers in this draft class.

Teams Maintain Interest In Penguins’ Rakell And Rust

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With the main wave of free agency behind them, teams that missed out on big-name signings may now be shifting their focus to the trade market. And at the top of that list are Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, the Fourth Period reports.

Trade speculation surrounding both players isn’t new, especially given that the Penguins are one of the few teams currently in a rebuilding phase. While GM Kyle Dubas hasn’t explicitly stated that either player is off-limits, it’s believed the Penguins would need to be blown away by an offer to part with them. There doesn’t appear to be immediate urgency to move either winger, especially since both have team-friendly deals.

Rust has three years remaining on his contract, which comes with a $5.125MM AAV. The 33-year-old is coming off a career-best season, posting 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games. He has spent his entire career in the Penguins organization after the team selected him in the third round (80th overall) in the 2010 draft. In 638 career games, he’s recorded 427 points, with his 203 goals ranking ninth in franchise history. Rust also excels as a penalty killer and has a history of elevating his game and scoring timely goals in the playoffs. While Rust has expressed interest in remaining in Pittsburgh, his no-trade clause recently expired, thus taking that decision out of his hands.

Rakell bounced back with a strong 2024-25 season after a down year the previous season. In 81 games, Rakell posted a career-best 35 goals and 70 points in 81 games last season, mainly playing alongside Rust and Sidney Crosby. The sharpshooting right winger has three years remaining on an extremely team-friendly $5MM AAV contract. Rakell has eclipsed the 30-goal plateau three times in his career, and the 20-goal mark six times.

Several teams have been recently linked to the duo, including the Hurricanes, before inking Nikolaj Ehlers to a new six-year contract. The Fourth Period also includes Toronto, Los Angeles, San Jose, New Jersey, Buffalo, and Seattle among the teams looking to upgrade their top-six.

While Dubas and the Penguins’ front office would need to be impressed to make a move, with over $15 million in cap space (per PuckPedia), they could be open to taking on a large salary if it sweetens the deal and keeps the other team cap-compliant.

 

Lightning Acquire Sam O’Reilly From Oilers For Isaac Howard

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In a late-night deal, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers are swapping recent first-round picks, as forward Sam O’Reilly is heading to the Lightning in exchange for forward Isaac Howard. Both teams have announced the deal. The Oilers also announced Howard has signed a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2025-26.

O’Reilly was selected 32nd overall by the Oilers in the 2024 NHL Draft and posted 28 goals, 71 points, and a plus-56 rating in 62 games for the OHL’s London Knights this past season. He added 22 points in 17 playoff games. In 135 career regular-season games with London, O’Reilly, 19, has scored 127 points to go along with 74 penalty minutes. A two-time OHL champion, the 6’1″, 190 center has added 34 playoff points through 33 games. More than just an offensive threat, O’Reilly has the potential, size, and physicality to also be a shutdown center.

Howard, selected 31st overall in the 2023 draft, spent the last two seasons at Michigan State University after transferring from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Howard, a 5’11”, 190-pound left wing, took his game to the next level during the 2024-25 season, posting 26 goals and 52 points in 37 games. On a team that featured eight other players either drafted or signed by NHL clubs, he led the Spartans in scoring by 21 points and went on to win the Hobey Baker Award. In two seasons with Michigan State, Howard has produced 88 points and a plus-22 rating.

While O’Reilly may have the higher ceiling as a two-way player, Howard, 21, is closer to being NHL-ready. When Howard does make the jump to professional hockey, his sharp shooting ability and quick skating could make him an immediate fit in the Oilers’ already dangerous top six. Insider Frank Seravalli notes that the Oilers plan to have Howard in their opening night lineup this October.

Blue Jackets To Let Aidan Hreschuk Reach Free Agency

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Despite owning his rights, the Columbus Blue Jackets are not expected to sign Boston College defenseman Aidan Hreschuk by the August 15 deadline, reports The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline.

Hreschuk, 22, was originally drafted in the third round (94th overall) in 2021 by the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes then traded Hreschuk’s rights to Columbus in a minor league deal that brought Tyler Inamoto to Carolina in 2022. However, it appears the 5’11”, 180-pound left-handed defenseman will be looking to break into the professional ranks with yet another organization.

In four seasons at Boston College, Hreschuk appeared in 146 games and posted 38 points and a plus-34 rating. Known for his physical presence, Hreschuk’s upside is within the defensive zone. At the time he was drafted, Elite Prospects had this to say about the defender in their 2021 draft guide:

“Hreschuk looks to jump into the rush, takes passes in motion from the point, and brings some defensive value. He’s a strong single variable defender, thanks to his mobility and physicality. He drives the play to the perimeter and throws the odd hit. Physicality translates across the defensive end.”

The Blue Jackets currently have a wealth of young defensive prospects on their roster or in their system — including first-round picks Denton Mateychuk (2022) and Jackson Smith (2025), as well as 2024 second-rounder Charlie Elick — making the decision to part with Hreschuk understandable.

If Columbus does not sign Hreschuk by August 15, the Long Beach, CA native will become a free agent.

Islanders Sign Adam Beckman To One-Year Deal

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The New York Islanders have added some depth to their forward group, agreeing to a one-year, $775K contract with forward Adam Beckman, per PuckPedia. He’ll earn $150K in the minors.

Beckman, a third-round selection (75th overall) by the Minnesota Wild in the 2019 NHL Draft, flashed his potential in his last full season in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs during the 2019-20 season, posting 107 points in 63 games. This success fast-tracked Beckman to making his NHL debut for the Wild at the age of 20 during the 2021-22 season. However, he has yet to find his offensive stride in the NHL during the limited opportunities he’s received. In 23 career games with Minnesota over parts of three seasons, he recorded no goals and three assists.

Last offseason, Beckman was dealt to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for depth forward Graeme Clarke. Beckman was then traded to the Islanders in March in exchange for defenseman Dennis Cholowski. Beckman recorded 17 goals and 40 points in 55 AHL games last season, split between the Utica Comets and Bridgeport Islanders. In 236 career AHL games, the 6’2″, 180-pound Beckman has posted 74 goals and 148 points.

Beckman, 24, also faced scrutiny last season when the AHL suspended him for 10 games in April for physical abuse of an official. As the New York Post’s Christian Arnold reported, while Beckman showed immediate remorse for the incident, he was suspended for the final five games of the regular season and is set to miss the first five games of next season.

Canadiens Interested In Adding To Forward Group

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While the Montreal Canadiens have had a busy start to the offseason and are currently over the cap, they’re still looking to add to their offensive group. According to RG’s Marco D’Amico, the Habs are exploring both free agency and trade options to add a forward.

Among those options, D’Amico reports that the Canadiens remain interested in trading for St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou — a player Montreal has previously been linked to. 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 remaining on his eight-year, $ 65MM contract, which carries a cap hit of $ 8.125 million annually. While Kyrou remains a popular name in trade discussions, any deal would have to overcome the hurdle of his no-trade clause.

Another player the Habs are keeping tabs on, per D’Amico, is NHL veteran Evgeny Kuznetsov, who is eyeing an NHL comeback. Kuznetsov, 33, appeared in 39 KHL games for SKA St. Petersburg last season and scored 37 points. He signed a four-year contract with the club last summer, but his contract was terminated in early April, presumably so he could return to North America.

As a staple for the Washington Capitals, Kuznetsov put up 568 points for the team in 723 games. He added 73 points in 97 playoff games for Washington and was nearly a point-per-game producer in the NHL as recently as the 2021-22 season (78 points in 79 games). However, his production dropped off after that, and Kuznetsov later revealed that his struggles with rheumatoid arthritis — which he says he now manages more effectively — contributed to his decline. He last played in the NHL during the 2023-24 season.

Of note, Kuznetsov served as a teammate and mentor to Ivan Demidov in Russia. Demidov signed a three-year, entry-level deal with Montreal in April, and a reunion with Kuznetsov could provide him with a familiar support system as he begins his NHL career.

No matter who the Canadiens decide to pursue, the team is currently over the salary cap by more than $5MM (according to PuckPedia). Therefore, General Manager Kent Hughes needs to trade away some contracts not only to make new additions but also to ensure the team is compliant with the salary cap.

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