Free Agent Focus: Minnesota Wild
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Wild.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Bobby Brink – Minnesota doesn’t have too much on its plate regarding free agents under their control this summer. Brink should be a player to consider in the Wild’s future. In the final season of his two-year, $3.0MM deal ($1.5MM AAV), he scored 15 goals for 30 points in 68 games between two NHL teams this year. Before adding five points in 17 combined games post-trade deadline, Brink saw the majority of his production come from his time with the Flyers, but with many winger prospects on the way in Philadelphia, the 24-year-old’s future in orange was limited. The Minnetonka native hasn’t seen a full 82-game season in his young NHL career, but the Wild should expect 30-40 points from a healthy former second-round pick within the middle-six on the right wing.
D Carson Lambos – The Wild finally awarded former first-round pick Carson Lambos with his NHL debut this season – but the feat seemed to do little for Lambos’ momentum. He returned to the minors after just one game and ended his year with another 19-point campaign. Once a highly-acclaimed, two-way prospect, Lambos has dwindled into a quiet role in the AHL. His free-agency will mark how Minnesota wants to move forward with a recent high-pick. A cheap, two-way contract will extend his fight to acheive his draft-day potential, while a missing qualifying offer could open the door for Lambos to find his stride somewhere new.
Other RFAs: D Daemon Hunt, F Caedan Bankier, F Oksar Olausson, F Cameron Butler, F Bradley Marek, D Roman Schmidt, D David Spacek, G Samuel Hlavaj
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Mats Zuccarello – By opening night of 2026-27, Zuccarello will be age 39. The winger finished his 2025-26 with 54 points in just 59 games for the Wild, capping off the second season of a two-year contract at $8.25MM ($4.125MM AAV). His 82-game point pace was at 75, and as Kirill Kaprizov‘s linemate, he is credited as a positive influence for the Russian star forward. Wild GM Bill Guerin was open about wanting him back, but the question comes down to whether the Norwegian will take a short-term contract with lesser guaranteed money or a bonus-focused deal.
F Vladimir Tarasenko – After a 2024-25 season that only saw 11 pucks cross the goal line from his stick, Tarasenko found his scoring touch this past season with 23 goals for 47 points in 75 games, adding 5 points in 11 playoff games for the Wild. The Russian winger slowly connected with his game again, proving to be clutch with depth scoring and a valuable presence on the second power-play unit. The only vague area of the situation is what the contract looks like as he enters his age-35 year.
F Michael McCarron – Both parties want each other back, there’s no doubt about that. Five points in 20 games for the Wild rounded out a 79-game 2025-26 season that saw 12 points in Nashville before he was traded for a second-round pick in 2028. For the 6-foot-6 forward who has never seen an annual intake above $1.0MM, he wants to ensure he can capitalize on the money and term but also wants to win, understanding Minnesota’s spot in the NHL’s food chain. The points aren’t everything; McCarron also brings solid faceoff numbers to a team that is dry and needs more at the center position.
Other UFAs: F Marcus Johansson, F Robby Fabbri, D Zach Bogosian, D Jeff Petry, F Nicolas Aube-Kubel, F Ben Jones, D Ben Gleason, G Cal Petersen
Photo Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images (Brink)
Free Agent Focus: Los Angeles Kings
Free agency is now less than a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Kings.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Brandt Clarke – If there were any remaining questions about Clarke’s ability to become a top-four defenseman, those have completely subsided. The former first-round pick had an impressive season with the Kings, scoring eight goals and 40 points with a +11 rating in 82 games. It’s not terribly more production than what he had last season, but he proved he could handle nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game. Given that Clarke is the only defenseman in Los Angeles who has yet to enter his prime, it would make the most sense to give Clarke a long-term deal this summer to ensure the Kings have a defenseman to build a defensive corps around.
Other RFAs: F Martin Chromiak, F Francesco Pinelli
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Scott Laughton – There wasn’t much hope in Laughton after the Kings acquired him from the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline, given his struggles with Toronto this year. However, Laughton seemingly rediscovered his game in Los Angeles, scoring five goals and eight points in 21 games down the stretch, with a 59.4% faceoff rating while averaging over 15 minutes of ice time per game. Laughton expressed a desire to remain with the Kings at the end-of-season media availability, and the Kings likely won’t have any issue retaining him for a bottom-six role.
F Andrei Kuzmenko – Although Laughton has found a new home with the Kings, Kuzmenko has seemingly lost his. Limited by injuries, the 30-year-old Russian registered only 13 goals and 25 points in 52 games this season. Toward the end of May, Eric Stephens of The Athletic reported that Los Angeles is likely to move on from Kuzmenko this offseason, since he no longer has a spot in the top six. He’s an incredibly streaky scorer, but can provide some offense in a middle-six role. Regardless, he’s likely to join his fifth organization in as many seasons.
Other UFAs: F Mathieu Joseph, F Jeff Malott, D Jacob Moverare, G Pheonix Copley, F Glenn Gawdin, F Logan Brown, F Jan Jenik, F Nikita Alexandrov, D Kyle Burroughs
Projected Cap Space
No pressure, but this offseason has the chance to be a franchise-defining one for the Kings. Yes, the team has a priority to retain Clarke for as long as possible, but they also have an Anže Kopitar-shaped hole down the middle. The team has $18.3MM in cap space, which should leave plenty left over to fill that need. It’s not clear whether Los Angeles is confident in Quinton Byfield assuming that role just yet, so the Kings will likely have to use their available dollars on the trade market to add an impact center this summer.
Photos courtesy of Bob Frid (Clarke) and Griffin Hooper (Laughton) of Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Free Agent Focus: Florida Panthers
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Panthers.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Mackie Samoskevich – Fortunately, the Panthers only have one restricted free agent to worry about this offseason. Despite being drafted in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Samoskevich has failed to turn into a true top-six talent, even with increased ice time this past season. The 23-year-old winger scored 12 goals and 32 points in 77 games with Florida this season, remarkably similar to his output during the 2024-25 campaign. Still, his possession metrics have remained solid, and he’s not a slouch in the defensive zone. Assuming a healthy roster next season, Florida could do a lot worse than Samoskevich as a tertiary scoring threat.
Other RFAs: F Cole Schwindt, D Donovan Sebrango, F Ben Steeves, F Wilmer Skoog, F Oliver Okuliar, D Tobias Bjornfot, D Michael Benning, D Evan Nause, D Mikulas Hovorka, G Cooper Black
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
G Sergei Bobrovsky – It appears that the seven-year relationship between the Panthers and Bobrovsky will end this summer. The 37-year-old netminder is coming off the worst season of his NHL career, and is intent on playing into his 40’s, seeking a multi-year deal on the open market. Still, outside of Bobrovsky, Florida doesn’t have any other goaltenders in their system to rely upon. The front office may already have a succession plan in place, but it’s clear they have little appetite to meet Bobrovsky’s asking price. He’s only one year removed from helping the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, so he should have some interest on the open market.
F A.J. Greer – Of all the depth forwards Florida had to utilize this season, Greer was arguably the best. The 29-year-old had a career season, scoring 17 goals and 32 points in 78 games, averaging 12:26 of ice time. Additionally, Greer is incredibly physical, finishing first on the team with 203 hits this season. Given his performance this season, Greer has likely priced himself off the Panthers roster. There will be a market for a forward of his archetype, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him sign a longer-term deal with a smaller AAV, similar to William Carrier of the Carolina Hurricanes a few years ago.
G Daniil Tarasov – The compounding issue with Bobrovsky’s impending free agency is that Florida’s backup is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, too. Still, it should be far more feasible, financially speaking, to retain Tarasov. Throughout his first year with the Panthers, Tarasov finished with a 13-15-3 record with a .895 SV% and 3.05 GAA. It didn’t show enough to take the reins from Bobrovsky, but it was good enough to warrant another backup role next season.
Other UFAs: F Vinnie Hinostroza, F Tomas Nosek, F Luke Kunin, F Noah Gregor, F Nolan Foote, F Jack Studnicka, G Louis Domingue
Projected Cap Space
Heading into the summer, Florida will have just over $15.2MM to work with. Unfortunately, most of that will be allocated to giving Samoskevich a new contract and building a new goaltending tandem. Still, the Panthers already have 12 forwards and six defensemen signed through next season. Assuming everyone is healthy, which is a dangerous assumption after this past season, Florida won’t need to go big game hunting this offseason outside of goaltending. They’ll be able to spend the rest of the few dollars on bringing in new depth players or keeping the old ones.
Photos courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig (Samoskevich) and Mark Alberti (Greer) of Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Free Agent Focus: Edmonton Oilers
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Oilers.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Spencer Stastney – On the same day the Oilers acquired Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins, they acquired Stastney from the Nashville Predators for a 2027 third-round pick. At the time, Edmonton believed that Stastney would become a younger version of Brett Kulak, who was sent to the Penguins in the Jarry trade. Unfortunately, that’s not how things worked out. Stastney registered one goal in 36 games for Edmonton down the stretch, while his CorsiFor% and on-ice SV% took a nosedive. Still, given that they don’t have much defensive depth in the system, the Oilers will likely tender Stastney a contract for next season and keep him around on a short-term deal with the hope that his game can improve as he grows more comfortable in Alberta.
F Colton Dach – It’s tough to make an accurate judgment on Dach’s time with the Oilers. He was good when he played, scoring two goals and four points in eight games, but suffered a long-term injury almost immediately after being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the deadline. In a similar rationalization to retaining Stastney, Edmonton will likely keep Dach around for cost-controlled depth. Assuming they keep Dach, the Oilers will already have 12 forwards signed through next season, allowing them to allocate dollars elsewhere.
Other RFAs: F Roby Jarventie, F Josh Bloom, F Matvei Petrov, F Owen Michaels, G Connor Ungar
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Jack Roslovic – After scoring 22 goals for the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2024-25 campaign, Roslovic was hoping to parlay that performance into a multi-year deal. Unfortunately for him, no teams took the bait, and he waited until early October to sign a one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Oilers. Edmonton gave him a full no-movement clause, with a four-team trade list beginning on November 1st. The thought was that the Oilers would give Roslovic a month with the team and trade him to his preferred destination once Zach Hyman returned from injury. Instead, Roslovic spent the entire season with Edmonton, scoring 21 goals and 36 points in 69 games. Assuming he’s looking for another multi-year deal this summer, Roslovic’s time with the Oilers will likely end with a one-year stint.
D Connor Murphy – Acquired from the Blackhawks at the deadline, Murphy played relatively well throughout his short duration with the Oilers. The aging veteran registered one goal and four points in 20 games, while throwing 51 hits in over 20 minutes of action a night. In the postseason, Murphy added another two goals and three points in six games. Still, it’s clear that Murphy’s foot speed has taken multiple steps back, and even though Edmonton could use additional defensive depth, their cap space would be better spent bringing in additional speed on the blue line.
G Connor Ingram – After taking the starter’s crease from Jarry after the Olympic break, Ingram was the saving grace of the Oilers’ season for some time. He wasn’t great, but he provided just enough with an 11-6-2 record in 19 games with a .901 SV% and 2.55 GAA. Assuming the Oilers let Pickard walk this summer, Ingram would be a good bet to be Edmonton’s third-string option next season, or backup if they’re able to move off Jarry’s contract, if he’s open to staying.
Other UFAs: F Adam Henrique, F Curtis Lazar, F Jason Dickinson, F Kasperi Kapanen, F Max Jones, F Samuel Poulin, F James Hamblin, D Cam Dineen, G Calvin Pickard
Projected Cap Space
All things considered, the Oilers’ salary cap outlook isn’t horrible. Entering the offseason, Edmonton will have approximately $14.5MM in salary cap space. Including Dach, the team already has 12 forwards signed through next season, and six defensemen, including Stastney. That’ll allow Edmonton to nibble around the edges of the free agent market to bolster their depth, but they won’t have much wiggle room to make any mistakes. Given that space, Edmonton should take every opportunity to pursue free agent Sergei Bobrovsky or trade for Juuse Saros or Jordan Binnington, with the benefit of not having to match salary.
Photos courtesy of Perry Nelson (Stastney) and Walter Tychnowicz (Roslovic) of Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Free Agent Focus: Detroit Red Wings
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Red Wings.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Simon Edvinsson – Regarding their internal free agents, Edvinsson will be the most important negotiation for the Red Wings this offseason. Not only has Edvinsson proven that he can handle heavy minutes, but he’s also a flawless partner next to Moritz Seider, something Detroit has struggled to fill the past two years. According to MoneyPuck, of the eight defensive pairings that finished with over 1000 minutes played, the combination of Edvinsson and Seider finished third with a 54.8% xGoals%. He’s mildly struggled on offense, scoring 16 goals and 56 points in 150 games the past two years, but Edvinsson has consistently put his body on the line to block shots, and uses his size and reach to his advantage on defense. On a long-term deal, AFP Analytics projects Edvinsson to sign a seven-year, $61.6MM ($8.8MM AAV). Given their unwillingness to pay anyone more than captain Dylan Larkin‘s $8.7MM salary, it’s far likelier that Edvinsson will sign closer to the $8MM to $8.25MM range, ensuring he remains below Larkin and Seider in the salary cap table.
G Sebastian Cossa – Despite being the subject of trade speculation heading into the offseason, it’s become clear that Cossa has become the heir-apparent in Detroit. The former 15th overall pick has been lights out for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins the past two years and will likely make the full-time jump to the NHL next season, albeit in a backup role. At some point, several years in the future, the Red Wings will likely be in a position to move one of Cossa or Trey Augustine off the roster, but that’s a ways away from being an issue. Throughout the past two years, the 6’6″, 209lbs netminder has managed a 47-23-10 record in 80 AHL contests with a SV% higher than .910 and a GAA lower than 2.50. Given that he only has one game of NHL experience, it’s likely that the two sides will agree on a one- to two-year deal this summer.
Other RFAs: F Carter Mazur, F Michael Milne, F Amadeus Lombardi, F Alexandre Doucet, F Jakub Rychlovsky, F Wojciech Stachowiak, D William Wallinder, D Eemil Viro, G Carter Gylander
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Patrick Kane – Of all the pending unrestricted free agents on the Red Wings, recent reporting indicates that Kane is the only one they have a desire to retain. It’s clear he’s lost a step, but a 19-year career and hip resurfacing surgery will do that to anyone. Regardless, the former MVP has continued to produce as a respectable secondary scorer, registering 16 goals and 57 points in 67 games this past season. During the past season, more injury concerns arose, but it seems that both Detroit and Kane would prefer a one-year deal anyway. Still, given his steady production, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kane re-up with the Red Wings for an identical one-year, $3MM contract this summer, with another $4MM available in performance bonuses.
F David Perron – Although Justin Faulk stole many of the eyes as the Red Wings’ big deadline acquisition, Detroit also returned a familiar face in Perron from the Ottawa Senators. Unfortunately, all signs indicate that the remarriage will end in another divorce. Perron was nearly unnoticeable in his second stint with the Red Wings, scoring three goals in 16 games with a -9 rating, averaging 13:59 of ice time per game. Given his recent injury concerns and distressing health concerns with his daughter, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Perron hang up his skates this summer. If he does continue to play, he should be able to find a bottom-six role elsewhere. However, after winning a Stanley Cup and enjoying a 19-year career, nobody would blame Perron if he decided to spend more time with his family.
F James van Riemsdyk – Detroit brought in ‘JVR’ last summer in the hopes that he would offer tertiary scoring and a veteran presence in the locker room. Through the first half of the season, that’s exactly what he provided. Heading into the Olympic break, van Riemsdyk had scored 14 goals and 25 points in 49 games, averaging 13:31 of ice time. Unfortunately, he and the rest of the team fell off a cliff after returning from the break. In his final 23 games, van Riemsdyk registered only one goal and six points. He is another bubble player that wouldn’t be surprising to see retire; however, if he does continue to play, the Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, and New York Islanders all seem like decent landing spots for the 37-year-old winger.
Other UFAs: D Travis Hamonic, G Cam Talbot, F Austin Watson, F Eduards Tralmaks, D Erik Gustafsson, D Antti Tuomisto
Projected Cap Space
Detroit won’t have any issues making additions this summer. Even if the team spends $11MM to $13MM on retaining Edvinsson and Kane, they’ll still have more than $16MM to use to add to the roster. Although it’ll be difficult to move some bad contracts, the Red Wings could trim even more off the roster by trading Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, Michael Rasmussen, and/or Mason Appleton. Unfortunately, it’ll be equally challenging to find suitable talent on the free agent market this summer. Detroit needs to prioritize goal-scoring and could likely use a fourth/fifth defenseman to help stabilize the defensive corps. Still, they are free to use the available dollars on the trade market, which is likely something General Manager Steve Yzerman will look toward this offseason.
Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire (Edvinsson) and Danny Wild (Kane) of Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Free Agent Focus: Dallas Stars
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Stars.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Jason Robertson – Robertson is the domino that dictates everything else Dallas does this offseason. An elite top-line winger coming off a great year, he posted 45 goals and 96 points in 82 games this past season. Robertson leaned heavily on the power play, where 41 of his points were generated, and logged a career-high in ice time around 20:15 per game. The catch is the price tag. His next deal is projected to land among the league’s top winger comparables, with most reports pointing toward something near $12MM annually. Re-signing him is priority one, but fitting that number under the cap is the entire puzzle.
C Mavrik Bourque – After a quiet rookie year with 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 73 games spent largely getting shuttled around the bottom six, Bourque roughly doubled his output to about 20 goals and 41 points in 82 games, finishing seventh on the team in scoring. The trend line is the selling point. He closed with nine goals and 19 points in 25 games while averaging 19 minutes a night after the Olympic break, the kind of usage-plus-production combination that suggests the role is finally catching up to the pedigree (Bourque was the 2024 AHL MVP and scoring champion). On an expiring $950K deal, he’s drawn mention as a realistic offer-sheet target, but a modest bridge contract is the likely outcome, and a strong value for a cap-strapped team.
Other RFAs: F Arttu Hyry, F Antonio Stranges, F Samu Tuomaala, F Matthew Seminoff, F Kyle McDonald, F Chase Wheatcroft, F Scott Harrison, D Vladislav Kolyachonok, D Jeremie Poirier, D Luke Krys, G Benjamin Kraws
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Jamie Benn – The Dallas captain of 13 years is no longer a focal point of the offense, though he remains a leadership presence that the Stars may be reluctant to move on from. The 36-year-old put up 15 goals and 36 points in 60 games, a respectable depth-scoring line for his age but a clear step down in volume, due in part to opening the season on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury. He’s been on a string of short, team-friendly deals, and his future remains unresolved; even a discounted contract would cut further into Dallas’s limited cap space. The angle here is sentiment and leadership weighed against a tight budget. AFP Analytics projects a one-year deal in the $1.3MM range, roughly the discount required for a reunion to make sense.
F Michael Bunting – A trade-deadline pickup whose Dallas tenure is a small sample. Acquired from Nashville in early March for a 2026 third-round pick, Bunting had posted 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 61 games with the Predators before the deal, finishing the full season around 14 goals and 33 points in 74 games between the two stops. He’s a complementary middle-sixer who chips in power-play offense, roughly 10 of his points came on the man advantage, and a bit of grit, though his minus-24 rating is an eyesore. At 30, he’s the type of depth piece a cap-conscious team might let walk in favor of a cheaper option, making his return no sure thing. Notably, AFP Analytics is far more bullish, projecting a four-year deal near $5.8MM annually which, if accurate, would almost certainly price Dallas out and reframe him as a cap-casualty departure rather than a re-sign candidate.
F Nathan Bastian – A late-summer depth signing whose first year in Dallas was a quiet one. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound winger was brought in for size and physicality, he’d piled up 138 hits in 59 games with New Jersey the year before, but a limited role, a handful of healthy scratches, and a hand injury down the stretch held him to just three goals and three points in 24 games. His value was never about offense; he’s a heavy, penalty-killing fourth-liner (over 135 hits in four of his five full NHL seasons) who fits the Stars’ stated aim of getting bigger and harder to play against.
F Adam Erne – The feel-good depth case rather than a numbers case. Erne earned his first NHL contract in two years off a professional tryout out of training camp, the third straight year he’d attended a camp on a PTO, and turned it into five goals and six points across 39 games, a season interrupted by a lower-body injury that cost him about a month. He’s a forechecking, physical, bottom-six energy winger whose value is in hits and fourth-line minutes rather than scoring. For a team doing cap triage, he’s easy to bring back on another league-minimum deal or let walk without much consequence.
Other UFAs: D Alexander Petrovic, D Kyle Capobianco, F Kole Lind
Projected Cap Space
Dallas’s cap picture is a tight one. The NHL’s record $104MM ceiling for 2026-27 was expected to create flexibility across the league, but for the Stars the numbers remain cramped. Per PuckPedia, Dallas projects to enter the summer with roughly $10.1MM in functional cap space and 19 players already under contract, with nearly $94MM committed, leaving about $2.5MM per open roster spot. That’s a workable figure for depth pieces, right up until Jason Robertson enters the equation. A Robertson extension in the $12+MM range would swallow most of that room on its own, which is why the Stars spent last offseason shedding salary and why GM Jim Nill faces ugly triage this summer. Outside of re-signing Robertson and possibly squeezing in a discounted Benn return, Dallas is likely limited to league-minimum depth additions, and won’t want to lock itself into much term given the contracts still coming down the pipe.
Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Free Agent Focus: Columbus Blue Jackets
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Blue Jackets.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Adam Fantilli – Fantilli’s third and final season of his entry-level contract marked something of a lateral move. Selected third overall in 2023, he’s yet to take over as the true #1 pivot Columbus has lacked for virtually its entire 26-year history. A late-season surge last year brought him to 31 goals as a sophomore, but his production plateaued this season with a 24-35–59 scoring line, only a five-point total increase from his 2024-25 performance as his shooting percentage regressed.
He’s averaging close to 19 minutes per game now, has improved in the faceoff dot, and is still the Jackets’ top center of the present and future, even if his production hasn’t really popped yet. It’ll be an interesting exercise to see whether GM Don Waddell is willing to pay for potential or make a more reserved offer, considering what he’s yet to show. AFP Analytics pegs a long-term deal at eight years and $10MM per season. It seems unlikely Fantilli would want to lock himself into that number, considering his growth potential and a rising cap, so their two-year bridge projection of $6.375MM annually seems more apt.
G Jet Greaves – Now 25, Greaves answered every question asked of him in his first season as a true starter. The undrafted free agent burst onto the scene as an exceptional third-string option over the past few years and was clearly ready for at least tandem duties with Elvis Merzļikins this season, but he ended up stealing the crease entirely from the beleaguered veteran. I
t’s hard to call him Columbus’ outright MVP considering what Zach Werenski did this season, but a 26-19-9 record, .908 SV%, and a top-10 finish in goals saved above expected (16.5, per MoneyPuck) are worthy of a hefty financial commitment to a netminder who’s yet to experience a real bump in the road in his development. Mid-term deals have been all the craze for breakout starters lately; something in the range of the six-year, $5.85MM AAV extension Logan Thompson signed with the Capitals last season is a reasonable starting point.
F Cole Sillinger – One of many high picks dotting Columbus’ forward group, Sillinger just wrapped up a two-year bridge deal that paid him $2.25MM per season. He’s due for a raise, but not an Earth-shattering one. Selected 12th overall in 2021, the 23-year-old has shown little forward progress since his unexpectedly strong showing as an 18-year-old. He’s hit 33 points in back-to-back seasons, both career highs, but is an extremely poor finisher who notched just eight goals this year and hasn’t shot above 10% since his rookie campaign. He plays a physical game and has reasonably sound defensive impacts, but his 45.7% career win rate in the dot isn’t inspiring. If not trade bait, he’s likely looking at a short-term deal in the $4MM range.
Other RFAs: D Corson Ceulemans, F James Malatesta, F Hunter McKown, F Mikael Pyyhtia, D Stanislav Svozil, F Jack Williams, D Egor Zamula
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Boone Jenner – Columbus was well in the playoff race and opted to hold onto all their big-ticket pending UFAs as a result. An April collapse left them seven points out, and while they’ve managed to extend one of their big-ticket UFA trio in Charlie Coyle, two remain unaccounted for. Jenner’s departure would be a real shock to the system. The Jackets’ captain since 2021 is well into his second decade with the organization, first acquired as a second-round pick in 2011.
He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in games played by a significant margin and is still reasonably productive despite shoulder injuries taking a large bite out of the latter half of his career. A poor finishing streak limited him to 13 goals in 67 outings this season, but he still totaled 38 points, on pace for 47 had he played a full season. He’s 33 next month, and even in a thin free agent class, his recent injury history means there won’t be any huge above-market-value offers waiting for him elsewhere. There shouldn’t be much fuss about retaining Jenner for another three or four years in the $4.5-5.5MM range to aid a team on the rise.
F Mason Marchment – It was a tale of two seasons for Marchment, who could be looking for his fourth team in three seasons if not retained. An ever-effective top-nine producer ever since his big breakout with the Panthers in 2021-22, he was traded to the Kraken last summer by the Stars as a result of their tight cap situation. Marchment fell flat in Seattle, limited to four goals and 13 points in 29 games before Columbus paid a second and a fourth-round pick to bring him in as a reclamation project.
Marchment erupted for 15 goals, 32 points, and a raucous +21 rating in 39 games down the stretch to serve as the Jackets’ best goal-scorer on a per-game basis this season. He did so on a top line with Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko that controlled 54.6% of expected goals to boot. Age works against him on the open market as well – he’ll be 31 in June – but has the best case of anyone here to exceed his three-year, $5.67MM AAV extension projection from AFP.
D Erik Gudbranson – Gudbranson was a controversial free-agent pickup back in 2022 – not for his fit, but with the four-year, $16MM price tag that was attached. He certainly never played up to his $4MM AAV for the Jackets, but the team’s lack of cap constraints during his tenure meant it ultimately didn’t matter much. Like Jenner, injuries have derailed his past few seasons, with only 53 suit-ups over the last two years. In a reduced role this season, the 34-year-old righty was a serviceable #6 option with a +6 rating and some decent defensive numbers while averaging 17:46 of ice time per game. He’s a non-factor offensively, only registering three points, but is still an NHL-caliber bottom-pairing/press box option. A one-year deal in the $1MM range will be out there for him this summer, whether it’s in Columbus or elsewhere.
Other UFAs: F Zach Aston-Reese, F Hudson Fasching, G Ivan Fedotov, F Brendan Gaunce, F Danton Heinen, D Dysin Mayo, G Zachary Sawchenko, F Owen Sillinger, D Brendan Smith
Projected Cap Space
Columbus, per usual, has plenty of spending money this summer with $32.36MM in room. Some of that will disappear quickly with Fantilli’s and Greaves’ deals but they should still have around $15-20MM in open market money. Hungry to make a playoff push, they’ll be in on virtually every “top” free agent amid a slim list, with a strong organizational need to fill out their AHL forward depth as well.
Images courtesy of David Gonzales-Imagn Images (Fantilli) and Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images (Jenner). Contract and cap information per PuckPedia.
Free Agent Focus: Colorado Avalanche
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Avalanche.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Jack Drury – Not only has Drury become a stabilizing force in Colorado’s bottom-six, but he has also become one of the best bottom-six forwards in the entire league. Tying his career-high, Drury finished 10 goals and 27 points in 82 games while averaging 14:29 of ice time per game. Additionally, his 58.1% faceoff rate is even more impressive considering Drury began 63.8% of his shifts in the defensive zone. Given that he’s only one year away from reaching unrestricted free agency, it’s unlikely that Drury and the Avalanche will get together on a long-term deal this summer.
F Zakhar Bardakov – Despite averaging less than eight minutes of ice time per game, Bardakov remained on the NHL roster for much of the 2025-26 campaign. He had his moments, but was generally unimpressive, finishing with one goal and 10 points in 60 games. He maintained relatively solid defensive metrics and added 50 hits on the year, but didn’t do enough to earn a consistent NHL role. Still, given his familiarity with the NHL now, Colorado will likely keep him around to serve as depth since he won’t be too expensive to retain.
Other RFAs: F Sampo Ranta, F Daniil Gushchin, F Chase Bradley, F Taylor Makar, F Ivan Ivan, D Sergei Boikov
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
D Brent Burns – Burns is the primary suspect in the murder investigation of ‘Father Time’. Not only is he playing into his 40’s, but he also hasn’t missed a game in over a decade. He wasn’t a liability out there either, as the former 2003 draftee registered 12 goals and 35 points in 82 games, averaging just under 19 minutes of ice time per game. The Avalanche could use all the defensive depth it can get its hands on, and if Burns intends to keep playing and is interested in signing another bonus-laden deal, it should be a no-brainer for Colorado to keep him around.
D Brett Kulak – Outside of those on Team Canada at the Olympics, Kulak is the only player who got to play with Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon throughout the regular season. During his time with the Avalanche, Kulak did what he did best: blocking shots and stepping up in the playoffs. Throughout postseason play, the 32-year-old blueliner finished with one goal and five points in 13 games with 25 blocked shots, averaging 20:38 of ice time. Unfortunately, unless Colorado can open up significantly more cap space, he’s unlikely to return this summer.
Other UFAs: F Joel Kiviranta, D Jack Ahcan, D Nick Blankenburg, F T.J. Tynan, F Alex Barre-Boulet, F Tye Felhaber, F Matthew Stienburg, F Valtteri Puustinen, F Jason Polin, D Jacob MacDonald, D Ronald Attard
Projected Cap Space
Colorado’s salary cap picture is an ugly one. Yes, the team has done a good job of locking in MacKinnon and Martin Necas, and maneuvering around the cap to bring in additional talent, but it’s all coming to a head in a year. Heading into the summer, the Avalanche only have approximately $2.98MM in salary cap breathing room. This should be enough to retain Drury and Burns, albeit barely, but it will be wholly insufficient to fill out the team’s depth for anything other than league minimum salaries. Additionally, Colorado is only one year away from ponying up new deals for Cale Makar and Artturi Lehkonen, so they’ll have to be prudent with every dollar spent this summer, and likely won’t want to lock themselves into anything extending beyond next season.
Photos courtesy of Dennis Lee (Drury) and Jeff Curry (Burns) of Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Free Agent Focus: Chicago Blackhawks
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Blackhawks.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Connor Bedard – Over a decade ago, the Blackhawks had just won their second Stanley Cup championship since 2010, and were looking to keep the core pieces together for the foreseeable future. A few days into the offseason ahead of the 2014-15 season, Chicago signed star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews to identical eight-year, $84MM contracts. This summer, they will have a similar franchise-defining negotiation. It appears that discussions have begun, as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that both parties were looking into short- and long-term agreements. Bedard has led the team in scoring in each season of his career and is coming off a year in which he scored 30 goals and 75 points in 69 games. If the Blackhawks and Bedard reach a long-term contract, it will certainly exceed the eight-year, $80MM benchmark set by Logan Cooley last October.
D Kevin Korchinski – Drafted a year before Bedard, Korchinski hasn’t panned out as well despite being a top-10 selection. After spending his entire rookie campaign in Chicago, Korchinski has largely been in the AHL since. He has performed relatively well with the Rockford IceHogs, although not with as much offensive flair as he showed throughout his time with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. Over the last two years, Korchinski has scored five goals and 53 points in 109 AHL contests, with another one goal and four points in 29 NHL games. Assuming the Blackhawks still believe in his ability to become a consistent top-four defenseman, Korchinski is likely poised for a one- to two-year contract this summer with a relatively low cap hit.
D Ethan Del Mastro – Similar to Korchinski, Del Mastro hasn’t spent much of his time with Chicago the past two years. Since the start of the 2024-25 campaign, Del Mastro has registered two goals and seven points in 42 NHL games, with an additional two goals and 27 points in 92 AHL contests. Still, although he may be a non-tender candidate for other organizations, there’s a decent chance the Blackhawks will retain Del Mastro to continue as organizational depth.
Other RFAs: D Dmitri Kuzmin, D Ryan Mast, G Drew Commesso
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Ilya Mikheyev – As much as Chicago would have liked to retain Mikheyev for the future, it doesn’t sound like the relationship is going to last any longer. A few weeks ago, reports indicated that contract talks between Mikheyev and the Blackhawks had broken down, and the organization was actively looking to trade his negotiating rights to an interested team. He has remained a consistent middle-six forward for Chicago, scoring 38 goals and 70 points in 157 games over the past two years with a +6 rating. Given his ability to perform well on the penalty kill and on the defensive side of the puck at large, and his tertiary scoring ability, Mikheyev shouldn’t have a hard time finding a greener pasture this summer.
D Matt Grzelcyk – What a difference a year can make. After registering 40 points in 80 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins on a one-year, $2.75MM contract during the 2024-25 campaign, Grzelcyk was poised to take advantage of a thin free agent class and cash in on the best season of his career. Unfortunately, no teams took the bait. He instead settled on a one-year, $1MM contract with the Blackhawks after skating with the team on a PTO in September. The 32-year-old blue liner shouldn’t have any expectations of breaking the bank this summer after registering 12 assists in 69 games with Chicago, averaging 16:58 of ice time.
Other UFAs: F Sam Lafferty, F Joey Anderson, G Olivier Rodrigue
Projected Cap Space
As has been the case for the past few years, the Blackhawks don’t need to worry about cap space this summer. Entering the offseason, the Blackhawks are projected to have the second-most cap space, just behind the San Jose Sharks, with $40.16MM in available room. As mentioned, Bedard’s next deal, whether on a long-term deal or not, should take more than a quarter out of that, but they’ll still have ample room left to make some big additions. Unfortunately, as is well known, that’s unlikely to come on the free agent market unless Chicago hands out some unadvised deals. Presumably, they’ll look to the trade market to address their defensive needs.
Photos courtesy of David Gonzales (Bedard) and Charles LeClaire (Mikheyev) of Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.
Free Agent Focus: Carolina Hurricanes
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Hurricanes.
Key Restricted Free Agents
D Alexander Nikishin – Nikishin may not have lit up the NHL like he did the KHL in recent years but he still had a very strong rookie season. He finished second in rookie scoring for a defenseman after potting 11 goals and 22 assists in 81 games while averaging over 18 minutes per night of playing time. That performance earned him a seventh-place spot in Calder Trophy voting. On a deep back end, the Hurricanes were able to ease him in a bit which could impact contract talks. If Nikishin’s camp feels he has another level to get to over the next couple of years, they may prefer to work on a bridge contract and position the blueliner to cash in later. That deal could fall in the $4MM range. If both sides are content to do a longer-term pact that buys out some UFA eligibility, the market value could be closer to $7MM.
G Cayden Primeau – The word ‘key’ probably doesn’t apply here but Primeau has seen NHL action now in seven straight years, although he spent most of this season with AHL Chicago. He’s no longer viewed as a potential full-time NHL backup but the market for third-stringers with NHL experience who can come up and play a few games in a pinch has gone up lately. He should at least be able to land another one-way pact but it may have to come from elsewhere. Because Primeau has played in 58 NHL games but is more of an AHL player at this point, he’s a strong non-tender candidate to avoid giving him the chance to test salary arbitration.
F Justin Robidas – Another one who doesn’t really fit the ‘key’ descriptor (Carolina’s RFA list is pretty thin), Robidas is one of Carolina’s more intriguing youngsters. He hasn’t seen much NHL action so far (just four games) but he has been quite productive with AHL Chicago over the past two seasons, tallying 115 points in 128 games. The 23-year-old will no longer be waiver-exempt in 2026-27 and his minor-league production could make him a candidate to be claimed. It will be interesting to see if he’s able to land a one-way deal as a result.
Other RFAs: F Skyler Brind’Amour, D Domenick Fensore, F Noel Gunler, D Aleksi Heimosalmi, D Kyle Masters, F Viktor Neuchev, G Nikita Quapp, D Ronan Seeley
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
G Frederik Andersen – There may not be a player in the playoffs who has flipped the script as much as Andersen has. After a below-average regular season, he has been stellar in the postseason to the point of being a viable Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of his team in the playoffs. In doing so, he has certainly bolstered his marketability. He’ll be 37 in early October but it’s not unfathomable that Andersen could land a two-year contract around the $3.25MM he made this season (including performance bonuses). Alternatively, another one-year pact that makes him eligible for performance incentives is the other option. He should be able to at least match his current deal if he goes that route.
F Nicolas Deslauriers – Deslauriers is no longer the every-game tough guy he was in the first half of his contract a few years ago. Now, the 35-year-old profiles as more of a 13th forward who can step in against more physical teams. The market for more enforcer-type players isn’t what it used to be so while he should be able to land more than $850K minimum salary, it’s doubtful that he’ll be able to land the $1.75MM he has made in each of the last four years. Something closer to the middle is more realistic.
F Noah Philp – Philp passed through waivers and finished up the year with the Wolves but he won over 56% of his faceoffs between Edmonton and Carolina when he was in the NHL this season. The 27-year-old profiles as a minimum-salaried player this summer but he might be able to secure a one-way deal and could make a push to stick at the back of a roster in training camp.
D Mike Reilly – After missing most of 2024-25 after undergoing heart surgery, Reilly stayed healthy this season which was good to see. However, he had a fairly limited role overall, getting into just over half of Carolina’s games while logging just under 15 minutes per night of ice time and in the playoffs, he has suited up just twice so far. Profiling as more of a seventh option moving forward, Reilly is likely going to land another deal around his current $1.1MM price tag and it wouldn’t be surprising to see his streak of one-year contracts continue for a fourth consecutive season.
Other UFAs: G Amir Miftakhov, F Josiah Slavin, F Givani Smith, F Ryan Suzuki, D Juuso Valimaki
Projected Cap Space
There aren’t many teams with less cap space than the Hurricanes, who will enter the summer with a little under $12MM in room. They have room to re-sign Nikishin and Andersen (if they want to carry three goalies full-time next season) and enough space to replace Reilly as a depth defender. They might not be able to do too much beyond that, but they also don’t have a lot of holes to fill, as evidenced by a roster that’s a win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.
Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire (Nikishin) and Eric Hartline (Andersen) – Imagn Images. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.