After spending five seasons exclusively at the NHL level, Aston-Reese has bounced between the AHL and the NHL over the past few seasons. The undrafted 31-year-old forward scored five points (1G / 4A) last season in 27 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Copley is an undrafted goalie who has been serviceable in limited NHL action over his career, but has primarily provided teams with organizational depth, playing primarily in the AHL. The 34-year-old posted a 2.59 GAA and .901 SV% last season in 33 games (21-11-1) with the Ontario Reign (AHL).
Bezeau is an undrafted forward who has never played an NHL game and has spent most of his professional career in the AHL. The 24-year-old scored seven points (5G / 2A) last season in 24 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL).
Fix-Wolansky has been solid at the AHL level for the last half-decade, but he has yet to have a prolonged look at the NHL level to translate his talents. The 27-year-old forward spent the 2025-26 season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring 55 points (31G / 24A) in 72 games.
Blueger has been an effective, defensively sound, bottom-six forward over the past several seasons and should help the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2026-27, especially with the penalty kill. The 31-year-old Latvian forward scored 17 points (9G / 8A) last season in 35 games with the Vancouver Canucks.
Caulfied, a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, has yet to play an NHL game, but has been a reliable presence at the AHL level. The 25-year-old forward spent the 2025-26 season with the San Diego Gulls (AHL), scoring 38 points (17G / 21A) in 71 games.
Anhorn, an undrafted product of St. Cloud State University, has yet to play an NHL game, but has earned himself a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. The 27-year-old defenseman scored 17 points (3G / 14A) in 46 games last season with the Manitoba Moose (AHL).
Harris' 2025-26 season was hampered by injuries, as he played just eight games with Boston and four with Providence (AHL), but he impressed the organization enough to earn a one-year contract extension. The 25-year-old defenseman, a third-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, has 40 points (10G / 30A) in 172 career NHL games.
After spending the first decade of his career with the Nashville Predators, Sissons joined the Vegas Golden Knights last season and helped them in their run to the Stanley Cup finals as an effective bottom-six forward. The 32-year-old Sissons scored 11 points (6G / 5A) last season in 66 games with Vegas.
Kolyachonok bounced between teams last season, was claimed off waivers twice, and hopes for more stability in 2026-27 with the New Jersey Devils. The 25-year-old defenseman, a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, has 17 points (5G / 12A) in 87 career NHL games.
After spending the past three seasons with the Utah Mammoth organization, Kerfoot will have a change of scenery in 2026-27 after signing a two-year contract worth $7 million ($3.5M AAV) with the Nashville Predators. The 31-year-old scored 13 points (7G / 6A) last season in 34 games with the Mammoth.
Thomas, a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings, has shown promise at the AHL level but has never been able to sustain a prolonged NHL stint. The 26-year-old forward scored 22 points (9G / 13A) last season in 39 AHL games. He will hope to get a longer look at the NHL level in 2025-26, joining a struggling Vancouver Canucks team.
Laczynski has never made his presence felt at the NHL level, but he has provided solid organizational depth for the Vegas Golden Knights over the past two seasons, earning him a three-year contract extension. The 29-year-old scored 64 points (22G / 42A) last season in 62 games with the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL).
After acquiring Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid earlier this week, the Florida Panthers made it clear they would be moving on from Sergei Bobrovsky, who spent the past seven seasons with them, including leading them to two Stanley Cups. The 37-year-old Bobrovsky is a Vezina Trophy winner, but is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, posting a 3.07 GAA and .877 SV% in 52 games (27-23-1). He hopes a change of scenery with the Toronto Maple Leafs can motivate him to return to the form he showed in previous seasons.
Clifton made his NHL debut in the 2018-19 season with the Boston Bruins, playing five seasons with the team, and will rejoin them after three seasons away. The 30-year-old defenseman spent the 2025-26 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, recording six points (2G / 4A) and 180 hits in 50 games.
Halverson hasn't seen much NHL action in his career, appearing in just four total games, but he provides some solid organizational depth in the crease for the Dallas Stars. The 30-year-old goalie posted a 2.42 GAA and .905 SV% last season in 43 games (24-11-6) with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL).
Shlaine, a product of Arizona State University, was a fifth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils who has yet to play an NHL game. The 24-year-old forward spent the 2025-26 season with the Texas Stars (AHL), scoring 38 points (19G / 19A) in 67 games.
Hyry is an undrafted Finnish forward who has likely lucked himself into a spot on Dallas' opening-night roster after the team traded away Mavrik Bourque to address salary cap concerns. The 25-year-old Hyry scored five points (3G / 2A) last season in 20 games with Dallas.
Levi was once considered the goalie of the future with the Buffalo Sabres, but he failed to make that leap, ultimately spending most of the past two seasons in the AHL. The 24-year-old goalie posted a 2.83 GAA and .904 SV% last season in 52 games (23-20-9) with the Rochester Americans.
The Seattle Kraken acquired Mason Marchment last offseason in a trade with the Dallas Stars, but he struggled adapting to his new team, scoring just 13 points (4G / 9A) in 29 games, ultimately resulting in a mid-season trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets, The 30-year-old Marchment excellent aftering joining the Blue Jackets, scoring 32 points (15G / 17A) in 39 games, ultimately leading to a five-year contract with the San Jose Sharks.
