NHL Signings & Free Agents

Minutes after news of Matthew Tkachuk's offseason surgery dropped, Florida announced they had signed Luke Kunin to a one-year, $800,000 contract on Friday. The 27-year-old appeared in 75 games between Columbus and San Jose in 2024-25, picking up 11 goals, 18 points and 55 PIMs. He is expected to play a depth role in Florida's bottom-six this season.

A long summer of trade rumours has ended for Marco Rossi on Friday after Minnesota announced they had signed the forward to a three-year contract extension worth $5 million AAV ($15M total). The 23-year-old was Minnesota's 2020 1st-round pick (9th overall) and took a massive step forward in 2024-25, posting career highs in goals (24), assists (36), points (60), plus/minus (+3) and PPP (16) across 82 games played. He is expected to continue developing in Minnesota's top six and be a key contributor in 2025-26.

After just 56 total NHL games played, Chicago has locked up Frank Nazar for the next eight seasons after signing the 21-year-old to a seven-year contract worth $6.59 million AAV ($46.13M total) on Thursday. Nazar was Chicago's 2022 1st round pick (13th overall) and opened some eyes with nine points in his final eight games to end last season and close his rookie campaign out with 26 points in 53 games played. He is expected to center Chicago's second line and remain on their top power play as we head into the 2025-26 season.

Colorado added some much-needed offensive depth on Wednesday with the signing of Victor Olofsson on a one-year, $1.575 million contract. The 30-year-old right-winger had 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games with Vegas in 2024-25 after spending the previous six campaigns in with the Buffalo Sabres. He is expected to play a top-nine role in Colorado and should see some power-play time on the second unit, despite that unit rarely seeing the ice.

Martin was the 5th overall selection in this year's NHL Entry Draft and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Nashville on Wednesday. The 18-year-old center saw his draft stock skyrocket in 2024-25 after an impressive 33-goal, 72-point campaign with the Soo Greyhounds (OHL). He will compete for a spot on Nashville's roster to start the 2025-26 season, but is expected to return to the Soo for the majority of the season.

Hunt will remain in Columbus's organization after the 23-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract extension on Friday. The skilled defenseman was a key piece of the deal, which sent David Jiricek to Minnesota last November. He's appeared in 13 NHL games throughout his young career, picking up an assist and a -1 plus/minus. He is expected to start 2025-26 in Cleveland (AHL), where he had two goals and 14 points in 48 games last season.

New York announced the signing of a pair of goaltenders on Sunday after they signed ECHL starter Tayln Boyko to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 22-year-old will provide New York with plenty of goaltending depth after he posted a .913 SV% and 20-8-5 record with Tulsa (ECHL) in 2024-25. He is expected to start 2025-26 as Hartford's (AHL) backup.

New York brought back their 2024-25 AHL starter on Sunday after they announced the signing of Dylan Garand to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 23-year-old was New York's 2020 4th-round pick (103rd overall) and appeared in 39 games as Hartford's (AHL) starter in 2024-25, posting a 20-10-9 record alongside his .913 SV% and 2.73 GAA. He is expected to return as Hartford's starter for the 2025-26 season, but has a shot to make his NHL debut if the Rangers run into any injury issues.

After three semi-successful seasons on Long Island, Hudson Fasching has signed with Columbus on a one-year, two-way contract to provide some offensive depth for the Blue Jackets. The 30-year-old winger struggled with the Islanders in 2024-25, putting up just two goals and four points in 43 games played. He is expected to battle for a bottom-six role in Columbus and will hope to return to the 19-point form we witnessed across 49 games in 2022-23.

Gagne was a former 6th-round pick (2021) with Tampa Bay but failed to sign an entry-level contract with the Lightning and has now signed a two-year entry-level contract with Colorado. The 23-year-old defenseman will join the Colorado Eagles (AHL) after a successful senior season where he captained the University of New Hampshire (NCAA) in 2024-25 with four goals and 17 points in 35 games played.

Hamonic will join his fifth NHL organization in his 16th season after he signed a one-year, $1 million contract with Detroit on Friday to provide some defensive depth. The 35-year-old stay-at-home defender appeared in 59 games with Ottawa in 2024-25, picking up a goal, seven points, and a -16 plus/minus. He is expected to compete for a spot in Detroit's third defensive pairing to start the season.

After two seasons in Charlotte (AHL), Michael Benning is expected to return to the Checkers after the 23-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with Florida on Thursday. The puck-moving defenseman has yet to make an NHL appearance but has excelled with the Checkers in his last two seasons, putting up an impressive nine goals, 32 points and 34 PIMs in 54 games played last season.

Pyyhtia will return for a fourth season in Columbus after signing a one-year, two-way contract extension on Wednesday. The 23-year-old left-winger was Columbus's 2020 4th-round pick (114th overall) and appeared in 47 games with the Blue Jackets in 2024-25, picking up career highs with four goals, seven points and 32 SOG. He is expected to play a depth role for the Blue Jackets for the upcoming season.

Seattle locked up one of their key defenders on Monday after they announced Ryker Evans had signed a two-year contract extension worth $2.05 million AAV ($4.1M total). The 23-year-old was Seattle's 2021 2nd round pick (35th overall) and has done well adjusting to the NHL since making his debut in 2023-24. In his sophomore campaign in 2024-25, he took a massive step forward with career highs in all statistical categories, including his five goals, 25 points and 30 PIMs in 73 games played.

Bastian provides very little offence, combining for just 37 points (15G / 22A) in 156 games over the last three seasons with the Devils, but he brings plenty of physicality. Bastian ranked 29th in the NHL in Hits/60 (min 500 TOI) last season and 26th in Hits/60 (min 1500) in the last three seasons. As a team, Dallas was second-last in the NHL in hits in 2024-25.

Kiviranta had a solid 2024-25 season with the Avalanche, posting 16 goals with seven assists (23 points) in 79 games while posting a plus-15 rating and 114 hits. Kiviranta returns to Colorado, where he will likely continue to serve in the bottom-6 role that saw him average 12:31 TOI/gm last season.

William Villeneuve will return to the Toronto Marlies (AHL) for a fourth straight season after signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The 23-year-old puck-moving defender was Toronto's 2020 4th-round pick (122nd overall) but has yet to make his first NHL appearance despite solid offensive numbers every season with the Marlies. He is expected to start 2025-26 as one of the Marlies' main defenders after his four-goal, 40-point season last year across 55 games played.

Kravtsov will return to North America for a second stint and another shot at the NHL after Vancouver announced Tuesday they had signed the 25-year-old Russian to a one-year, two-way contract. The big-bodied winger is a former 9th overall pick (2018 draft) but has spent the last two seasons in the KHL after an unsuccessful first turn in the NHL with New York and Vancouver. He impressed in Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL) in 2024-25, with 27 goals and 58 points in 66 games played. He will battle for a bottom-six role in training camp.

Colangelo concluded his rookie campaign in 2024-25 with 10 goals and 12 points in just 32 games played and has earned himself a two-year, two-way contract extension, announced on Monday. The 23-year-old was Anaheim's 2020 2nd-round pick (36th overall) and is expected to play a key depth role for the Ducks this upcoming season.

Schaefer was this year's first overall selection in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Islanders on Monday. The 17-year-old missed the majority of the 2024-25 season due to a serious collarbone injury but still managed to go first overall in the draft due to his five goals and 22 points in 18 games with Erie (OHL). He is expected to be a key part of the Islanders' future for years to come.