Seattle has signed Jon-Randall Avon to a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $850,000.
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NHL Signings & Free Agents
Utah has signed Nick DeSimone to a two-year contract extension worth $1 million AAV ($2M total).
Utah has signed Joshua Roy to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
The Bruins have signed Ivan Ivan to a one-year, two-way contract.
Ivan's RFA rights were acquired from the Avalanche on Sunday and he signs a one-year, two-way deal with the Bruins. The 23-year-old forward spent most of the 2025-26 season in the AHL, where he had 26 points (11G / 15A) in 66 games with the Colorado Eagles. He'll likely start the 2026-27 season in the AHL, but should be one of the first players summoned to Boston.
Seattle has signed Lleyton Roed to a one-year, entry-level contract.
Roed is an undrafted forward that played collegiate hockey with Bemidji State University for two seasons before making his professional debut at the AHL level in 2023-24. The 23-year-old scored 38 points (11G / 27A) last season in 65 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL).
Utah has signed Kailer Yamamoto to a two-year, $1.75 million AAV contract extension ($3.5M total).
After spending most of the previous season in the AHL, Yamamoto returned to playing predominantly in the NHL in 2025-26. He scored 23 points (13G / 10A) in 59 games with the Utah Mammoth, earning himself a two-year contract extension worth $3.5 million ($1.75M AAV).
Toronto has signed Troy Stecher to a two-year contract extension worth $1.35M AAV ($2.7M total).
Stecher was claimed off waivers from the Oilers in mid-November and recorded 14 points (3G / 11A) in 58 games with the Maple Leafs in 2025-26. With their current depth chart, Stecher and Emil Andrae will likely battle for the No.6 defenseman spot in training camp. Even if he serves as the No.7 defenseman all season, Stecher provides the Maple Leafs with a cheap veteran replacement when injuries occur on the back-end.
Columbus has signed Jack Williams to a two-year, $875,000 AAV contract ($1.75M total).
Williams is an undrafted 24-year-old forward that made his professional debut last season, including playing one game with the Columbus Blue Jackets. That said, he spent most of the season in the AHL, where he scored 38 points (15G / 23A) in 72 games with the Cleveland Monsters.
San Jose has signed Michael Kesselring to a three-year, $4.5 million contract extension ($13.5M total).
The Sharks acquired Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in 2026 for the 20th overall pick in 2026 from the Buffalo Sabres earlier this offseason. Kesselring has quickly been awarded a three-year contract extension worth $13.5 million ($4.5 million AAV). The 26-year-old Kesselring joined Buffalo last offseason but battled injuries, playing just 34 games with the Sabres, scoring two points (0G / 2A) while averaging 13:24 time-on-ice.
Buffalo has signed Beck Malenstyn to a six-year contract worth $2.9167 million AAV ($17.5M total).
In his two seasons with Buffalo, Malenstyn has impressed in a bottom-six role, earning himself a six-year contract extension worth $17.5 million ($2.917 AAV). The 27-year-old forward averaged 11:15 time-on-ice, recording 282 hits and 14 points (7G / 7A) in 81 games last season.
Vegas has signed Carl Lindbom to a three-year, $900,000 AAV contract extension ($2.7M total).
A myriad of injuries in the Vegas crease last season afforded Lindbom his NHL debut, during which he appeared in eight games (2-4-2) and posted a 3.00 GAA and .873 SV%. The 23-year-old Swedish goalie, a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, will likely remain a depth player for the organization in 2026-27 and continue in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights, where he posted an impressive 2.16 GAA and .926 SV% in 35 games last season (24-5-5).
Colorado has signed Taylor Makar to a two-year, $850,000 contract extension ($1.75M total).
Makar made his NHL debut in the 2025-26 season during a brief 12-game stint with the Avalanche. The 25-year-old forward, a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, scored 24 points (14G / 10A) in 52 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) last season and hopes to get a more prominent look in the NHL in 2026-27.
Nashville has signed Jack Drury to a five-year, $4.5 million contract extension ($22.5M total).
Nashville acquired Jack Drury along with Chase Bradley and a 2029 3rd round pick from Colorado for Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L'Heureux last week. They quickly rewarded Drury with a five-year contract extension worth $22.5 million ($4.5 million AAV). Drury has established himself as one of the NHL's most effective bottom-six forwards in recent seasons and hopes to further establish that reputation with his new team in Nashville. The 25-year-old forward averaged a career-high 14:29 time-on-ice and scored 27 points (10G / 17A) last season in 82 games with the Colorado Avalanche.
San Jose has signed Zack Ostapchuk to a four-year, $2.35 million AAV contract extension ($9.4M total).
Ostapchuk is coming off a career season in 2025-26 which saw him record highs in nearly all statistical categories (GP, G, Pts, PIMs, SOG), earning him a four-year, $2.35 million AAV contract extension ($9.4M total). The 23-year-old is entering his fourth full NHL season and third with the Sharks after being acquired from Ottawa in 2025 in the Fabian Zetterlund deal. He finished 2025-26 with four goals, seven points, 45 PIMs and 44 SOG in 59 games played.
The Rangers have signed Pavel Dorofeyev to a seven-year contract worth $11.0M AAV ($77.0M total).
Moments after being acquired from the Golden Knights for the No.26 overall pick, the No.92 overall pick, and a conditional 2028 first-round pick, Pavel Dorofeyev signed a seven-year contract worth $11.0M AAV ($77.0M total). The 25-year-old is coming off a career season where he posted career highs in goals (37), assists (27), points (64), PPG (20) and PPP (30) across 82 games played.
The Kings have signed Brandt Clarke to a five-year deal worth $7.4M AAV ($37.0M total).
Fresh off a career season which saw him post highs in goals (8), assists (32), points (40), PIMs (63), PPP (13) and SOG (159), Brandt Clark has signed a five-year deal worth $7.4M AAV ($37.0M total) with Los Angeles. The 23-year-old was Los Angeles' 2021 1st round pick (8th overall) and is entering his third full season with the Kings. He is expected to run their top powerplay unit and improve on his 19:48 TOI from 2025-26 next season.
Colorado has signed Brent Burns to a one-year, $850,000 contract.
Burns is just 57 games away from tying Phil Kessel's iron-man streak and will get a chance to break that record after signing a one-year, $850,000 contract extension with Colorado on Friday. The deal includes $2 million in performance bonuses. Burns is entering his 23rd NHL season after an impressive first year with the Avalanche in 2025-26, where he picked up 12 goals and 35 points in 82 games played.
Colorado has signed Brett Kulak to a five-year, $4.5 million AAV contract extension. ($22.5M total).
Kulak was acquired from Pittsburgh prior to last season's trade deadline and will remain with Colorado for five more seasons after signing a five-year, $4.5 million AAV contract extension. ($22.5M total) on Friday. The 32-year-old appeared in a league high 83 games in 2025-26, picking up a goal, 12 points and a -4 plus/minus throughout games with Pittsburgh, Edmonton and Colorado.
New York has signed Tony DeAngelo to a two-year, $4.5 million AAV contract extension ($9M total).
DeAngelo was expected to be the Islanders' power play quarterback in the 2025-26 season, but the emergence of rookie Matthew Schaefer sent him to a lesser role. That said, the 30-year-old DeAngelo managed to impress, earning himself some security with a two-year contract extension worth $9 million. DeAngelo averaged 19:08 time-on-ice and scored 35 points (5G / 30A) in 76 games with the Islanders last season.
Ottawa has signed Samuel Bolduc to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Samuel Bolduc will remain in Ottawa's organization for at least one more season after it was announced on Friday the 25-year-old defensemen had signed a one-year, two-way contract extension. Bolduc was acquired at last year's trade deadline and excelled after arriving in Belleville (AHL), with one goal and 10 points in 12 games played.
NHL Free Agents: Best Available Players in 2025
Once the dust settles on the Stanley Cup Final, the NHL offseason officially commences as the latest wave of free agents hit the market as teams and players alike reevaluate their current situation and plot their next steps toward success.
With a plethora of talent up for grabs every summer, Stanley Cup contenders can be formed as well as broken up through free agency. With NHL signings going down at a breakneck pace throughout the opening days of free agency, we’ll keep you in the loop with our 2025 NHL free agency tracker. You can find all of the latest NHL signings of the free agency period as players switch teams, sign extensions, and change the outlook of the league with a single decision.
Whether you’re a diehard fan of your favourite team and are looking to stay up to date with every move made by the front office, or are an avid daily fantasy sports bettor that wants to prep for their wagers, our NHL free agency tracker is the best destination for all your free agent market news.
Types of Free Agent Markets
Each NHL free agent holds their own unique distinction when signing with a team. These distinctions are made based on a number of factors including age, NHL experience, as well as their current contract situation. NHL free agents are divided by restricted and unrestricted free agents, with each classification of player holding varying rights, including how teams are able to offer them contracts, and the results of receiving an offer.
Below, we take a deep dive into each type of NHL free agent so you can get a thorough understanding of each free agent market type, how they are able to sign with teams, and the possible outcomes from each offseason acquisition.
Restricted Free Agents
A restricted NHL free agent (RFA) is a player that is either under the age of 27 or has been in the NHL for less than seven seasons. Teams hold a form of protection over their restricted free agents, providing them with a sort of insurance if their RFA decides to sign with a new team.
While restricted free agents are technically eligible to sign a new contract with different teams, the process can become messy if a team other than their original squad makes them an offer and they accept. Restricted free agents are only able to sign a standard NHL contract with the team that currently owns the players rights, all other squads must submit an offer sheet if they want to lure away a player from their team. If an offer sheet is made to an RFA, the team who holds the players rights will be left with the option to either match the offer made to their player, or allow the player to sign with the team that made the offer sheet, in return receiving draft compensation depending on the value of the contract offered.
Qualifying Offers
In order for a team to retain a player’s rights heading into the free agency period, they must make a qualifying offer to the player. These offers are in the form of a one-year contract, with the amount offered being formulated depending on the value of their previous contract.
For any player who was on a deal worth $660,000 or less, the qualifying offer they receive must be worth 110% the amount of their previous season’s salary. For a player making between $660,000 and $1,000,000, they must be offered 105% their previous seasons salary. Finally, if a player was making more than $1 million in their previous year of duty, their team must offer them 100% of their previous season’s salary.
These offers are not final and players are eligible to receive greater or lesser valued contracts from the team that holds their rights once free agency begins. Players who reject qualifying offers remain restricted free agents.
Non-Qualified RFAs
If a team decides to not submit a qualifying offer to a restricted free agent on their roster, all non-qualified RFAs instantly become free agents and are welcome to sign contracts with any team come July 1st.
Unrestricted Free Agents
The other form of NHL free agent is the unrestricted free agent (UFA). UFAs have the right to sign their next deal with any team without restriction, as long as the offer they sign complies with league salary cap mandates and rules. Unrestricted free agents are truly what can shake up the free agent market, with many of the leagues top stars entering into the offseason as UFAs.
There are multiple forms of unrestricted free agents, each with their own unique classifications, but don’t necessarily affect the potential value of the contracts offered to them in the offseason. Below are two of the most common UFAs.
Group 3 UFAs
Common among NHL veterans, Group 3 comprises players entering free agency that are 27 or older, or have played in the NHL for more than seven accrued seasons. An accrued season is defined as a season in which a player has suited up for action on an NHL roster in at least 40 games (30 for goalies). Any player that fits this criteria will become an unrestricted free agent once their contract expires in the following offseason.
Group 6 UFAs
Another way that players can become an unrestricted free agent is by being 25 years of age or older and to have played three or more professional hockey seasons under an NHL contract (AHL, ECHL, Europe), but played in less than 80 NHL games (28 for goalies) in their career. Often, Group 6 unrestricted free agents are developing players that, for one reason or another, have not had the chance to crack into an NHL lineup, but still possess experience as a high-level player. There is no difference in the rights of Group 3 and Group 6 unrestricted free agents, but typically the latter will receive smaller contracts, both in terms of value as well as in duration.
Undrafted UFAs
The final way that a player may enter into free agency as an unrestricted free agent is by going undrafted in their three years of draft eligibility. If a player is not selected by an NHL franchise through the draft they are still eligible to crack into a final roster as a free agent.
NHL Free Agency FAQs
Who are the top NHL free agents in 2025?
Some of the top NHL free agents available this summer are Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Aaron Ekblad, Nikolaj Ehlers, John Tavares, Brock Boeser, Brad Marchand and Linus Ullmark.
This offseason will bring a stacked crop of free agents to the market that will shape the landscape of the 2025-26 NHL season. Not only will the final landing spots for each of the top 2025 NHL free agents shake up the framework of the league, but will also have major implications on the upcoming fantasy hockey season. Be sure to stay in the know in regard to the latest free agency updates with our NHL player news.
What time does free agency start?
On July 1st, 2025, at 12 PM EST, the 2025 NHL free agency period officially opens. While some players will have all but signed the dotted line up to this point, nothing can become official until noon on Canada Day.