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NHL Signings & Free Agents

The Maple Leafs have signed Calle Jarnkrok to a four-year, $8.4 million contract.

Jarnkrok is a responsible two-way forward that can chip in a little bit of offence. In the last three seasons, he's averaged 18 goals and 24 assists (42 points) per 82 games--however he's missed 13.5 percent of the games during that stretch. He'll likely replace Ondrej Kase in Toronto and skate on the third line with David Kampf and Pierre Engvall.

Calle Jarnkrok
The Blues have signed Martin Frk to a one-year, two-way contract.

Frk is an elite shooter that has dominated during his time in the AHL but has only played one full NHL season (2018) since turning pro in 2014. The 28-year-old was second in the AHL in goals (40) and sixth in points (73) in 58 games with Ontario last season. With the Blues, he'll likely start the year in the AHL but should be among the first call-up options.

Martin Frk
The Avalanche have signed Brad Hunt to a two-year, two-way contract.

Hunt was with the Canucks last season, scoring three goals with 14 assists (17 points) in 50 games. Hunt has never been a full-time NHL player but has provided offence from the back-end wherever he's been. In Colorado, he will likely serve as their No.7 or No.8 defenseman.

Brad Hunt
The Jets have signed Ashton Sautner to a one-year, two-way contract.

Sautner spent the first seven years of his career with the Canucks' organization but moves east to join the Jets, where he'll likely open the year in Manitoba (AHL). The 28-year-old defenseman had 13 points (3G / 10A) in 41 games a season ago.

Ashton Sautner
The Golden Knights have signed Spencer Foo to a one-year contract.

Foo was highly sought after when he turned pro in 2018 after a 62-point season at Union College. He signed with the Flames but only appeared in four NHL games and ultimately left for Kunlun Red Star (KHL) in 2020. He spent the last three years playing for the Chinese team, leading them with 33 points (14G / 19A) in 48 games last season.

Spencer Foo
The Golden Knights have signed Sakari Manninen to a one-year contract.

Manninen will be coming to North America for the first time in his lengthy career. The 30-year-old forward led Ufa Salavat Yulayev (KHL) in goals (19) and was second in points (32) in 38 games a season ago. He was also tied for the tournament lead with seven points in six games at the Olympics, winning gold with Finland.

Sakari Manninen
The Predators have signed Ronald McKeown to a two-year, two-way contract.

McKeown returned to North America for the 2021-22 season after playing with Skelleftea AIK (SHL) during the 2020-21 campaign. He had 20 points (3G / 17A) in 61 AHL games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL). Since being selected No.50 overall in 2014, McKeown has appeared in just 10 career NHL games.

Roland McKeown
The Predators have signed Kiefer Sherwood to a one-year contract.

Sherwood has had stints with the Ducks and Avalanche since turning pro in 2018, appearing in a combined 87 career NHL games, posting 18 points (7G / 11A). With the Predators he'll likely remain a fringe roster player that will excel during his time in the AHL--he was third in the league in goals (36) and sixth in points (75) in 2022.

Kiefer Sherwood
The Predators have signed Jordan Gross to a two-year contract.

Gross, 27, was with the Avalanche last season, appearing in just one NHL game. He spent most of the season in the AHL, where he led alldefensemen with 65 points (10G / 55A) in 61 games. He has just four assists in 10 career NHL games and will likely report to Milwaukee (AHL) to open the 2022-23 season.

Jordan Gross
The Jets have signed Alex Limoges to a one-year, entry-level contract.

Limoges played the last season and a half with the San Diego Gulls (AHL) after finishing his four years at Penn St. University. In 2022, Limoges led the Gulls in goals (23) and points (40) in 62 games. He'll likely report to Manitoba (AHL).

Alex Limoges

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.