3-year, $2,808,167 contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:
2024-10-21T23:59:00.000Z
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NHL Signings & Free Agents
Edmonton has signed Sam O'Reilly to a three-year, entry-level contract.
O'Reilly was the 32nd overall pick of the Oilers in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old is in his third season with the London Knights. He had 56 points (20G / 36A) in 68 games with London last season.
2-year, $1,800,000 contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2024-10-18T23:59:00.000Z
Signing
3-year, $2,705,000 contract with the Buffalo Sabres. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2024-10-18T23:59:00.000Z
3-year, $2,708,333 contract with the Utah Mammoth. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2024-10-18T23:59:00.000Z
Slaggert has signed a two-year, $1.8 million contact extension ($900,000 AAV).
Slaggert was a third-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old Indiana native made his NHL debut last season, scoring four points (1G / 3A) in 16 games with Chicago.
Goldsmith has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Utah.
Goldsmith was a fourth-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old defenseman is in his fifth season in the WHL. He had 15 points (3G / 12A) and 122 penalty minutes in 66 games with the Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) last season.
8-year, $66,000,000 contract with the Dallas Stars. Year 7: 10 team Approved Trade List, Year 8: 10 Team No Trade List. Expires 2033 (UFA).
Source:2024-10-17T23:59:00.000Z
Oettinger has signed an eight-year, $66 million contract extension ($8,250,000 AAV).
After a stellar start to the 2024-25 season, posting a 1.63 GAA and .948 SV% in three games (3-0-0), impending RFA Jake Oettinger has signed a massive eight-year, $66 million contract extension. The extension mirrors the recent extension signed by fellow American netminder Jeremy Swayman with the Boston Bruins two weeks ago. Oettinger was the Stars' 26th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and has cemented himself as their starting goalie for the last three seasons. The 26-year-old Oettinger has a 2.49 GAA, .914 SV%, and 11 shutouts in 196 career appearances (116-48-23).
4-year, $33,000,000 contract with the Ottawa Senators. Expires 2029 (UFA).
Source:2024-10-09T23:59:00.000Z
5-year, $25,000,000 contract with the Seattle Kraken. 12 team no trade list. Expires 2030 (UFA).
Source:2024-10-09T23:59:00.000Z
Montreal has signed Gustav Lindstrom to a one-year, two-way contract.
Lindstrom played for the Canadiens last season before being placed on waivers and being claimed by the Anaheim Ducks. In his first stint with the Canadiens last season, Lindstrom tallied six points (0G / 6A), a +12 plus/minus rating, 40 blocks, and 54 hits in 32 games.
Seattle has signed Joey Daccord to a five-year contract extension worth $5.0M AAV ($25M total).
Despite having only 69 games of experience in his NHL career, the Seattle Kraken had no reservations about signing Daccord to a five-year, $25 million contract extension. The 28-year-old Daccord had a breakout 2023-24 campaign, posting an impressive 2.46 GAA, .916 SV%, and three shutouts in 50 games (19-18-11). Daccord served as the backup to Philipp Grubauer in Seattle's season opener, a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, but should, at the very least, split time in the crease for the duration of the season.
The Senators have signed Linus Ullmark to a four-year contract extension worth $8.25M AAV ($33.0M total).
In the final year of his contract, Ullmark has signed a massive contract extension with the Ottawa Senators before even playing his first regular season game in their uniform. Ullmark was acquired by the Senators along with a first-round pick in the offseason in a trade that sent Jonas Korpisalo and Mark Kastelic to the Boston Bruins. Ullmark enjoyed tremendous success in his three years in Boston, including a Vezina Trophy and William Jennings Trophy in 2023. He went 88-26-10 with. A 2.28 GAA and .924 SV% in 130 games with the Bruins while splitting time with Jeremy Swayman.
The Panthers have signed Carter Verhaeghe to an eight-year deal worth $56.0 million ($7.0M AAV).
Verhaeghe has established himself as one of the premier goal scorers in the NHL and has been rewarded with an eight-year, $56 million contract extension. Over the past two seasons, in addition to some clutch playoff performances, the 29-year-old Verhaeghe has tallied 145 points (76G / 69A) and 521 shots in 157 regular-season games. He is currently suiting up on the top line and top powerplay unit for the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
8-year, $56,000,000 contract with the Florida Panthers. Year 6: 20 team no trade list. Year 7/8: 16 team no trade list.. Expires 2033 (UFA).
Source:2024-10-08T23:59:00.000Z
Edmonton has signed Travis Dermott to a one-year, $775,000 contract.
2-year, $1,650,000 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2024-10-07T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $4,400,000 contract with the Minnesota Wild. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2024-10-07T23:59:00.000Z
Edmonton has signed Cameron Wright to a one-year, two-way contract worth $952,000.
Bakersfield (AHL) shored up its offensive on Monday as Edmonton signed Cameron Wright to a one-year, two-way contract worth $952,000 AAV. The 26-year-old forward spent 2023-24 split between Bakersfield (AHL) and Fort Wayne (ECHL) and had a combined 16 goals and 26 points in 52 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.