2-year, $1,700,000 contract with the Calgary Flames. Year 1 375K Guaranteed. Expires 2026 (RFA).
Source:
2024-07-31T03:59:00.000Z
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NHL Signings & Free Agents
2-year, $1,625,000 contract with the New Jersey Devils. $465K Guaranteed in Yr 1. Expires 2026 (RFA).
Source:2024-07-31T03:59:00.000Z
New York and Ryan Lindgren have settled on a one-year, $4.5 million contract through arbitration.
The final arbitration contract in the NHL was figured out on Tuesday as Ryan Lindgren and the New York Rangers agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract extension. The 26-year-old dfensemen is entering his seventh NHL seasn with New York and had three goals, 17 points, 36 PIMs and a +22 plus/minus in 76 games played in 2023-24.
Montreal has signed Justin Barron to a two-year, $2.3 million contract ($1,150,000 AAV).
Montreal made its secodn defensive signing of the afternoon on Tuesday as they gave Justin Barron a two-year, $2.3 million contract ($1,150,000 AAV). The 22-year-old was acquired from Colorado in a trade which sent Artturi Lehkonen the other way two seasons ago. Barron appeared in 48 games in 2023-24 and had a career high seven goals, 13 points and 16 PIMs.
New Jersey has signed Nico Daws to a two-year, two-way contract extension.
New Jersey locked up their goaltending depth for the next two seasons as they signed Nico Daws to a two-year contract with the first year being a two-way and the second being a one-way. The 23-year-old netminder was drafted by New Jersey in the 3rd round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft (84th overall) and had a down season with his 9-11-0 record, 3.15 GAA and .894 SV% in 2023-24.
Montreal has signed Arber Xhekaj to a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension ($1,300,000 AAV).
Montreal locked up their designated "tough guy" on Tuesday after they signed Arber Xhekah to a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension ($1,300,000 AAV). The undrafted 23-year-old is entering his third NHL season after putting up three goals and 10 points in 44 games played in 2023-24. In 95 career NHL games played, he has 182 PIMs.
8-year, $68,000,000 contract with the Minnesota Wild. Yrs 6-8: NMC; 15 team no trade list. Expires 2033 (UFA).
Source:2024-07-30T03:59:00.000Z
2-year, $13,000,000 contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. Expires 2026 (UFA).
Source:2024-07-30T03:59:00.000Z
The Hurricanes have re-signed Martin Necas to a two-year deal worth $6.5M AAV.
Necas was an RFA whose name was at the top of the trade rumours all offseason, but he signs a two-year deal to stay in Carolina through the 2026 season. The 25-year-old winger saw his production take a step back last season, as he went from 71 points (28G / 43A) in 2023 to 53 points (24G / 29A) in 2024. With Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen not returning to Carolina this summer, it opens up plenty of ice-time and opportunity for Necas to take advantage of in 2025.
The Wild have signed Brock Faber to an eight-year extension worth $68.0 million ($8.5M AAV).
Faber had an outstanding rookie season, scoring eight goals with 39 assists (47 points) while leading all rookies in ice-time (24:58 ATOI) in 82 games. The soon-to-be 22-year-old defenseman finished second in Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) voting behind Connor Bedard. Faber's new $8.5M AAV cap hit will not kick in until the 2025-26 season.
Chicago has signed Isaak Philiips to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Phillips set career highs in both games played (33) and assists (6) in 2023-24 and has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract to remain with Chicago. The 22-year-old mobile defensemen has struggled defensively in his three NHL seasons with a collective -37 plus/minus in just 53 career games played but will look to improve that ugly number when he takes on an expected bigger role in 2024-25.
Chicago has signed Louis Crevier to a one-year, two-way contract.
Crevier made his NHL debut in 2023-24 with Chicago, picking up three assists and a -16 plus/minus in 24 games played and has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract on Monday. The 23-year-old towering 6'8" defensemen was Chicago's 2020 7th round pick (188th overall) and will look to carve a full time role on Chicago's back end in 2024-25.
The Islanders signed Dennis Cholowski to a one-year, two-way deal.
Cholowski spent the entire 2024 season in Bridgeport (AHL), where he had 31 points (7G / 24A) in 68 games. Since signing with the Islanders prior to the 2023 season, Cholowski has appeared in just two NHL games but has eight goals and 61 assists (69 points) in 135 AHL games. Expect him to continue to provide offence at the AHL-level and be one of the first names the Islanders consider when they need help on their NHL blueline.
3-year, $11,550,000 contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2024-07-29T03:59:00.000Z
Columbus has signed Kirill Marchenko to a three-year, $11.55 million contract extension ($3,850,000 AAV).
Marchenko built on a successful first season in Columbus by scoring 23 goals with 19 assists (42 points) in 78 games in 2023-24. The Blue Jackets were not busy in the offseason, so Marchenko will be a prominent part of their top-6 again in 2024-25. He saw a small bump in ice time down the stretch last season, and that will need to remain if he's going to be a 30-plus goal scorer this season.
3-year, $5,400,000 contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2024-07-28T03:59:00.000Z
Columbus has signed Kent Johnson to a three-year, $5.4 million contract ($1,800,000 AAV).
Johnson's up-and-down tenure in Columbus will continue after the 21-year-old former top prospect signed a three-year, $5.4 million contract ($1,800,000 AAV). The ex-Michigan superstar was Columbus' 2021 1st round pick (5th overall) and took a noticable step backwards in 2023-24 only picking up six goals and 16 points in 42 games after amassing 40 points (16G/24A) in 79 games played the season before.
Winnipeg has signed Simon Lundmark to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Lundmark completed his third AHL season with Manitoba in 2023-24 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension to remain with the Jets. The 23-year-old defensemen was Winnipeg's 2019 2nd round pick (51st overall) and had five goals and 17 points in 67 games with Manitoba (AHL) last season.
San Jose has signed Thomas Bordeleau to a one-year, $875,000 contract extension.
Bordealeau set career highs in 2023-24 in games played (27), goals (6), assists (5), points (11), PIMs (18) and SOG (48) and earned himself a one-year, $875,000 contract extension with San Jose. The 22-year-old was the Sharks' 2020 2nd round pick (38th overall) and has six goals and 18 points in 43 games played across three NHL seasons.
3-year, $2,799,999 contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2024-07-26T03:59:00.000Z
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.