The Rangers have signed Julien Gauthier to a one-year contract extension.
NHL Hockey Player News
The Blue Jackets have signed Cam Johnson to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
The Sharks have signed Dylan Gambrell to a one-year contract extension.
Gambrell was a second-round pick of the Sharks in 2016 and has turned into a decent bottom-6 option for them over the last two season. He has compiled 10 goals and 13 assists (23 points) in 99 games over that stretch and will likely centre the third or fourth line when 2021-22 starts.
The Flames have signed Brett Ritchie to a one-year, $900k contract extension.
After a disappointing year in Boston, Ritchie landed in Calgary last year and had just eight points (4G / 4A) in 32 games but saw more regular playing time. However, hee will be a fringe roster player for the Flames entering the 2021-22 season.
The Predators have signed Cole Smith to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Smith appeared in one game with the Predators last season, spending almost all of the season in Chicago (AHL), where he had five goals and five assists in 23 games. Look for Smith to report to the AHL to open the 2021-22 campaign.
The Panthers have signed Anthony Duclair to a three-year contract extension.
Duclair signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last year and enjoyed a really nice season, posting 32 points (10G / 22A) in 43 games. It was good enough to earn him a three-year deal and a $1.3M AAV raise to be a member of the Panthers' top-9.
The Devils have signed Michael McLeod to a two-year, $1.95 million contract extension.
McLeod was the No.12 overall pick in 2016 and impressed in his first full NHL season in 2021. The 23-year-old centre scored nine goals with six assists (15 points) in 52 games. Combined with Miles Wood, the duo formed a strong bottom-6 line for the Devils and he will be a regular for them in that role again in 2021-22.
The Panthers have signed Gustav Forsling to a three-year contract extension.
The Panthers claimed Forsling off of waivers from the Hurricanes in early January and posted career-highs in goals (5) and assists (12) in just 43 games in 2021. Forsling figures to be part of the regular blueline rotation for Florida in 2021-22.
The Canadiens have signed Alex Belzile to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Belzile had another strong AHL campaign in 2021, scoring four goals with 10 assists (14 points) in 17 games with Laval. He's an AHL veteran with just two games of NHL experience, so expect the 29-year-old to remain with Laval to start the 2021-22 season.
The Penguins have signed Teddy Blueger to a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension.
Blueger missed 13 games with an upper-body injury in the shortened 2021 season but still managed to tie his career-best of 22 points (7G / 15A). With Blueger re-signed, the Penguins only need to sign RFA Zach Aston-Reese to bring back one of the best bottom-6 lines in the NHL (Tanev - Blueger - Aston-Reese).
The Bruins have signed Brandon Carlo to a six-year, $24.6 million contract extension.
Carlo struggled with injuries during the 2021 campaign, missing 29 of the 56 games and finishing with just three goals and one assist. Still, he's an integral part of the Bruins' top-4 moving forward and they made a lengthy commitment to the 24-year-old.
The Devils have signed Colton White to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
White was selected in the fourth-round (No. 97 overall) in 2015 but has appeared in just 11 NHL games since, including two in 2021. White spent most of the season with Binghamton (AHL), where he had one goal and six assists. Look for him to start the 2021-22 season in the AHL once again.
The Ducks have signed Trevor Carrick to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Carrick was traded to the Ducks in January and scored one goal with 11 assists (12 points) in 39 games with San Diego (AHL). The 27-year-old was re-signed along with his brother on Tuesday and the two are likely to start 2022 in the AHL.
The Ducks have signed Vinni Lettieri to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
In his first season in the Ducks' organization, Lettieri had 14 goals and 12 assists (26 points) in 22 AHL games. He was held pointless in five NHL games and will likely report to San Diego (AHL) to start the 2022 campaign.
The Ducks have signed Sam Carrick to a one-year contract extension.
Carrick split the 2021 campaign between the AHL and NHL, finishing with six points (2G / 4A) in 13 games with the Ducks. He finished sixth among San Diego (AHL) skaters in points-per-game, scoring 14 goals with 10 assists (24 points) in 27 games (0.889 Pts/gm).
The Sharks have signed Josef Korenar to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Korenar started the 2021 season in the Czech Extraliga before moving to North America and splitting his season between the AHL and NHL. The 23-year-old went 5-1-2 with a 3.22 GAA and .898 SV% in eight AHL starts and 3-5-0 with a 3.17 GAA and .899 SV% in 10 games with the Sharks. Korenar will compete with Alexei Melnichuk for the Sharks' backup job in 2021-22.
The Devils have signed Jonas Siegenthaler to a two-year, $2.25 million contract extension.
The Rangers have signed Brett Howden to a one-year contract extension.
The Capitals have signed Beck Malenstyn to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
The Maple Leafs have signed Travis Dermott to a two-year, $3 million contract extension.
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.