4-year, $15,000,000 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. 13 Team No Trade Clause. Expires 2028 (UFA).
Source:
2024-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
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NHL Signings & Free Agents
4-year, $24,000,000 contract with the Utah Mammoth. 10 Team No Trade List in Yrs 3-4. Expires 2028 (UFA).
Source:2024-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
8-year, $69,000,000 contract with the Florida Panthers. *No Move Clause – through June 30, 2030; Modified No Trade Clause – 16 team No Trade List. Expires 2032 (UFA).
Source:2024-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $6,000,000 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Expires 2026 (UFA).
Source:2024-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $1,550,000 contract with the Seattle Kraken. $475K Guaranteed. Expires 2026 (UFA).
Source:2024-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $1,550,000 contract with the Washington Capitals. Expires 2026 (UFA).
Source:2024-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
The Panthers have signed Rasmus Asplund to a one-year, two-way deal.
Asplund spent the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL, where he led the team in assists (35) and was second in points (44) in 67 games. Asplund should once again be a fringe NHLer for the Panthers and one of the first depth call-ups if he doesn't make the team out of training camp.
Utah has signed Sean Durzi to a four-year, $24 million ($6,000,000 AAV) contract extension.
Durzi made a strong first impression in his first season in Arizona and has earned a four-year, $24 million ($6,000,000 AAV) contract extension with Utah. The 25-year-old offensive defensemen took a massive step forward in 2023-24, with nine goals, 41 points, 142 SOG, 63 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus in 76 games played.
Anaheim has signed Isac Lundstrom to a one-year, $1.5 million contract extension.
Lundstrom had five goals and 11 points in 46 games played in 2023-24 and has earned himself a one-year, $1.5 million contract extension with Anaheim. the 24-year-old was the Ducks' 2018 1st-round pick (23rd overall) and had 31 goals and 69 points in 258 games played across six seasons with Anaheim.
Toronto has signed Timothy Liljegren to a two-year, $6 million contract extension ($3,000,000 AAV).
Liljegren completed his third full season with the Maple Leafs in 2023-24 and earned himself a two-year, $6 million contract extension ($3,000,000 AAV) on Monday. The 25-year-old tied his career high in points last season with his three goals, 23 points, 62 SOG and 16 PIMs in 55 games played.
Vancouver has signed Jett Woo to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Woo has been a staple of the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL) for the last four seasons and will remain in Vancouver's organization after signing a one-year, two-way contract on Monday. The 23-year-old was the Canucks 2018 2nd-round pick (37th overall) and had seven goals and 31 points in 62 games with Abbotsford last season.
Toronto has re-signed Max Domi to a four-year, $15 million ($3,750,000 AAV) contract extension.
Domi's first season in Toronto went down as a success after he signed a four-year, $15 million ($3,750,000 AAV) contract extension on Sunday. The 29-year-old left-winger completed his ninth NHL season in 2023-24, picking up nine goals, 47 points and 118 PIMs in 80 games played.
The Sharks have signed Luke Kunin to a one-year contract extension worth $2.75M.
Kunin completed a second successful full season with San Jose in 2023-24 and earned himself a one-year contract extension worth $2.75M on Sunday. The 26-year-old centre surpassed 10+ goals for the fourth time in his seven-year career in 2023-24 as he ended with 11 goals, 18 points, 83 PIMs and a -30 plus/minus in 77 games played.
The Sharks have signed Justin Bailey to a one-year, two-way contract.
Bailey signed with the Sharks in 2023-24 after the regular season had already started but still managed 59 games and 14 points (5G/9A) under his belt before the season's end and has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract to remain with San Jose. The 28-year-old winger surpassed career-highs in nearly all statistical categories last season and has 10 goals and 23 points in 141 career NHL games played.
2-year, $4,000,000 contract with the Utah Mammoth. Expires 2026 (UFA).
Source:2024-06-29T23:59:00.000Z
Utah has signed Juuso Valimaki to a two-year contract extension.
2-year, $2,800,000 contract with the Utah Mammoth. Expires 2026 (RFA).
Source:2024-06-28T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $1,550,000 contract with the Edmonton Oilers. $325K Guaranteed in Yr 1, then $400K Guaranteed in Yr 2. Expires 2026 (UFA).
Source:2024-06-28T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $4,200,000 contract with the St Louis Blues. Expires 2026 (RFA).
Source:2024-06-28T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $1,550,000 contract with the Florida Panthers. $132.5K Guaranteed in Yr 1, then $180K Guaranteed in Yr 2. Expires 2026 (RFA).
Source:2024-06-28T23:59:00.000Z
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.