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NHL Signings & Free Agents

Signing

Montreal has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with Connor Hughes for the 2024-25 season.

Montreal made their first off-season signing on Tuesday as they brought in Connor Hughes from Switzerland for a one-year, two-way contract which starts in the 2024-25 season. The 27-year-old travelling netminder had never played higher than the GOJHL in North America and has played in either the NL or SL league in Switzerland since 2017-18. In 2023-24 he appeared in 19 games for Lausanne HC (NL) and had an impressive 1.73 GAA and .940 SV%.

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Montreal Canadians 2024-06-04T18:21:20.348Z

Jakub Stancl(Center)(C)|St Louis Blues STL

Signing

3-year, $2,708,333 contract with the St Louis Blues. Expires 2027 (RFA).

Source:

2024-06-01T23:59:00.000Z

Jared Davidson(Center)(C)|Montreal Canadiens MTL

Signing

2-year, $1,725,000 contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Expires 2026 (RFA).

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2024-05-31T23:59:00.000Z

Juraj Pekarcik(Left Wing)(LW)|St Louis Blues STL

Signing

St. Louis has signed Juraj Pekarcik to a three-year, two-way entry-level contract.

Pekarcik is St. Louis 2023 third-round pick (76th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday. The 18-year-old forward spent the entire 2023-24 season with Dubuque of the USHL and had nine goals, and 59 points in 43 games played in his first season in North American hockey.

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St. Louis Blues 2024-05-30T19:28:58.032Z

Juraj Pekarcik(Left Wing)(LW)|St Louis Blues STL

Signing

3-year, $2,714,999 contract with the St Louis Blues. Expires 2027 (RFA).

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2024-05-29T23:59:00.000Z

Ryan Suzuki(Center)(C)|Ottawa Senators OTT

Signing

Carolina has resigned Ryan Suzuki to a one-year, two-way contract extension.

Suzuki had 14 goals and 30 points with Springfield (AHL) in 2023-24 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with Carolina on Wednesday. The 23-year-old was the Hurricanes' 2019 first-round pick (28th overall) but has yet to make his NHL debut after four AHL seasons.

Source:

Carolina Hurricanes 2024-05-29T17:23:30.896Z

Aleksanteri Kaskimaki(Center)(C)|St Louis Blues STL

Signing

3-year, $2,685,000 contract with the St Louis Blues. Expires 2027 (RFA).

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2024-05-28T23:59:00.000Z

William Smith(Center)(C)|

Signing

3-year, $2,850,000 contract with the San Jose Sharks. Expires 2027 (RFA).

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2024-05-28T23:59:00.000Z

Martin Misiak(Right Wing)(RW)|Chicago Blackhawks CHI

Signing

3-year, $2,684,999 contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. Expires 2027 (RFA).

Source:

2024-05-28T23:59:00.000Z

Jakub Malek(Goalie)(G)|New Jersey Devils NJD

Signing

2-year, $1,735,000 contract with the New Jersey Devils. Expires 2026 (RFA).

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2024-05-28T23:59:00.000Z

Zach Sanford(Left Wing)(LW)|Free Agent FA

Signing

Chicago has signed Zach Sanford to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

Chicago announced Tuesday afternoon that they have agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $775,000 with forward Zach Sanford. The 29-year-old appeared in 29 games in 2023-24 with both Chicago and Arizona and had no goals, six assists, 24 SOG and six PIMs in his seventh NHL season.

Source:

Chicago Blackhawks 2024-05-28T20:17:11.571Z

Martin Misiak(Right Wing)(RW)|Chicago Blackhawks CHI

Signing

Chicago has signed Martin Misiak to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Misiak was Chicago's 2023 second-round pick (55th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with an AAV of $878,333. The 19-year-old winger just finished his first OHL season with the Erie Otters and had 23 goals and 47 points in 60 games in his second season of North American hockey.

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Chicago Blackhawks 2024-05-28T18:07:16.494Z

Will Smith(Center)(C)|San Jose Sharks SJS

Signing

San Jose has signed Will Smith to a three-year, $4.15 million entry-level contract.

Smith was San Jose's top prospect and 2023 first-round pick (4th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday worth $4.15 million ($950,000 AAV). The 19-year-old just finished up his Freshman season with Boston College (NCAA) and had 25 goals and 71 points in 41 games played.

Source:

Frank Seravalli 2024-05-28T18:01:08.950Z

Aleksanteri Kaskimaki(Center)(C)|St Louis Blues STL

Signing

St. Louis have signed Aleksanteri Kaskimaki to a three-year, two-way entry-level contract.

Kaskimaki was St. Louis' 2022 third-round pick (73rd overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday with the Blues. The 20-year-old centre spent 2023-24 with HIFK of Liiga in Finland and had 10 goals, and 17 points in 48 games played.

Source:

St. Louis Blues 2024-05-28T15:53:15.967Z

Julian Lutz(Left Wing)(LW)|Utah Mammoth UTA

Signing

3-year, $2,769,999 contract with the Utah Mammoth. Expires 2027 (RFA).

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2024-05-26T23:59:00.000Z

Kaleb Lawrence(Center)(C)|

Signing

3-year, $2,632,500 contract with the Los Angeles Kings. Expires 2027 (RFA).

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2024-05-23T23:59:00.000Z

Luca Cagnoni(Defenseman)(D)|San Jose Sharks SJS

Signing

3-year, $2,710,000 contract with the San Jose Sharks. Expires 2027 (RFA).

Source:

2024-05-22T23:59:00.000Z

Aatu Jamsen(Right Wing)(RW)|Los Angeles Kings LAK

Signing

Los Angeles has signed Aatu Jamsen to a two-year, $1.705 million ($852,500 AAV) entry-level contract.

Jamsen is Los Angeles 2020 seventh-round pick (190th overall) and has signed a two-year, $1.705 million ($852,500 AAV) entry-level contract which will bring the forward over to North America in 2024-25. The 21-year-old winger has spent the last three seasons with Pelicans of Liiga in Finland and had an impressive 2023-24 with 14 goals and 25 points in 36 total games played.

Source:

Los Angeles Kings 2024-05-22T23:59:44.200Z

Luca Cagnoni(Defenseman)(D)|San Jose Sharks SJS

Signing

San Jose has signed Luca Cagnoni to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Cagnoni was San Jose's 2023 fourth-round pick (123rd overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday with the Sharks. The 19-year-old defenseman is looking like a draft-day steal after putting up 18 goals and 90 points in 65 games with Portland (WHL) in his fourth junior season in 2023-24.

Source:

San Jose Sharks 2024-05-22T18:25:07.647Z

Dyllan Gill(Defenseman)(D)|Tampa Bay Lightning TBL

Signing

Tampa Bay has signed Dyllan Gill to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Gill is Tampa Bay's 2022 seventh-round pick (233rd overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday. The 19-year-old defenseman just finished his fourth season with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) and had a goal and nine points in 12 games played in 2023-24.

Source:

Tampa Bay Lightning 2024-05-22T17:06:59.842Z

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.