NHL Signings & Free Agents

Bortuzzo failed to pick up a point in 27 games played between St.Louis and the New York Islanders in 2023-24 but earned himself a one-year, two-way contract with Utah on Saturday. The 35-year-old stay-at-home defenseman is entering his 14th NHL season and has 20 goals and 74 points in 560 career games played. He will provide Utah with some much-needed defensive depth.

Carolina and Jarvis may have changed the NHL free agent game forever on Friday after they signed an eight-year deal worth $63.2 million ($7.9M AAV) that is much lower than average annual salaries because Jarvis was willing to defer salary. The 22-year-old center was Carolina's 2020 1st-round pick (13th overall) and broke out in 2023-24 finishing second on the Hurricanes' in points with 33 goals, 67 points 176 SOG and a +23 plus/minus through 81 games played.

Fresh off his first career Stanley Cup victory, Nick Cousins has signed a one-year, $800,000 contract to go to the Ottawa Senators. The 31-year-old is impressively entering his 11th NHL season with his seventh different team. In 2023-24, he had seven goals, 15 points, 64 PIMs and 111 SOG in 69 games played with Florida.

Los Angeles added to its goaltending depth on Sunday after they signed 23-year-old goaltender Erik Portillo to a three-year, entry-level contract. The towering 6'6" netminder was Buffalo's 2019 3rd-round pick (67th overall) and spent 2023-24 dominating the AHL with Ontario, with his 24-11-3 record, 2.50 GAA and .918 SV%.

Nearly an hour after being acquired in a large trade with San Jose, Yaroslav Askarov has signed a two-year, $4 million contract ($2,000,000 AAV) that will kick in after the 2024-25 season once his $925,000 contract comes to an end. The 22-year-old goaltender was Nashville's 2020 1st-round pick (11th overall) and had a strong 30-13-1 record, 2.39 GAA and .911 SV% with Milwaukee (AHL) last season.

Hours after being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in a one-for-one deal for Brayden Yager, Rutger McGroarty has signed a three-year entry-level contract with Pittsburgh. The 20-year-old was Winnipeg's 2022 1st-round pick (14th overall) and had excelled at the NCAA level, with 16 goals and 52 points in only 36 games played in 2023-24 with the Michigan Wolverines.

Toronto added to its forward depth on Wednesday as they signed 24-year-old undrafted forward Alex Steeves to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 6'0" centre has appeared in seven NHL games for the Maple Leafs in the last three seasons but spent the vast majority of his time with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) since joining from Notre Dame (NCAA) in 2021-22. Steeves had an impressive AHL campaign in 2023-24 with 27 goals, 57 points and 26 PIMs in 65 games played.

Weeks after signing fellow 2021 1st-round pick (5th overall) Kent Johnson, Columbus has also agreed to signed Cole Sillinger to a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension ($2,250,000 AAV). The 21-year-old was drafted 12th overall by the Blue Jackets in 2021 and has faced his share of up-and downs since joining the NHL as an 18-year-old in 2021-22. In 77 games in 2023-24 he had 13 goals, 32 points, 46 PIMs and 157 SOG while averaging 16:07 TOI/GP.

Seattle has locked up 2022-23 Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers to a seven-year, $49.98 million contract extension ($7,140,000 AAV) on Tuesday. The 21-year-old centre was Seattle's inaugural draft pick when he went 2nd overall in 2021 from the University of Michigan (NCAA). In 77 games in 2023-24, the 6'2" American had 15 goals, 37 points, 133 SOG and a -11 plus/minus.

The Edmonton Oilers will not match St. Louis' offer sheet to restricted free agent Philip Broberg which means the 23-year-old has signed a two-year, $9.16 million contract with the Blues. Due to the signing, Edmonton has been compensated a 2025 2nd-round pick. In 12 games with Edmonton in 2023-24, Broberg had two assists, six SOG, and a -3 plus/minus while averaging only 11:37 TOI/GP.

Alongside Philip Broberg, Edmonton has decided to not match the two-year, $4.58 million offer sheet St.Louis presented to Dylan Holloway and will therefore lose the 22-year-old forward for a 2025 3rd-round pick. Holloway was Edmonton's 2020 1st round pick (14th overall) and had six goals, nine points and 29 PIMs in 38 games played in 2023-24.

Dallas may have created some competition in camp for their backup goaltender position after they signed veteran Magnus Hellberg to a one-year, two-way contract on Tuesday. The 33-year-old Swedish netminder spent 2023-24 with Pittsburgh and appeared in three games, picking up a 1-1-0 record, 2.50 GAA and .922 SV%. The veteran has appeared in 26 career NHL games for a whopping five separate teams across his 10 years of being in the NHL.

The tallest forward in the NHL (6'8") has been signed by Calgary on Tuesday as they signed Adam Klapka to a one-year, two-way contract. The 23-year-old towering right-winger made his NHL debut with the Flames in 2023-24 and had a goal, 19 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus while averaging just 6:46 TOI/GP.

Calgary shored up its defensive depth on Tuesday as they signed Yan Kuznetsov to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 22-year-old Russian defenseman was Calgary's 2020 2nd-round pick (50th overall) and made his NHL debut in 2023-24 but only appeared in one game. In 63 games played with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) last season, he had five goals and 13 points.

New Jersey solidified their forward depth on Monday as they signed 23-year-old left-winger Nolan Foote to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 6'3" winger was Tampa Bay's 2019 1st-round pick (27th overall) but has failed to ever truly crack the Devils roster as he has appeared in seven or fewer games in each of the Devils' last four seasons. In 2023-24, he had a goal and six SOG while averaging 10:06 TOI in four games and yet another short showing with New Jersey.

Phillips spent 2023-24 with two separate organizations (PIT, WASH) but has found himself a home for the 2024-25 season after signing a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado on Friday. The 26-year-old has torn up the American Hockey League for seasons but has still struggled to find a home in the NHL and only produced a goal and five points in 31 games played in 2023-24.

Yakemchuk was Ottawa's 2024 1st round pick (7th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday. The 18-year-old defenseman has spent the last three seasons with Calgary (WHL) and shot his way up draft boards in 2023-24 after scoring 30 goals and 71 points in 66 games played. He is expected to return to Calgary for the 2024-25 season.

Kylington will leave the Calgary Flames after five successful seasons after the defensemen signed a one-year, $1.05 million contract with Colorado on Monday. The 27-year-old made headlines in 2023-24 after he successfully returned to the NHL after a nearly two-year mental health hiatus. In 33 games played in his return, he had three goals, eight points, and 12 PIMs in 33 games with the Flames.

Vanacker was Chicago's 2024 1st round pick (27th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday with the Blackhawks. The 18-year-old left-winger took a massive step forward in the OHL in 2023-24 with Brantford, collecting 36 goals and 82 points in 68 games played.

Danford was Toronto's 2024 1st round pick (31st overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs on Friday. The 18-year-old defensemen enjoyed a strong second season in Oshawa (OHL), picking up a goal and 33 points in 64 games played.