NHL Signings & Free Agents

After a successful first campaign in North America with both Chicago (AHL) and Carolina, Juha Jaaska has earned himself a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension ($755,000 AAV) to remain with the Hurricanes. The 27-year-old Finnish forward made his NHL debut last season and had four assists and nine PIMs in 18 games played.

Dallas' captain will return for a 17th season with the organization after it was announced Thursday that the Stars had agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with Jamie Benn. The contract is full of bonuses, which could reach as high as $4 million AAV if all are achieved by the end of the season. In 80 games in 2024-25, the 35-year-old veteran had 15 goals, 49 points and 70 PIMs while holding down a bottom-six role.

Minutes after being acquired by Utah, JJ Peterka was announced to a 5-year extension worth $7.7M AAV ($38.5M total). The 23-year-old right-winger has made consistent 18-point jumps in each of his first three NHL seasons, finishing 2024-25 with 27 goals, 68 points and 173 SOG in 77 GP after 50 points in 82 games the year before. He is expected to take a top-six role in Utah in the upcoming season.

Vegas will keep a veteran presence around after they signed forward Reilly Smith to a one-year, $2 million contract extension on Wednesday. The 34-year-old was acquired at last season's trade deadline from New York and put up three goals, 11 points and a +11 plus/minus in 21 games after returning to Vegas.

Edstrom graduated to a full-time NHLer in 2024-25, and the 6-foot-7 winger had nine points (5G / 4A) in 51 games. Expect the 2019 sixth-round pick to serve as a fourth liner for the Rangers again in 2025-26.

After missing the second half of the 2024-25 season due to a knee injury, Justin Kirkland has earned himself a one-year, $900,000 contract extension to remain in Calgary. The 28-year-old forward picked up his first career point in 2024-25 with the Flames and finished the campaign early with two goals, eight points and a +6 plus/minus in 21 games played. He is expected to take a bottom-six role in 2025-26.

Fresh off a successful AHL playoffs (15 Pts in 14 GP), Kole Lind has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract to remain with the Dallas Stars. The 26-year-old is entering his eighth full AHL season after putting up 23 goals and 52 points in 71 games with Texas (AHL) in 2024-25. He has appeared in 31 career NHL games as well throughout his career, picking up two goals, eight points and a -3 plus/minus.

Toews has not appeared in an NHL game since April 13th, 2024, but till make his return with his hometown Winnipeg Jets. Toews, who is a three-time Stanley Cup Champion and had 883 career points (372G / 511A) in 15 seasons with the Blackhawks, could earn up to $5M in bonuses. He's expected to serve as a much-needed middle-6 centre for the Jets in 2025-26.

Fleury spent most of the 2024-25 season as the Kraken's No.7 defenseman, appearing in 14 games with the team. He did spend some time in the AHL, where he had 26 points (7G / 19A) in 39 games with Coachella Valley. Expect Fleury to serve a similar fringe roster player role over the next two seasons.

Hunt had a strong showing with Calgary in 2024-25 despite only playing in five total games with three assists and five SOG, and has earned himself a two-year, two-way contract extension worth $825,000 AAV to remain with the Flames. The 29-year-old left-winger is entering his ninth NHL season and will hope to see some time with the Flames in 2025-26.

Bourque was Dallas' 2020 1st round pick (30th overall) and will remain a Star for at least one more season after the 23-year-old forward signed a one-year, $950,000 contract extension on Friday. He is entering his second full season with Dallas after putting up 11 goals and 25 points in 73 games in his rookie campaign in 2024-25.

Lundkvist missed the last 35 games of the 2024-25 campaign due to shoulder surgery but has earned himself a one-year, $1.25 million contract extension to remain with the Stars on Friday. The 24-year-old defenseman will enter his fifth NHL season in 2025-26 after putting up five assists, 20 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus in 39 games played last season.

After a brief eight-game debut (which included a two-game suspension) in 2024-25 with the Colorado Avalanche, Matthew Steinburg has re-signed a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 24-year-old's 2024-25 season was cut short due to injury, resulting in his appearance in only 13 games between the Eagles (AHL) and Avalanche.

After appearing in just two games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2024-25, Jason Polin has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract extension on Friday. The 26-year-old right winger spent the majority of last season with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) where he had 11 goals and 19 points in 39 games played.

Fresh off of posting a career-high 14 goals and 32 points in his first season in Carolina, Eric Robinson has signed a four-year, $6.8 million contract extension ($1.7 million AAV) to remain a Hurricane on Friday. The undrafted 30-year-old left-winger has been in the NHL for eight years but has never caught on with an organization until Carolina. In 388 career games, he has 54 goals and 123 points.

Robertson was a second-round pick in 2019 and made his NHL debut during the 2024-25 season, appearing in two games with the Rangers. He spent most of the season with Hartford (AHL), where he had one goal and 24 assists (25 points) in 60 games. Robertson will likely be in a battle for the No.6 defenseman spot in training camp.

After two incredibly successful seasons in Dallas, Matt Duchene has decided to stay a Star after signing a four-year, $18 million contract extension ($4.5 million AAV) on Thursday. The 34-year-old is coming off a point-per-game campaign, during which he scored 30 goals and 82 points in 82 games played in the 2024-25 season. The veteran forward is entering his 17th NHL season.

Zetterlund was acquired at the trade deadline from the Sharks and had just two goals and three assists (five points) in 20 games. Zetterlund played more of a depth role after being acquired but could play more of a top-6 role in 2025-26. He has a career-high of 24 goals and 44 points with the Sharks in 2023-24.

Donato had a career year in 2024-25, scoring 31 goals with 31 assists (62 points) in 80 games. The Blackhawks decided not to trade him at the trade deadline, a sign that they wanted to re-sign him in the offseason. Donato gets a four-year extension that will keep him in Chicago through the 2028-29 season.