NHL Signings & Free Agents

Parent's contract doesn't start until the 2025-26 season, so the 23-year-old will remain with Utica (AHL) for the 2024-25 season. The undrafted free agent has scored 11 goals with 15 assists (26 points) in 44 games in his second full season with Utica.

Hill is in the final year of a two-year deal that carries a $4.9M cap hit. His new deal will go through the 2030-31 season. Hill has enjoyed another strong season, going 24-11-4 with a 2.53 GAA (t-13th), and .906 SV% (t-18th), 0.360 GSAx/60 (12th) and four shutouts (t-2nd).

Hayes is an undrafted 22-year-old forward that made his professional debut last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). He has 35 points (17G / 18A) in 44 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season.

Johansson was a fourth-round pick, 105th overall, of the Red Wings in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old defenseman has spent the 2024-25 season with Leksands IF (SweHL), scoring 10 points (5G / 5A) in 46 games.

Quick has been a serviceable backup since joining the Rangers last season, posting a 2.83 GAA and .904 SV% in 48 combined appearances (27-12-4). The veteran 39-year-old netminder will return to the Rangers for another season, ensuring the team sticks with the same tandem of him and Igor Shesterkin in the 2025-26 campaign.

MacDonell was a sixth-round pick, 189th overall, of the Dallas Stars in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old forward has spent the past four seasons in the OHL, including scoring 47 points (24G / 23A) in 39 games with the Brampton Steelheads this season.

Laatsch was a seventh-round pick, 215th overall, of the Penguins in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 6'5 defenseman is a product of the University of Wisconsin and scored five points (2G / 3A) in 22 games with the club this season.

Carriere is an undrafted 24-year-old goalie out of the University of Vermont. He is playing his first full professional season, posting a 2.85 GAA and .902 SV% in 10 games (5-4-1) with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL).

A contract extension was necessary for the Dallas Stars to execute a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes to acquire Mikko Rantanen, which was signed on Friday afternoon, making him the highest-paid winger in the league, making $12 million per season for the next eight seasons. The 28-year-old superstar forward is coming off consecutive 100+ point seasons in Colorado and instantly makes the Dallas Stars a Stanley Cup favorite. Rantanen is poised to suit up on the Stars' top line with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz.

Johnston was set to become a restricted free agent in the offseason, but has signed a five-year contract extension, worth $42 million, making him an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2029-30 season. The 21-year-old Johnston has 59 points (23G / 36A) in 62 games this season, including 14 points (8G / 6A) in his last eight games.

Vaakanainen was acquired in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks earlier this season and has earned himself a two-year, $3.10 million contract extension with the Rangers. The 26-year-old defenseman has averaged 15:599 time-on-ice and scored nine points (2G / 7A) in 30 games with the Rangers this season.

Kovacevic has been a staple on New Jersey's blue line this season and earned himself a five-year, $20 million contract extension. The 27-year-old defenseman has 14 points (1G / 13A), 81 blocks, and 83 hits in 63 games this season.

Zucker has impressed in his first season in Buffalo, earning himself a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension. The 33-year-old forward is enjoying one of the most productive seasons of his career, with 44 points (18G / 26A) through only 54 games this season, a total he has topped only three times in his 14-year career.

Murphy is an undrafted goaltender out of Northeastern University. The 26-year-old has spent part of the season in the AHL, posting a 4.14 GAA and .881 SV% in four games (2-2-0).

Ellis was a third-round pick, 93rd overall, of the Blues in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The 24-year-old goalie has yet to play an NHL game but has had an impressive season in the AHL, posting a 2.41 GAA and .926 SV% in 31 games (19-7-3) with the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Hebig an undrafted 28-year-old forward that has yet to play an NHL game. He has spent most of the previous seven seasons in the AHL, including scoring 37 points (20G / 17A) in 48 games with the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) this season.

Pitlick has 420 games of NHL experience, scoring 109 points (56G / 53A), but has almost exclusively spent the previous two season in the AHL. The 33-year-old Pitlick has 33 points (16G / 17A) in 43 games with the Providence Bruins (AHL) this season.

Julien was a fifth-round pick, 146th overall, of the Jets in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old forward is has collected 45 points (10G / 35A) through 58 games in his third OHL season with the London Knights.

Vejmelka is in the final year of a three-year, $2.725M AAV contract and is now signed though the 2029-30 season. Vejmelka has enjoyed the best season of his four-year career so far, going 16-16-4 with a 2.45 GAA, .910 SV% and one shutout in 38 games (35 starts).