NHL Signings & Free Agents

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).

Watson has spent the majority of 2024-25 in the AHL, where he has 12 goals and 19 assists (31 points) in 51 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins. He's appeared in just two NHL games with the Red Wings, but gets another two-way deal for the 2025-26 season.

Cole was set to become an unrestricted free-agent on July 1st, but will instead remain in Utah for the 2025-26 season. The 36-year-old defenceman has one goal and 12 assists in 61 games for Utah this season and leads the NHL with 160 blocked shots.