Vancouver has signed Paul Cotter to a one-year, $2.15 million contract.
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NHL Signings & Free Agents
New York has signed Joe Veleno to a one-year, $1.2 million contract.
Veleno was a first-round pick, 30th overall, of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, but he has failed to live up to that billing, settling into a bottom-six defensive role. The 26-year-old Montreal native spent the 2025-26 season with his hometown Canadiens, scoring five points (2G / 3A) in 61 games.
Philadelphia has signed Noel Acciari to a two-year, $2.8 million AAV contract ($5.6M total).
After spending the past three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Acciari will remain in the Metropolitan Division, signing a two-year contract worth $5.6 million ($2.8M AAV) with the Philadelphia Flyers. The veteran 34-year-old forward is a reliable, defensively sound bottom-six forward who should add some stability to a young and improving Flyers team. He had 25 points (13G / 12A) last season in 67 games with Pittsburgh.
Winnipeg has signed Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract worth $3.75 million AAV ($7.5M total).
Rumours have circulated about the Winnipeg Jets regarding a possible trade of starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck. It's unclear if these rumours will come to fruition this offseason, but the team added some depth to their goaltending position in the interim, signing Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract worth $7.5 million ($3.75M AAV). The 27-year-old Skinner battled adversity during his tenure with the Edmonton Oilers, ultimately being dealt last season to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he posted a 2.95 GAA and .885 SV% in 27 games (12-9-5).
Toronto has signed Jack Roslovic to a two-year contract worth $4 million AAV ($8M total).
The Maple Leafs added solid offensive depth on the opening day of free agency, signing Jack Roslovic to a two-year contract worth $8 million ($4.0M AAV). The 29-year-old forward spent the 2025-26 season with the Edmonton Oilers, playing up and down the lineup, averaging 15:46 time-on-ice and scoring 36 points (21G / 15A) in 69 games.
Calgary has signed Michael Benning to a one-year, two-way contract.
Benning was a fourth-round pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft who made his NHL debut in the 2025-26 season. The 24-year-old defenseman averaged 16:54 time-on-ice and scored six points (2G / 4A) last season in 18 games with the Panthers.
Montreal has signed Alex Belzile to a one-year, $850,000 contract.
Belzile is an undrafted forward who has spent most of his career in the AHL, playing just 44 NHL games. The 34-year-old scored 62 points (29G / 33A) last season in 66 games with the Laval Rocket (AHL).
Detroit has signed Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year, $5 million AAV contract ($10M total).
GM Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings have faced some adversity this offseason, but made a quality offensive acquisition on the opening day of free agency, signing Arvidsson to a two-year contract worth $10 million ($5.0M AAV). The 33-year-old Swedish forward has battled some injury concerns and consistency in his career, but is coming off an excellent 2025-26 season with the Boston Bruins, scoring 54 points (25G / 29A) in 69 games.
Pittsburgh has signed Declan Carlile to a two-year, $1.5 million AAV contract ($3.0M total).
Carlile is an undrafted defenseman who never made an impact at the NHL level until last season, when he played a career-high 42 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring 3 points (1G/2A). The 26-year-old adds some depth to Pittsburgh's blueline on a two-year contract worth $3.0 million ($1.5M AAV).
Colorado has signed Noah Juulsen to a two-year, $1.1 million AAV contract ($2.2M total).
Colorado added some reliable depth to their blueline on the first day of free agency, signing Noah Juulsen to a two-year contract worth $2.2 million ($1.1M AAV). The 29-year-old defenseman played 52 games last season with the Philadelphia Flyers, averaging 13:49 time-on-ice and scoring 10 points (1G / 9A).
Tampa Bay has signed Jeffrey Viel to a five-year, $2.5 million AAV contract ($12.5M total).
Viel has played only 99 career NHL games but had an impact with the Ducks last season, primarily in a fourth-line role, earning himself a five-year contract worth $12.5 million ($2.5M AAV) with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 29-year-old forward was especially effective in the postseason with the Ducks, recording four points (2G / 2A) and 17 penalty minutes in 12 games.
Buffalo has signed Dennis Gilbert to a one-year, $850,000 contract.
Gilbert has played 119 career NHL games, but only suited up in eight last season with the Ottawa Senators. The 29-year-old defenseman will provide some reliable depth on Buffalo's blueline after signing a one-year deal worth $850K.
St. Louis has signed Ross Johnston to a three-year, $2 million AAV contract ($6 million total).
Johnston has struggled to be a full-time NHLer over his career, but at age 31 in the 2025-26 season, he had a breakout season in a fourth-line role for the Anaheim Ducks, tallying 14 points (3G / 11A), 107 penalty minutes, and 192 hits in 62 games. He earns himself some security, joining the Blues on a three-year contract worth $6 million ($2M AAV).
Vegas has re-signed Rasmus Andersson to a seven-year, $8.5 million AAV contract extension ($59.5M total).
It was widely assumed that Andersson would sign a lengthy extension with the Vegas Golden Knights after they acquired him in a trade last season, which came to fruition on the first day of free agency, with a seven-year extension worth $59.5 million ($8.5M AAV). The veteran 29-year-old Swedish defenseman was solid in a brief run with the Golden Knights, averaging 21:42 time-on-ice and scoring 17 points (7G / 10A) in 33 games.
Utah has signed Vadim Moroz to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Moroz was a third-round pick, 88th overall, and has signed a two-year, entry-level contract. The 22-year-old Belarusian forward has spent the previous four seasons with Minsk Dynamo in the KHL. He scored 29 points (14G / 15A) in 54 games in 2025-26.
Columbus has signed Ryan Lomberg to a two-year, $1.3 million AAV contract ($2.6M total).
Lomberg became a fan favourite with the Calgary Flames over the past two seasons as an intimidating bottom-six forward, but he will join his third NHL team after signing a two-year contract worth $2.6 million ($1.3M AAV) with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 31-year-old scored nine points (4G / 5A) in 57 games last season.
Tampa Bay has signed Ilya Mikheyev to a four-year contract worth $3.85M AAV ($15.4M total).
Chicago has signed Ian Cole to a one-year, $4.0 million contract.
Cole spent the previous two seasons with the Utah Mammoth and will have a change of scenery in 2026-27, signing a one-year, $4.0 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, his 10th NHL team. The 37-year-old defenseman scored 23 points (3G / 20A) last season in 82 games.
Los Angeles has signed Corey Perry to a one-year, $1 million AAV contract.
Perry signed with the Los Angeles Kings last offseason on a one-year contract before being dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline. The 41-year-old forward will return to the Kings to start the 2026-27 season on a one-year contract worth $1.0 million. Last season, he scored 37 points (17G / 20A) in 72 combined games.
Chicago has signed Cole Smith a three-year, $3 million AAV contract ($9M total).
After spending his first five NHL seasons with the Nashville Predators, the team traded him to Vegas mid-season in 2025-26. The 30-year-old forward will have another change of scenery entering year seven of his career, signing a three-year contract extension worth $3.0 million AAV with the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored 12 points (8G / 4A) in 63 combined games last season.
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.