NHL Signings & Free Agents

But was Utah's 2023 1st-round pick (12th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Mammoth on Wednesday. The 20-year-old left-winger is expected to head over to North America for the 2025-26 season after putting up nine goals and 28 points with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) in 2024-25.

Simashev was Utah's 2023 1st-round pick (6th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Mammoth on Wednesday. The 20-year-old Russian defenseman is expected to head to North America for the 2025-26 season after putting up a goal, six points and a +9 plus/minus in 56 games played with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) in 2024-25.

Afanasyev was acquired from Nashville mid-season in 2024-25 in exchange for Ozzy Wiesblatt and has signed a one-year contract extension to remain with San Jose, worth $800,000. The 24-year-old Russian winger was once a 2019 2nd-round pick (45th overall) but spent 2024-25 with CSKA Moskva (KHL) where he picked up seven assists and 21 points in 53 games played.

Zajicek is an undrafted 23-year-old netminder who has spent the last six seasons with HC Litvinov (Czechia) and will join Boston on a one-year, entry-level contract worth $872,500. The 6'2" goalie opened eyes recently at the World Hockey Championships, where he was the definition of perfect, stopping all 40 shots he faced and posting two shutouts for Czechia in his only two starts. In 29 games with HC Litvinov as well in 2024-25, he posted an eye-popping .930 SV% and 15-13-0 record.

Chesley was Washington's 2022 2nd round pick (37th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. The 21-year-old defenseman spent 2024-25 with the University of Minnesota (NCAA) where he captained the team and put up eight goals and 20 points in 40 total games played.

Keskinen is Columbus' 2023 7th-round pick (194th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. The 21-year-old center represented Finland at the 2025 World Jr Championships and spent the entire 2024-25 season with Tappara (Liiga), where he scored 15 goals and 35 points in 59 games played in Finland's top league.

Yurov is Minnesota's 2022 1st round pick (24th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. The 21-year-old Russian forward spent 2024-25 with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) and had 13 goals and 25 points in 46 games played.

Eklind made his professional North American debut this season, tallying 22 points (5G / 17A) in 64 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL). The undrafted 26-year-old has yet to play an NHL game.

Abols made his NHL debut this season, scoring five points (2G / 3A) in 22 games with the Flyers. The 29-year-old spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, tallying 32 points (15G /17A) in 47 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Wallinder was the No.11 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and signs his entry-level contract after his second year at Boston University. The 20-year-old defenseman had two goals and 22 assists (24 points) in 39 games this season.

Lagare spent the majority of the 2024-25 season with Utica (AHL), earning himself a one-year, two-way contract after scoring 17 goals and 25 points in 69 games played. The 24-year-old winger also made his NHL debut in 2024-25, but failed to pick up a point in any of the three games he appeared in.

Hameenaho was New Jersey's 2023 2nd-round pick (58th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Devils on Thursday. The 20-year-old Finnish right-winger spent 2024-25 with Assat of Liiga and had 20 goals, 51 points, and 28 PIMs in 58 games played.

Tampa Bay has brought back their backup goaltender for two more seasons on Wednesday after they signed the 29-year-old Swede to a two-year, $2.5 million ($1,250,000 AAV) contract extension. The towering netminder was only called up 19 times in 2024-25, and produced a 9-6-3 record with a 3.13 GAA and .895 SV%.

The Panthers selected Jansson in the fourth-round (No.125 overall) in 2022. The 21-year-old defenseman spent the 2024-25 season in the SHL, where he scored one goal with three assists (four points) in 50 games with Lulea HF. Expect him to report to Charlotte (AHL) if he makes the move to North America in 2025-26.

Brown spent most of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, where he had 46 points (17G / 29A) in 56 games for Providence. During his time in the NHL, he had just one assist in 15 games. Expect him to be a fringe NHLer in 2025-26 as well.

Gritsyuk was a fifth-round pick in 2019 and will join the Devils organization in 2025-26 after five seasons in the KHL. Gritsyuk had a career-high 44 points (17G / 27A) in 49 games with St. Petersburg SKA this season.

Matinpalo is an undrafted 26-year-old defenseman that played a career-high 41 games with Ottawa this season, scoring four points (1G / 3A). He appeared in all six playoff games for Ottawa this postseason as well.

Regula was the 67th overall pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft but has only played 22 career NHL Games. The 24-year-old defenseman spent the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, scoring 26 points (4G / 22A) in 55 games with the Providence Bruins.