NHL Signings & Free Agents

After making his NHL debut in 2024-25 with Carolina, Ryan Suzuki has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract with the Hurricanes to come back to Chicago (AHL) for a sixth season. The 24-year-old was Carolina's 2019 1st round pick (28th overall) and he had 12 goals and 59 points in 69 games with Chicago last season. He is expected to return to the Wolves for the start of the 2025-26 season but will provide Carolina with depth throughout the year.

Carolina will bring Ronan Seeley back for a fourth season in the organization after the 22-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract extension. The stay-at-home defensemen enjoyed a strong season in 2024-25 with Chicago (AHL), picking up three goals, 10 points and a -6 plus/minus in 69 games played. He is expected to spend 2025-26 back in Chicago.

Vilardi will avoid arbitration and cash in after the 25-year-old agreed to a six-year contract extension worth $7.5 million AAV ($45M total) with Winnipeg on Friday. The Canadian right-winger is entering his seventh NHL season after posting career highs in almost all major categories last season, including goals (27), assists (34), points (61), SOG (130), and PPP (25). He is expected to return to his role on the Jets' top line and powerplay for the 2025-26 season.

Helleson and Anaheim avoided arbitration on Friday after they agreed to a two-year, $2.2 million extension ($1.1 million AAV). The 24-year-old is entering his second full season with Anaheim after an impressive rookie campaign in 2024-25, during which he scored four goals, tallied 13 points, and accumulated 47 penalty minutes in 56 games played. He is expected to be a key part in Anaheim's defensive core this upcoming season.

Anaheim will avoid arbitration with their biggest offseason piece of business after announcing on their social media that they have signed Lukas Dostal to a five-year contract extension worth $6.5 million AAV ($32.5M total). The 25-year-old is entering his fifth NHL season with Anaheim after posting career highs in games played (54), Wins (23) and shutouts (1) in 2024-25. He is expected to be Anaheim's starter after they parted ways with John Gibson in the offseason.

Chicago has retained one of their key defensive pieces for the upcoming 2025-26 season after they announced they had signed Louis Crevier to a two-year contract extension worth $900,000 AAV ($1.8M total). The 23-year-old was Chicago's 2020 7th-round pick (188th overall) and appeared in 32 games with the Blackhawks last season, picking up three goals, four points and 10 PIMs. He is expected to compete for one of Chicago's final six defensive spots come training camp this upcoming season.

Berezhnoy is a 22-year-old undrafted goaltender who spent last season playing 27 games in the VHL with Omskie Krylia and SKA-Neva St. Petersburg and has earned himself a two-year, entry-level contract with Chicago on Thursday. The towering Russian netminder is expected to report to Rockford (AHL) for the upcoming 2024-25 season after posting a .928 SV% in the VHL last season.

Florida continued to shore up its defensive depth on Thursday after announcing it had signed 24-year-old defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The former first-round pick came to Florida off waivers in March 2024 and managed to appear in 14 games with the Panthers during the 2024-25 season, failing to record a point. He spent the majority of last season with Charlotte (AHL), where he had three goals and 18 points in 50 games played.

Calgary made a trio of depth signings on Thursday, and Jeremie Poirier to a one-year, two-way contract extension was certainly one of them. The 23-year-old defenseman was Calgary's 2020 3rd-round pick (72nd overall) but has yet to appear in an NHL game in any of his three professional seasons. He is expected to return to the Wranglers (AHL) for the 2025-26 season, where he had five goals and 42 points in 71 games last season.

Calgary added to its depth on Thursday with a trio of signings, including Yan Kuznetsov, whom the Flames signed to a two-year, two-way contract extension. The 23-year-old was Calgary's 2020 2nd-round pick (50th overall) and has appeared in just one NHL game since joining the Flames organization in 2020-21 from the University of Connecticut (NCAA). He is expected to start 2025-26 with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL), where he had six goals and 21 points in 72 games last season.

Kerins was part of a trio of signings that Calgary made on Thursday as the 23-year-old was brought back for another season on a one-year, two-way contract. The 23-year-old was Calgary's 2020 6th-round pick (174th overall) and made his NHL debut in 2024-25, picking up an eye-opening four assists in just five games played. He will battle for one of Calgary's final roster spots in training camp this season after an impressive 2024-25 campaign with the Wranglers (AHL), where he put up 33 goals and 61 points in 63 games played.

Skoog will return for a third season with Charlotte (AHL) after signing a one-year, two-way contract with Florida on Wednesday. The 26-year-old centre was undrafted out of Boston University (NCAA) and made his minors debut in 2023-24. Last season, he scored nine goals, added 24 points, and accumulated 63 penalty minutes in 72 games with Charlotte.

Detroit's 2025 1st Round Pick (13th overall) has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday. The 18-year-old watched his name rise up the draft board after an impressive 40-goal, 82-point, 77 PIMs campaign across 56 games with Everatt (WHL) last season. He is expected to return to the Silvertips for a fourth junior season in 2025-26.

Mayo spent the last two and a half seasons in Henderson (AHL) but has signed a one-year, two-way contract with Columbus on Wednesday. The 28-year-old defenseman has 12 points and 82 career NHL games to his name, but hasn't appeared in the big leagues since 2022-23. He is expected to start 2025-26 in the minors, where he had eight goals, 19 points and 86 PIMs with Henderson (AHL) last season.

After three years in New York's organization, Jake Leschyshyn has jumped ship and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Buffalo Sabres. The 26-year-old forward has appeared in 77 NHL career games but last appeared in the big leagues with New York in 2023-24. He spent the entirety of last season with Hartford (AHL), where he had 13 goals and 24 points in 69 games played.

Hebig will return for his sixth season in Tucson (AHL) after Utah signed the veteran forward to a two-year, two-way contract extension on Wednesday. The 28-year-old undrafted forward has never made the jump to the NHL but had his most productive AHL season by a mile in 2024-25, picking up 26 goals and 47 points in 67 games played with Tucson.

After a short two-game showing with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024-25, Domenick Fensore has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract to remain a Hurricane for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old puck-moving defenseman took a step forward in 2024-25 with Chicago (AHL), putting up nine goals and 32 points alongside his 39 PIMs in 67 total games played. He is expected to start 2025-26 in Chicago but will provide Carolina with some much-needed defensive depth.

Velno was bought out by the Seattle Kraken a few weeks ago and has found a new home in Montreal after agreeing to a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Canadiens. The 25-year-old forward was once Detroit's 2018 first-round pick (30th overall) and has spent the last five seasons in the NHL, splitting time between the Red Wings and Blackhawks. He appeared in 74 games between Chicago and Detroit in 2024-25, picking up eight goals, 17 points and a -23 plus/minus.