3-year, $9,750,000 contract with the New Jersey Devils. Expires 2029 (UFA).
Source:
2026-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
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NHL Signings & Free Agents
1-year, $900,000 contract with the Vancouver Canucks. Expires 2027 (UFA).
Source:2026-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
1-year, $2,750,000 contract with the Minnesota Wild. Expires 2027 (RFA).
Source:2026-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
4-year, $17,000,000 contract with the Anaheim Ducks. 10 team no trade list. Expires 2030 (UFA).
Source:2026-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
6-year, $24,000,000 contract with the Vegas Golden Knights. Full NTC in Yr 1 ... 16 team no trade list in Yr 2 ... 10 team no trade list in Yrs 3-4 ... 7 team no trade list in Yrs 5-6. Expires 2032 (UFA).
Source:2026-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $3,175,000 contract with the Ottawa Senators. Expires 2028 (UFA).
Source:2026-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
3-year, $2,700,000 contract with the Vegas Golden Knights. Expires 2029 (UFA).
Source:2026-06-30T23:59:00.000Z
The Ducks have signed AJ Greer to a 4-year deal worth $4.25M AAV ($17.0M total).
The Ducks acquired Greer's rights earlier this offseason from the Florida Panthers and have agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $17 million ($4.25M AAV). The 29-year-old Greer has been an effective bottom-six forward for the Panthers over the past two seasons, and the Ducks hope he can replicate that production. He recorded 32 points (17G / 15A), 113 penalty minutes, and 203 hits in 78 games last season.
The Wild have signed Bobby Brink to a one-year deal worth $2.75M.
Minnesota acquired Brink mid-season in 2025-26. The 24-year-old Brink battled injuries and was the occasional healthy scratch, playing only 13 games and scoring four points (2G / 2A). That said, he will return to Minnesota in 2026-27 after signing a one-year contract extension worth $2.75 million.
The Canucks have signed Guillaume Brisebois to a one-year, two-way contract.
Brisebois has played primarily in the AHL since turning pro in 2017-18. The 28-year-old has made in appearance in the NHL in five seasons since 2019, compiling three points (1G / 2A) across 30 games. Most recently, he had one goal and one assist in nine AHL games with Abbotsford.
The Devils have signed Arseny Gritsyuk to a three-year deal worth $3.25M AAV ($9.75M total).
In his first NHL season, Gritsyuk scored 13 goals with 18 assists (31 points) in 66 games, playing primarily in a third-line role for the Devils. He'll likely play a similar role in 2026-27, a third-liner who provides scoring punch and the ability to move up the lineup to play in the top-6.
The Blues have signed Jonatan Berggren to a one-year contract worth $2.0M.
Berggren was acquired mid-season in 2025-26 by the Blues off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings and made enough of an impact with his new team to earn a one-year contract extension. The 25-year-old Swedish forward, the 33rd-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, scored 16 points (6G / 10A) in 36 games with the Blues last season.
The Mammoth have signed Sebastian Cossa to a two-year, $2.0M AAV contract ($4.0M total)
Cossa was drafted 15th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and was at times considered the team's goalie of the future after excelling at the AHL level. That said, he was buried until some strong goaltending depth in the organization and will ultimately get a shot with the Utah Mammoth after being acquired in a trade for a first-round pick last week. The 23-year-old goalie had a solid 2.33 GAA and .915 SV% last season in 39 games (26-8-4) with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL).
The Flyers have signed Carl Grundstrom to a one-year, $1.0M contract.
Grundstrom was a reliable bottom-six forward for the Flyers in the 2025-26 season, earning himself a one-year contract extension. The 28-year-old Swedish forward averaged 11:51 time-on-ice and scored 13 points (9G / 4A) in 47 games last season.
Seattle has signed Jon-Randall Avon to a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $850,000.
Avon is an undrafted forward that has spent the past three seasons playing in the AHL. The 22-year-old saw some success in 2025-26 in his first season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, scoring 24 points (10G / 14A) in 45 games.
Utah has signed Nick DeSimone to a two-year contract extension worth $1 million AAV ($2M total).
DeSimone has battled for NHL playing time throughout his career and finally became a regular fixture on the blueline for the Utah Mammoth in 2025-26, earning himself a two-year contract extension. The 31-year-old defenseman scored eight points (2G / 6A) last season in 40 games.
Utah has signed Joshua Roy to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Roy has seen limited action at the NHL level over the past two seasons and hopes to reestablish himself in a more regular role in 2026-27 with the Utah Mammoth. The 22-year-old forward, a fifth-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, spent most of 2025-26 in the AHL, where he scored 45 points (23G / 22A) in 57 games with the Laval Rocket.
6-year, $17,500,002 contract with the Buffalo Sabres. No Trade Clause in Year 1, then 7 team no trade list for remainder of contract. Expires 2032 (UFA).
Source:2026-06-29T23:59:00.000Z
3-year, $2,700,000 contract with the Vegas Golden Knights. Expires 2029 (RFA).
Source:2026-06-29T23:59:00.000Z
2-year, $1,750,000 contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. $135K Guaranteed in Yr 1 … $215K Guaranteed in Yr 2. Expires 2028 (RFA).
Source:2026-06-29T23:59:00.000Z
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.