Anaheim has signed Damian Clara to a three-year, entry-level contract.
NHL Signings & Free Agents
Los Angeles has resigned Akil Thomas to a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension ($775,000 AAV).
Thomas made his NHL debut in 2023-24 and has signed a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension ($775,000 AAV) to stay with the Los Angeles Kings. The 24-year-old centre spent the last four seasons with Ontario (AHL) before finally cracking the Kings' lineup and appeared in seven games, amassing three goals, four points, nine SOG and two PIMs for the Kings once he did.
Tampa Bay have signed Declan Carlile to a two-year, two-way contract extension.
Carlile followed up his 2023-24 NHL debut (1 game) by signing a two-year, two-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The 24-year-old defenseman spent the majority of his 2023-24 with Syracuse (AHL) and had seven goals and 27 points in 61 games played. He made his NHL debut and only appearance on January 4th, 2024 against Minnesota.
Los Angeles has signed Andre Lee to a one-year, two-way contract.
Lee spent the last three seasons with Ontario (AHL) after graduating from UMass-Lowell (NCAA) in 2022-22 and signed his first NHL contract Wednesday as Los Angeles signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. The 23-year-old left-winger was Los Angeles' 2019 seventh-round pick (188th overall) and had eight goals and 13 points in 36 games with Ontario in 2023-24.
Montreal has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with Connor Hughes for the 2024-25 season.
Montreal made their first off-season signing on Tuesday as they brought in Connor Hughes from Switzerland for a one-year, two-way contract which starts in the 2024-25 season. The 27-year-old travelling netminder had never played higher than the GOJHL in North America and has played in either the NL or SL league in Switzerland since 2017-18. In 2023-24 he appeared in 19 games for Lausanne HC (NL) and had an impressive 1.73 GAA and .940 SV%.
St. Louis has signed Juraj Pekarcik to a three-year, two-way entry-level contract.
Pekarcik is St. Louis 2023 third-round pick (76th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday. The 18-year-old forward spent the entire 2023-24 season with Dubuque of the USHL and had nine goals, and 59 points in 43 games played in his first season in North American hockey.
Carolina has resigned Ryan Suzuki to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Suzuki had 14 goals and 30 points with Springfield (AHL) in 2023-24 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with Carolina on Wednesday. The 23-year-old was the Hurricanes' 2019 first-round pick (28th overall) but has yet to make his NHL debut after four AHL seasons.
Chicago has signed Zach Sanford to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.
Chicago announced Tuesday afternoon that they have agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $775,000 with forward Zach Sanford. The 29-year-old appeared in 29 games in 2023-24 with both Chicago and Arizona and had no goals, six assists, 24 SOG and six PIMs in his seventh NHL season.
Chicago has signed Martin Misiak to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Misiak was Chicago's 2023 second-round pick (55th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with an AAV of $878,333. The 19-year-old winger just finished his first OHL season with the Erie Otters and had 23 goals and 47 points in 60 games in his second season of North American hockey.
San Jose has signed Will Smith to a three-year, $4.15 million entry-level contract.
Smith was San Jose's top prospect and 2023 first-round pick (4th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday worth $4.15 million ($950,000 AAV). The 19-year-old just finished up his Freshman season with Boston College (NCAA) and had 25 goals and 71 points in 41 games played.
St. Louis have signed Aleksanteri Kaskimaki to a three-year, two-way entry-level contract.
Kaskimaki was St. Louis' 2022 third-round pick (73rd overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday with the Blues. The 20-year-old centre spent 2023-24 with HIFK of Liiga in Finland and had 10 goals, and 17 points in 48 games played.
Los Angeles has signed Aatu Jamsen to a two-year, $1.705 million ($852,500 AAV) entry-level contract.
Jamsen is Los Angeles 2020 seventh-round pick (190th overall) and has signed a two-year, $1.705 million ($852,500 AAV) entry-level contract which will bring the forward over to North America in 2024-25. The 21-year-old winger has spent the last three seasons with Pelicans of Liiga in Finland and had an impressive 2023-24 with 14 goals and 25 points in 36 total games played.
San Jose has signed Luca Cagnoni to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Cagnoni was San Jose's 2023 fourth-round pick (123rd overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday with the Sharks. The 19-year-old defenseman is looking like a draft-day steal after putting up 18 goals and 90 points in 65 games with Portland (WHL) in his fourth junior season in 2023-24.
Tampa Bay has signed Dyllan Gill to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Gill is Tampa Bay's 2022 seventh-round pick (233rd overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday. The 19-year-old defenseman just finished his fourth season with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) and had a goal and nine points in 12 games played in 2023-24.
Pittsburgh has signed Filip Kral to a one-year contract worth $775,000.
Kral spent 2023-24 with the Pelicans of Liiga after leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022-23 but has signed a one-year contract worth $775,000 AAV and will be returning to Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old defenseman had five goals and 37 points in 46 games with the Pelicans and brings two games of NHL experience to Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh has signed Jonathan Gruden to a two-year, $1.550 Million contract extension ($775,000 AAV).
Gruden appeared in a career-high 13 games played in 2023-24 and has signed a two-year, $1.550 Million contract extension ($775,000 AAV) with Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The 24-year-old centre was drafted by Ottawa in the fourth-round of the 2018 draft (95th overall) and has appeared in a total of 16 career NHL games played and has one goal, five PIMs and nine SOG.
Pittsburgh has signed Jack St.Ivany to a three-year, $2.325 million contract extension ($775,000 AAV).
Pittsburgh completed its third signing of the day on Tuesday by announcing that they have extended defensemen Jack St. Ivany to a three-year, $2.325 million contract extension ($775,000 AAV). The 2018 fourth-round pick (112th overall) made his NHL debut in 2023-24 and had one assist, 11 SOG and two PIMs in 14 games played.
Colorado has signed Trent Miner to a one-year contract extension.
Miner was Colorado's 2019 seventh-round pick (202nd overall) and signed a one-year, two-way contract extension on Tuesday. The 23-year-old spent the 2023-24 season with 29 games played split between the Colorado Eagles (AHL) and Utah Grizzlies (ECHL) and has had an +.910 SV in his first three years with Utah.
New York has signed Dylan Roobroeck to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Roobroeck was New York's 2023 sixth-round pick (178th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday. The 19-year-old centre just finished his third OHL season and second with the Oshawa Generals (OHL) and had 26 goals, and 72 points in 68 regular season games.
Chicago has signed Seney to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Seney had yet another strong AHL campaign in 2023-24 with Rockford after putting up 23 goals and 63 points in 68 games played and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with Chicago. The 28-year-old has been the definition of a AAAA player for Chicago as he's dominated the AHL for the past few years but cannot seem to put it together in the NHL with only one goal in 15 games in the last four seasons.
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.