2-year, $1,625,000 contract with the Colorado Avalanche. Yr 1: $150K Guaranteed, Yr 2: $225K Guaranteed. Expires 2027 (UFA).
Source:
2025-10-28T03:59:00.000Z
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NHL Signings & Free Agents
Colorado has signed Tristen Nielsen to a two-year, two-way contract.
Nielsen had started 2025-26 with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) and earned himself a two-year, two-way contract on Monday after picking up three goals and seven points in his first 7 games in the minors.The 25-year-old is in his fifth pro season but has yet to make an NHL appearance despite scoring 14 or more goals in each of his last three minor seasons.
Washington has signed Brett Leason to a one-year, two-way contract.
Leason started his career in the Capitals organization but spent the previous three seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. The 26-year-old forward has 54 points (25G / 29A) in 220 career NHL and returns to the Capitals, providing some organizational depth on a two-way contract.
3-year, $2,866,666 contract with the New York Rangers. Expires 2028 (RFA).
Source:2025-10-26T03:59:00.000Z
2-year, $4,000,000 contract with the Vegas Golden Knights. Expires 2027 (UFA).
Source:2025-10-26T03:59:00.000Z
Vegas has signed Carter Hart to a two-year, $4 million contract ($2M total AAV).
New York has signed Nathan Aspinall to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Aspinall was drafted 159th-overall by the Rangers in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and has earned himself a three-year, entry-level contract. The 19-year-old forward is currently playing in the OHL with the Flint Firebirds and has 10 points (6G / 4A) in six games.
8-year, $70,800,000 contract with the Montreal Canadiens. 10 team no trade list in Yrs 6-8. Expires 2034 (UFA).
Source:2025-10-14T03:59:00.000Z
Montreal has signed Lane Hutson to an eight-year extension worth $8.85 million AAV ($70.8M total).
The 2024-25 Calder trophy winner for the NHL's best rookie has been rewarded with a lucrative eight-year contract extension worth $8.85 million AAV. The 21-year-old defenseman scored an impressive 66 points (6G / 60A) in 82 games with the Canadiens last season. Hutson is off to a slower start to his sophomore season, with only one point (0G / 1A) in his first three games, but is likely due for another productive season quarterbacking Montreal's top powerplay unit.
2-year, $1,810,000 contract with the Florida Panthers. Expires 2028 (UFA).
Source:2025-10-13T03:59:00.000Z
Florida has signed Jonah Gajovich to a two-year contract extension worth $905,000 AAV. ($1.81M toal).
Edmonton has signed Jack Roslovic to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
After a lengthy offseason, which included a change in agents, Jack Roslovic has signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract to provide the Edmonton Oilers with offensive depth. The 28-year-old is entering his ninth NHL season after tying his career high in goals in 2024-25 with 22 and 39 points across 81 games played with Carolina.
1-year, $775,000 contract with the St Louis Blues. Expires 2026 (RFA).
Source:2025-10-09T03:59:00.000Z
1-year, $1,500,000 contract with the Edmonton Oilers. NMC; and 4 team trade list commencing Nov. 1, 2025. Expires 2026 (UFA).
Source:2025-10-09T03:59:00.000Z
8-year, $108,000,000 contract with the Vegas Golden Knights. Expires 2034 (UFA).
Source:2025-10-09T03:59:00.000Z
8-year, $96,000,000 contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Expires 2034 (UFA).
Source:2025-10-09T03:59:00.000Z
3-year, $12,000,000 contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Expires 2029 (UFA).
Source:2025-10-09T03:59:00.000Z
Vegas has signed Jack Eichel to an eight-year, $13.5 million AAV contract extension ($108M total).
With several elite players signing contract extensions in the last week, the Golden Knights followed suit, signing Eichel to a massive eight-year extension worth $13.5 million AAV. Eichel was drafted second overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2015 and was eventually acquired by the Golden Knights in the 2021-22 season. The 28-year-old Eichel is coming off his most productive season, scoring 94 points (28G / 66A) in 77 games, and will be motivated to top those totals in 2025-26 playing alongside new teammate Mitch Marner.
St. Louis has signed Georgi Romanov to a one-year, two-way contract.
The Blues added some depth to their crease on Wednesday, signing goalie Georgi Romanov to a one-year, two-way contract. The 25-year-old Romanov played in eight games for the Sharks last season (0-6-0), posting a troubling 3.89 GAA and .877 SV%.
The Oilers have signed Ekholm to a three-year extension worth $4.0 million AAV.
Entering his age-35 season, Ekholm has agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $12 million ($4M AAV). The veteran defenseman has been a great addition to the Oilers since joining them prior to the 2022-23 trade deadline. In 165 games with Edmonton, Ekholm is averaging 21:28 time-on-ice and has 92 points (24G / 68A).
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.