NHL Signings & Free Agents

Giles spent 2023-24 with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) and earned himself a two-way, two-year contract extension with Florida on Friday. The 24-year-old had 13 goals and 23 points in 66 games played in his third season with Charlotte.

Kesselring broke out in 2023-24 with five goals and 21 points in 65 games played and has earned himself a two-year, $2.8 million contract extension with the Utah Hockey Club. The 24-year-old is in his 2nd NHL season and has 74 NHL games under his belt to go with his 24 career points.

Edmonton added to its defensive depth on Friday as it signed 26-year-old defender Cam Dineen to a two-year, two-way contract extension. The AHL regular has made one NHL appearance in his career, appearing in 34 games with Arizona in 2021-22. In 2023-24, he had five goals and 25 points in 58 games with Bakersfield (AHL).

Petrovic only appeared in one game for Dallas in 2023-24 but has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract extension to remain with the Stars next season. The 32-year-old spent his majority of 2023-24 with the Texas Stars (AHL) and had five goals and 22 points in 70 games played.

Clague appeared in three games for the Sabres in 2023-24 and earned himself a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $775,000 on Friday. The 26-year-old defensemen is in his fifth NHL season and has two goals, and 21 points in 94 career NHL games played.

Saros is entering the final year of a four-year deal that carries a $5.0M AAV cap-hit. When he can officially sign this contract extension on Monday, he'll have the sixth-highest AAV among goalies for the 2025-26 season, but likely the seventh or eighth after Igor Shesterkin and Jeremy Swayman get their new deals. The 28-year-old is coming off one of the worst statistical seasons of his career, going 35-24-5 with a 2.86 GAA and .906 SV%. While it was the third-straight season he's won 30-plus games, Saros was 36th out of 54 qualified goalies in GSAx/60 (-0.050). With the massive new deal, the Predators are obviously banking that 2024 was just a one-off.

Myers finished a five-year contract that carried a $6.0M AAV cap-hit and signs a three-year extension at half the cap-hit. In 2023-24, Myers had his highest point total (29) since 2019 and had 100-plus blocked shots and hits for then second time in his 15-year career. Next season he should continue to be a top-4 option and among the team-leaders in PK/TOI.

Joshua just finished a two-year deal with the Canucks and re-ups for four years at $3.25M AAV. Joshua is coming off of a career-best 18 goals and 32 points in 63 games. He should continue to operate as a middle-6 winger at 5v5 and an important part of the Canucks' penalty kill next season.

Highmore spent most of the 2024 season in the AHL, where he had 31 points (9G / 22A) in 43 games. During his brief time in the NHL, he had two assists in seven games, giving him 29 points (12G / 17A) in 146 career NHL games with the Blackhawks, Canucks, Blues and Senators.

Blueger appeared in 68 games for the Canucks in 2023-24, tying his career-best with 28 points (6G / 22A). He found chemistry on the third line with Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua, so expect him to fill a similar bottom-6 role and an important penalty killer next season.

Crowd favourite Liam "Spicy Tuna" O'Brien will be returning to Utah after the team announced on Wednesday that they have signed him to a three-year, $3 million contract extension ($1,000,000 AAV). The 29-year-old bruising forward completed his third straight 100+ PIM season in 2023-24 and had five goals, 14 points, 72 SOG and 153 PIMs in 75 games played.

Back spent the entire 2024 season in Texas (AHL), where he tallied seven goals and 29 assists (36 points). The 2018 third-round pick will likely start the 2025 season in the AHL again.

McCartney was drafted in the seventh round in 2020 and has appeared in just two career NHL games since. The 22-year-old winger spent the entire 2024 season in the AHL, where he scored six goals with 16 assists (22 points) in 46 games with the Tucson Roadrunners.

Koch signed with the Coyotes last June after an eight-year career overseas, playing in Czechia, and Slovakia. The 27-year-old defenseman appeared in one NHL game during the 2024 season, but racked up 15 points (1G / 14A) in 63 AHL games. He figures to start the 2025 season in the AHL.

Kolyachonok had a goal and four points in five total games played in 2023-24 with Arizona and signed a two-year contract extension on Monday. The 23-year-old was originally drafted by Florida in 2019 in the 2nd round (52nd overall) and has seven points in 39 total NHL games played across three seasons.

In his fourth full season with the Jets, DeMelo finished with a career-high 31 points (3G / 28A) in 82 games. The 31-year-old has now posted 100-plus hits and blocked shots in three consecutive years and is a key part of the Jets' penalty kill.

Mittelstadt was flipped for Bowen Byram on March 6th and had 10 points (4G / 6A) in 18 games with the Avalanche following the deal. He looked much better in the postseason, where he had nine points (3G / 6A) in 11 games. The 25-year-old should continue to serve as the Avalanche's No.2 centre behind Nathan MacKinnon in the 2024-25 season and has back-to-back 55-plus point seasons.

Bongiovanni was traded to the Senators for future considerations on March 15th and finished with 10 points (8G / 2A) in 14 games with the Belleville Senators (AHL). In total, he had 16 goals and nine assists (25 points) in 48 AHL games last year. He should start the 2024-25 season in the AHL.

Bussi finished his third professional season at 23-10-5 with a 2.67 GAA, .913 SV% and one shutout in 41 games with the Providence Bruins (AHL). Bussi figured to become Jeremy Swayman's backup next season following the Linus Ullmark trade, but with Joonas Korpisalo coming the other way, he may have to continue waiting. The two-way contract will allow the Bruins to have that flexibility.

Fagemo was originally drafted by the Kings but was claimed off waivers by the Predators last October before being re-claimed by the Kings five weeks later. He spent most of the 2024 season in the AHL, where he tallied 62 points (43G / 19A) in 50 games. Through four professional seasons in North America, Fagemo has just four points (3G / 1A) in 21 career NHL games.