The Oiler signed Evan Bouchard to a two-year contract worth $7.8 million ($3.9M AAV).
NHL Signings & Free Agents
The Rangers signed Alexis Lafreniere to a two-year contract extension worth $4.65 million ($2.325M AAV).
The Maple Leafs signed Auston Matthews to a four-year contract extension worth $53.0 million ($13.25M AAV).
Tampa Bay has signed Darren Raddysh to a two-year, 1.95 million contract extension ($995,000 AAV).
Raddysh had a goal, two assists, 25 SOG, four PIMs and a -4 plus/minus through 17 games in 2022-23 with Tampa Bay and has signed a two-year, 1.95 million contract extension ($995,000 AAV). The 27-year-old defenseman had only played in four NHL games prior to last season after a strong AHL career which saw him collect 171 points in 339 career AHL games.
Detroit has signed Joe Veleno to a one-year, $825,000 contract extension.
Veleno had nine goals, 11 assists, 30 PIMs, 85 SOG, and a -12 plus/minus through 81 games with the Red Wings in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $825,000 extension Wednesday. The 23-year-old was Detroit's 2018 first-round pick (30th overall) and has picked up 18 goals, 36 points, and 166 SOG through 152 career NHL games across three seasons.
Tampa has signed Brandon Hagel to an eight-year, $52 million contract extension ($6,500,000 AAV).
Hagel enjoyed a breakout season in 2022-23 with 30 goals, 34 assists, 178 SOG, a +23 plus/minus, with 54 PIMs through 81 games played with Tampa Bay and has signed an eight-year, $52 million contract extension ($6,500,000 AAV). The 24-year-old winger was acquired from Chicago the season before for two players and two conditional first-round picks and has 64 goals and 132 points across 211 career NHL games.
New Jersey has signed Cal Foote to a one-year, two-way contract worth $800,000 AAV.
Foote had two goals, five assists, 63 PIMs, 39 SOG, and a +6 plus/minus through 50 games with Nashville and Tampa Bay in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $800,000 AAV with New Jersey. The 24-year-old defenseman will join his younger brother Nolan in the Devils' organization and brings five goals, 19 points, and 121 PIMs through 141 career games across three seasons to New Jersey.
Philadelphia has signed Oliver Bonk to a three-year, entry-level contract worth $950,000 AAV.
Bonk was drafted by Philadelphia in the 1st round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft (22nd overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers worth $950,000 AAV. The 18-year-old son of NHL legend Radek Bonk, had 10 goals, 30 assists, 38 PIMs, and a +17 plus/minus through 67 games with London (OHL) in 2022-23. He is expected to return to London for the 2023-24 season.
Winnipeg has signed Logan Stanley to a one-year, $1 million contract extension.
Stanley had a goal, two assists, 11 SOG, 21 PIMs, and a -1 plus/minus through 19 games played with Winnipeg in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $1 million contract extension with the Jets. The 25-year-old defenseman was Winnipeg's 2016 1st round pick (18th overall) and has three goals, 20 points, 91 PIMs, and a +13 plus/minus through three NHL seasons and 114 career games.
Colorado has signed Matthew Stienburg to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Stienburg was drafted by Colorado in the 3rd round of the 2019 draft (63rd overall) and has signed the center to a two-year, entry-level contract. The 22-year-old made his professional debut in 2022-23 with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) as he had an assist and five PIMs across a brief four-game appearance. Prior to the Eagles, he closed out his NCAA career with Cornell (NCAA) where he had two goals, five assists, 18 PIMs, and a -2 plus/minus through 18 games.
Boston has signed John Farinacci to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Farinacci was originally drafted by Arizona in 3rd round of the 2019 NHL Draft (76th overall) but has signed a two-year entry-level contract with Boston. The 22-year-old center is coming off his third season with Harvard (NCAA) where he had five goals, 15 assists, two PIMs and a +7 plus/minus through 19 games played in 2022-23.
Carolina has signed Caleb Jones to a one-year, $775,000 contract.
Jones had four goals, 12 assists, 86 SOG, 40 PIMs, and a -19 plus/minus through 73 games played with Chicago in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with Carolina. The 26-year-old defenseman will join his third NHL team (CHI, EDM) after being taken in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft (117th overall). He has 14 goals, 50 points, 80 PIMs, and 225 SOG through 217 career NHL games played so far across his five-year career.
Vancouver has signed Pius Suter to a two-year, $3.2 million contract ($1,600,000 AAV).
Suter had 14 goals, 10 assists, six PIMs, 106 SOG, and a -3 plus/minus in 79 games played with Detroit in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $3.2 million contract ($1,600,000 AAV). The 27-year-old undrafted Swiss center came over to the NHL in 2020-21 and has 43 goals, 87 points, and 384 SOG in 216 career games across three seasons. He should provide much needed depth up the middle for the Canucks.
Toronto has signed Easton Cowan to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Cowan was Toronto's 2023 1st round pick (28th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Thursday with the Maple Leafs. The 18-year-old centre is fresh off a 20 goal, 53 point, 47 PIM, and +10 plus/minus season across 68 games in 2022-23 with the London Knights (OHL). He is expected to spend the 2023-24 season back with London.
Toronto has signed Martin Jones with a one-year, $885,000 AAV.
Jones was 27-13-3 with a .886 SV% and a 2.99 GAA in 2022-23 with Seattle and has signed a one-year, $885,000 contract with Toronto on Wednesday. The 33-year-old is joining his fifth NHL team with in his 11th season and has a 225-263-35 career record with a .905 SV% and 2.71 GAA through 444 NHL games played. He will be expected to back-up Ilya Samsonov in Toronto this season.
Winnipeg has signed Rasmus Kupari to a two-year, $2 million contract extension ($1,000,000 AAV).
Kupari had three goals, 12 assists, 53 SOG, 12 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 66 games with Los Angeles in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $2 million contract ($1,000,000 AAV) with the Winnipeg Jets. The 23-year-old centre's rights were a key piece alongside Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and a 2024 second-round pick in the trade that saw Pierre-Luc Dubois head to Los Angeles. In three NHL seasons he has nine goals, 29 points and 112 SOG through 130 career games played.
Anaheim has signed Alex Stalock to a one-year, $800,000 contract.
Stalock's career resurgence was one of the NHL's best story-lines in 2022-23 as he put up a 9-15-2 record, 3.01 GAA and .908 SV% with Chicago and has signed a one-year contract worth $800,000 with Anaheim. The 36-year-old net-minder is joining his fourth NHL team in the Ducks and has a 70-65-20 record with a .908 SV% and a 2.70 GAA in 179 career games played.
The Coyotes signed Matt Dumba to a one-year deal worth $3.9 million.
Dumba had four goals, 10 assists, 99 SOG, 81 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 79 games with Minnesota in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year deal worth $3.9 million with the Arizona Coyotes. The 29-year-old defensemen leaves Minnesota after 10 solid seasons which saw him amass 79 goals, 236 points, 399 PIMs and 1121 SOG throughout 598 career games played.
Philadelphia has signed Samuel Ersson to a two-year, $2.9 million contract extension ($1,450,000 AAV).
Ersson was 6-3-0 with a .899 SV% and 3.07 GAA in his first NHL season in 2022-23 and signed a two-year, $2.9 million contract extension ($1,450,000 AAV) with the Flyers. The 23-year-old netminder was Philadelphia's 2018 fifth-round pick (143rd overall) and made his NHL debut in 2022-23. He will be expected to spend the entire season with the Flyers in 2023-24.
Washington has signed Tom Wilson to a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension ($6,500,000).
Wilson had 13 goals, nine assists, 82 SOG, 78 PIMs and a -13 plus/minus through 33 games with Washington in 2022-23 after starting the year late due to a knee injury and has signed a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension ($6,500,000). The 29-year-old bruising right-winger was a 2012 first-round pick (16th overall) and has amassed 128 goals, 295 points and 1,299 PIMs through 680 career games
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.