The Penguins selected Pickering with the No.21 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft. The 18-year-old blue liner had nine goals with 24 assists (33 points) in 62 games with the Swift Current Broncos (WHL).
Sanford started 2022 with the Senators before getting traded to the Jets at the Trade deadline. The 27-year-old finished the season with nine goals and 12 assists (21 points) in 80 games. Sanford should fill a bottom-6 role in Nashville in 2022-23, presumably as Nick Cousins replacement.
The Jets selected Salomonsson in the second-round (No.55 overall) of this summer's NHL Draft. The 17-year-old defenseman had 11 goals and 11 assists (22 points) in 35 games with Skelleftea AIK Jr. (J20 SuperElit) in 2022.
The Oilers selected Schaefer with the No.32 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft. Schaefer, who was born in Edmonton, played for Seattle (WHL) in 2022, scoring 32 goals with 26 assists (58 points) in 66 games.
Stromwall was an undrafted free agent out of Sweden that spent one season with the Rangers' AHL affiliate in 2017. He had been in Sweden and the KHL since 2018, most recently scoring 19 goals with 13 assists (32 points) in 37 games with Minsk Dynamo (KHL) in 2022.
MacEachern played four years with the Blues, scoring 11 goals with eight assists (19 points) in 111 games. He played most of 2022 in the AHL, tallying 25 points (12G / 13A) in 47 games with Springfield. In Carolina, he'll likely be a fringe roster player again and could start the season in the AHL.
The Predators drafted Kemell with the No.17 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft and wasted no time signing the 18-year-old winger. Kemell spent the 2022 season with JyP HT Jyvaskyla (Liiga), scoring 15 goals with eight assists (23 points) in 39 games.
Blankenburg tallied one goal and two assists (three points) in seven games with the Blue Jackets after turning pro following his final year at the University of Michigan. With the Blue Jackets' blueline entering the season healthy and adding Erik Gudbranson in free agency, there's a good chance that Blankenburg starts the year in the AHL.
Frost set career-highs in games played (55), goals (5) and assists (11) with the Flyers in 2022. The RFA gets a one-year deal and will maintain his RFA status next summer. Frost should be a full-time NHLer in 2022-23.
Jarnkrok is a responsible two-way forward that can chip in a little bit of offence. In the last three seasons, he's averaged 18 goals and 24 assists (42 points) per 82 games--however he's missed 13.5 percent of the games during that stretch. He'll likely replace Ondrej Kase in Toronto and skate on the third line with David Kampf and Pierre Engvall.
The Sabres selected Kulich with the No.28 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft. The Czech centre scored nine goals with five assists (14 points) in 49 games with Karlovy Vary HC (Czech Extraliga) in 2022.
The Sabres selected Ostlund with the No.16 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft. The Swedish centre had nine goals and 33 assists (42 points) in 32 games with Djurgardens Jr. (J20 SuperElit) in 2022.
The Sabres selected Savoie with the No.9 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft. Savoie played for the Winnipeg Ice (WHL) in 2022, leading the team with 90 points (35G / 55A) in 65 games.
Frk is an elite shooter that has dominated during his time in the AHL but has only played one full NHL season (2018) since turning pro in 2014. The 28-year-old was second in the AHL in goals (40) and sixth in points (73) in 58 games with Ontario last season. With the Blues, he'll likely start the year in the AHL but should be among the first call-up options.
The Panthers selected Nause in the second-round (No.56 overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old led all Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) defensemen with 46 points (8G / 38A) in 59 games in 2022.
The Capitals selected Persson with the No.85 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft. The Swedish winger had 61 points (25G / 36A) in 41 games with Vastra Frolunda Jr. (Sweden J20 SuperElit) in 2022.
The Capitals selected Suzdalev with the No.70 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft. The Russian winger had 51 points (15G / 36A) in 45 games with HV71 Jr. (Sweden J20 SuperElit) in 2022.
Hunt was with the Canucks last season, scoring three goals with 14 assists (17 points) in 50 games. Hunt has never been a full-time NHL player but has provided offence from the back-end wherever he's been. In Colorado, he will likely serve as their No.7 or No.8 defenseman.
The Rangers selected Sykora in the second-round of this summer's NHL Draft. The 17-year-old winger spent the 2022 season with Nitra MHC (Slovak Extraliga), where he had 10 goals and seven assists (17 points) in 46 games.
Sautner spent the first seven years of his career with the Canucks' organization but moves east to join the Jets, where he'll likely open the year in Manitoba (AHL). The 28-year-old defenseman had 13 points (3G / 10A) in 41 games a season ago.
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.
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.
