The five best bargain options available in NHL free agency
A lot of teams approach free agency by showing up for the first few days, spending all their money on the best possible options for them on the market, and then calling it a day and heading off to cottage country for the summer.
But while few signings are made in August (or even September), the ones that are often turn out to be some of the smarter ones. Often, there are still a few players who are quality additions to a lineup, and they can be signed for pennies on the dollar because no one is meeting their original asking price.
So as we find ourselves in the summer lull, which players are still on the market and could bring solid value to their new teams, especially relative to their cap hit? Let’s look at the five best options still available in free agency right now.
5. James van Riemsdyk, LW
Age: 37
2025-26 stats: 72 games, 15 goals, 16 assists, 31 points
van Riemsdyk was once one of the better power forwards in the NHL. What he lacked in terms of the brute force other big names of his era like Milan Lucic and Wayne Simmonds had, he made up for with hands in front of the net that felt almost unmatched. But for the past three seasons, van Reimsdyk has been a veteran-for-hire, signing cheap deals with the Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings. He provided them a good mix of leadership and production for their bottom six, with the versatility to move up to the top six if needed. Even as he gets closer to 40 and plays in a reduced role, he’s still good for 10-15 goals and 30-40 points.
Considering van Riemsdyk was already signing for cheap, low-risk deals these past few seasons, he already was a bargain signing for a team looking to round out their bottom six. But now that we’re in the dog days of summer and he’ll likely take whatever job is available for him, maybe even starting with a professional tryout, it’s surprising that no team has taken a swing on him just yet. The only factor which could explain the delay in him signing with a new team is if he’s potentially deciding on if he wants to continue playing or if he may retire, but there are no signs which point to the latter right now.
4. Michael Bunting, LW
Age: 30 (turns 31 before start of regular season)
2025-26 stats: 74 games, 14 goals, 19 assists, 33 points
Bunting first broke out in the league as the initial Zach Hyman replacement for the Toronto Maple Leafs, fitting like a glove on their top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and complementing the duo’s production and play-driving ability. However, since he left the team in 2023 to sign a bigger contract in free agency, he hasn’t quite been the same. In the last three seasons, he’s played for four teams, and has found himself on the move at all three trade deadlines. Last season was his weakest, as he had just 33 points in 74 games with the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, and wasn’t even a mainstay on Dallas’ playoff roster. It’s not that he’s played poorly, but he hasn’t reached the same heights as he did in Toronto on a consistent basis, especially at a $4.5 million cap hit.
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Some good news for inquiring teams this time around is that he probably won’t command a $4.5 million cap hit if he’s signed. In fact, he could probably be had for under $1 million, and if put in the right role, could still produce well for whatever team he joins. Whether it’s with a contending team in need of cheap scoring depth like the Edmonton Oilers or Tampa Bay Lightning, or with a younger team in need of some NHL-caliber depth like the Chicago Blackhawks, he could certainly make a role for himself and contribute. However, he’ll also be 31 going into the regular season, so maybe last season was a sign that age has already kicked in.
3. Patrik Laine, LW
Age: 28
2025-26 stats: 5 games, 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point
Among the players on this list, Laine may boast both the highest ceiling and the lowest floor. The 2016 second-overall pick hasn’t quite lived up to the potential many thought he would have, largely due to injuries, but the talent which made him such a high pick is still apparent in his game. Where that’s been most obvious is on the power play, as his 4.49 goals per 60 minutes leads all NHL players with at least 100 minutes on the man advantage. Yes, he gives up a lot defensively, possibly more than he provides offensively, but if deployed and sheltered properly, he could be a positive impact for a team in need of cheap scoring.
It’s easy to see why Laine hasn’t signed to a new contract yet. I’d imagine most coaches aren’t fond of his play away from the puck, and injuries limiting him to just five games with the Montreal Canadiens last season means teams might not be confident in what they’d get out of Laine this season. But if you’re a playoff team who needs help on the power play (ie. Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers), why wouldn’t you sign him, plug him onto your sheltered bottom-six line, and give him a prominent power play slot to just score goals? Even if the price tag is close to $2 million, wouldn’t it be worth it to get a player who, at his worst, can score at a 20-goal pace?
2. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW
Age: 34
2025-26 stats: 75 games, 23 goals, 24 assists, 47 points
It’s a bit surprising to see Tarasenko still on the free agent market. Even at 34, he’s proven to still be an excellent scoring option for a team’s middle six, especially one who needs depth. He’s also coming off his best season since his time with the St. Louis Blues, putting up 23 goals and 47 points with the Minnesota Wild. After the season he had, it felt like he was set for a multi-year contract somewhere in the range of $3-5 million per year by some team looking to spend money but missed out on the top wing options on the market.
But now, teams may not even have to invest too much time or money to sign Tarasenko. At this point of the summer, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him sign for less than $2 million, and probably only for one season. He might even need a PTO to get there. Sure, he’s not the 35+ goal, 70+ point winger he was in his prime, but for teams in need of scoring depth on the wings, both at even strength and on the power play, he’d be a savvy player to add.
1. Nick Blankenburg, D
Age: 28
2025-26 stats: 61 games, 8 goals, 16 assists, 24 points
For most players on this list, you have to operate in the realm of “what upside can they bring to provide great value for their contract”, as factors like age and inconsistent play means they could contribute almost nothing to the team just as much as they could bring plenty of bang-for-their-buck. But for Blankenburg, there is no “what if”. He shoots right, he can move the puck, he has a smart two-way game, he’s still in his prime, and even his floor is better than most remaining free agents’ ceilings.
Of course, Blankenburg has plenty of the traits which teams often cite when overlooking some solid defensemen. He’s usually been sheltered throughout his career. He’s only five-foot-nine. He doesn’t put up a ton of points. He isn’t dominant on either special teams unit. I’d imagine it chased many teams away, especially early on in free agency when he was probably looking for something with salary and terms. But now, I’d imagine he can be had for much less, certainly for a price tag where signing him should be no-brainer for a team looking for depth on their blueline. Unless Blankenburg is still holding strong for a more lucrative contract, it’s hard to see him not signing somewhere before training camp.
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