After two successful seasons backing up in Los Angeles, David Rittich will join his sixth NHL team after signing a one-year contract with the Islanders on Tuesday. The 32-year-old appeared in his most games (34) since 2019-20 last season, but struggled mightily as shown by his .886 SV% and 2.84 GAA. He is expected to provide goaltending depth if Semyon Varlamov is unable to go to start the season.
Bjugstad will join his sixth team in six seasons after signing a two-year deal worth $1.75M AAV ($3.5M total) with St. Louis on Tuesday. The 32-year-old is entering his 14th NHL season after a down year in Utah in 2024-25, which saw him put up only eight points, 19 points and 16 PIMs while playing a bottom-six role.
After two up-and-down seasons in Edmonton, Connor Brown will leave the Oilers after signing a four-year deal worth $3.0M AAV ($12.0M total) with New Jersey on Tuesday. The 31-year-old is entering his 11th NHL season after putting up 13 goals, 30 points and a +9 plus/minus in 82 games played in 2024-25.
New Jersey has locked up their backup netminder for the next five seasons after signing Jake Allen to a five-year, $9 million contract ($1,800,000 AAV) just hours before the free agency deadline. The 34-year-old netminder is entering his third season in New Jersey after posting a 13-16-1 record with a .908 SV% and 2.66 GAA while backing up Jacob Markstrom in 2024-25.
Washington acquired the rights to Chisholm last week from the Minnesota Wild and promptly signed him to a two-year deal worth $1.6 million AAV. The 25-year-old Chisholm was a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He averaged 17:00 time-on-ice last season with Minnesota, tallying 12 points (2G / 10A) in 66 games.
Hanzel was a sixth-round pick of the Avalanche in 2023 and was traded to Nashville in March of 2024 as part of the deal that sent Yakov Trenin to Colorado. The 22-year-old defenseman had 22 points (3G / 19A) in 61 ECHL games during the 2024-25 season.
After three seasons in Switzerland, Juho Lammikko is returning to the NHL with New Jersey after signing a one-year, $800,000 contract on Sunday. The 28-year-old last appeared in the NHL with Vancouver in the 2021-22 season, where he recorded seven goals and 15 points in 75 games played. He is expected to compete for a roster spot come the 2025-26 season.
Boqvist played in both Games 1 and 2, failing to record a point with just one shot on goal and four hits in 8:20 TOI/gm. AJ Greer (lower-body) will return to the lineup to replace Boqvist on the Panthers' fourth line.
Brown missed the final two games of the Western Conference Final with an undisclosed injury and has recently been dealing with an illness. Despite missing Tuesday's practice, Brown will play in Game 1 on Wednesday. He's had a strong postseason so far, scoring five goals with three assists (eight points) in 14 games.
Brown missed the final two games of the Western Conference Final with an undisclosed injury and has recently been dealing with an illness. Despite missing Tuesday's practice, the Oilers expect Brown to play in Game 1 on Wednesday. He's had a strong postseason so far, scoring five goals with three assists (eight points) in 14 games.
Brown had missed Edmonton's previous two games with an undisclosed injury but announced Sunday he is good to go for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final after being a full participant in practice. The 31-year-old right-winger has taken a massive step forward this post-season with five goals, eight points and 21 SOG through 14 games before his injury.
Despite having three points in two games in the Eastern Conference Final, Jesper Boqvist will be the odd man out of Florida's lineup as Sam Reinhart returns from a lower-body injury. Boqvist has been solid when called upon throughout the playoffs, with two goals, five points and six SOG through 11 games played.
