Korczak was a full-time NHLer in 2024-25 but served as the Golden Knights' No.7 defenseman, appearing in just 40 games. He finished the season with 10 points (0G / 10A), 34 SO and 59 hits in 40 games. With Alex Pietrangelo expected to miss all of 2025-26 (and maybe retiring), Korczak should be an everyday player for Vegas this season.
Heineman was acquired as part of the Noah Dobson trade and signed a two-year extension with the Islanders. Heineman adds a little bit of offence to New York's bottom-6, but more than anything, brings physicality and penalty killing prowess. Heineman was on pace for 13 goals, 11 assists and 229 hits over 82 games last season.
Appleton has spent the last 3.5 season in Winnipeg, where he was an important part of their third line and penalty kill. He'll fill a similar role in Detroit and will try to help a Red Wings' PK that ranked last in the NHL last season (70.1%). Appleton doesn't bring a ton of offence with him, averaging 13 goals and 18 assists (31 points) per 82 games over the last two seasons.
The Devils initially didn't plan on qualifying Glass, but ended up keeping the 26-year-old centre and signing him to a two-year deal. After being acquired from the Penguins, Glass tallied seven points (2G / 5A) in 14 games with the Devils and figures to start the 2025-26 season as a bottom-6 centre.
Alexeyev was a first-round pick for the Washington Capitals in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft that became a lineup-regular for the first time in the 2024-25 postseason, suiting up for 10 games with the team. The Capitals did not quality an offer to him, a move the Penguins quickly acted on by signing him to a one-year deal worth $775,000.
Olivier-Joseph split time last season between the St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins, averaging 15:16 time-on-ice and scoring three points (0G / 3A) in 47 games. The 26-year-old defenseman adds some depth to the Canucks' blueline on a one-year deal worth $775,000.
Ward made his NHL debut last season, scoring a goal in one game with the Los Angeles Kings and has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract extension. The undrafted 27-year-old forward spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, tallying 27 points (12G / 15A) in 66 games with the Ontario Reign.
Brown was the 11th overall pick of the Ottawa Senators but has struggled to establish himself at the NHL level. The 27-year-old played 69 games across two seasons for the Blues from 2021-22 to 2022-23, scoring 17 points (6G / 11A), but has exclusively played in the AHL since. He scored 29 points (33G / 11A) in 33 games with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) last season.
Jost was an effective depth player for the Hurricanes last season, scoring nine points (4G / 5A) in 39 games, and will return on a one-year, two-way contract. The 27-year-old NHL veteran has 149 points (61G / 88A) in 495 career games.
Ottawa has secured a myriad of goaltending depth this offseason, including the signing of 29-year-old Hunter Shepard. The undrafted Shedpard playing one NHL games with the Washington Capitals last season but spent most of the campaign in the AHL, posting a 2.80 GAA and .891 SV% in 39 games (23-11-4) with the Hershey Bears.
Hodgson is an undrafted 29-year-old winger who joined the Ottawa Senators organization last season and made enough of an impact to earn himself a two-year, two-way contract extension. He played two games with Ottawa but spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, scoring 11 points (5G / 6A) in 43 games with Belleville.
After a promising 2022-23 season with the Los Angeles Kings, scoring 28 points (13G / 15A) in 56 games, Kaliyev had a tough time asserting himself as an NHL regular in the following two seasons. He spent portions of the 2024-25 campaign as a healthy scratch, as well as playing in the AHL. The 24-year-old winger has 75 points (38G / 37A) in 202 career NHL games.
Parsons is an undrafted goalie that played the previous four seasons in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers. As a 20-year-old last season, Parsons shined, posting a stellar 2.24 GAA and .920 SV% in 52 games with Kitchener (37-12-3).
The towering 6'8 Soderblom has shown glimpses of being an effective power-forward, something the Red Wings hope he can do more consistently in the 2025-26 season. The 23-year-old Soderblom scored 11 points (4G / 7A) in 26 games with the Red Wings last season.
Injuries on Nashville's blueline last season helped Del Gaizo become a lineup-regular for the first time at the NHL level, scoring nine points (2G / 7A) in 46 games. The 25-year-old defenseman has primarily played in the AHL, including scoring 12 points (8G / 4A) in 30 games with the Milwaukee Admirals last season.
Farrell was Montreal's fourth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old played six games for the Canadiens in the 2022-23 season but has exclusively played in the AHL since. He scored 44 points (20G / 24A) in 67 games with the Laval Rocket (AHL) last season.
Lazar battled injuries throughout the 2024-25 season with the New Jersey Devils, limited to only 48 games, and will head to Edmonton for a change of scenery in 2025-26. The 30-year-old Lazar scored five points (2G / 3A) with last season, a sizeable decline from the career-high 25 points (7G / 18A) he set in 71 games in 2023-24.
In a trade that swaps two high-end draft picks that have been unable to establish themselves at the NHL level, Bordeleau heads to New Jersey for a change of scenery. The 23-year-old Bordeleau played 59 games with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) last season, scoring 38 points (14G / 24A).
Bowers was a first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft but the 25-year-old has not been able to establish himself at the NHL level, limited to only 13 career games. He had 17 points (3G / 14A) in 65 games with the Utica Comets (AHL) last season.
After two AHL seasons, Bradley Marek has earned himself an NHL contract by signing a one-year, entry-level contract with Minnesota (AHL) on Wednesday. The 24-year-old left-winger appeared in 50 games with Iowa (AHL) in 2024-25, putting up eight goals, 13 points and 67 PIMs. He is expected to report to Iowa for the start of the 2025-26 season.
