Seattle's trend of signing fringe NHL talent continued on Tuesday as they brought in Brandon Biro for a one-year, two-way contract. The 26-year-old had two goals in five games played with Buffalo in 2023-24 but spent the majority of the season with Rochester where he had 16 goals and 43 points in 59 games played.
Seattle added to its offensive depth on Tuesday by signing Mitchell Stephens to a two-year, two-way contract. The 27-year-old centre has appeared in 95 career NHL games including 23 games with Montreal in 2023-24, picking up two goals and three points.
Seattle added a bottom-six piece on Tuesday as it signed Ben Meyers to a one-year contract worth $775,000. The 25-year-old spent 2023-24 between Colorado and Anaheim and had a goal, three points and six PIMs while averaging 10:07 TOI/GP.
After four strong AHL seasons, Nikolas Brouillard has signed a one-year, two-way contract with Seattle. The 29-year-old defenseman took an unconventional route to the AHL after spending three seasons with McGill University of the USports league. He has yet to make an NHL appearance but had five goals and 36 points in 70 games with Hartford (AHL) in 2023-24.
Lajoie has made brief NHL appearances in each of his six last seasons and has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract with Seattle on Tuesday. The 26-year-old collected one assist in seven games with Toronto last season but spent the majority of 2023-24 with the Marlies (AHL), picking up four goals and 24 points in 51 games played.
Bemstrom will return to Pittsburgh after a successful first-half season with the Penguins and has signed a one-year extension worth $775,000. The 25-year-old was acquired in a trade from Columbus early on in 2023-24 and had eight goals, 16 points and 12 PIMs in 56 games played between Columbus and Pittsburgh.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) added a depth piece on Tuesday after Pittsburgh signed Nathan Clurman to a one-year contract worth $775,000. The 26-year-old has yet to make an NHL appearance but has spent the last three and a half seasons between Colorado's AHL and ECHL teams.
After three seasons in Texas (AHL) and Dallas, Matthew Murray has signed a one-year, two-way contract to provide Nashville with some goaltending depth. The 26-year-old has four NHL appearances to his name but spent the majority of 2023-24 with Texas, posting a 3.02 GAA and .896 SV%.
Nashville continued its signing frenzy on Tuesday by bringing in Nick Blankenburg on a two-year, two-way contract. The 26-year-old undrafted free agent appeared in 12 games with Columbus in 2023-24, picking up one assist, four PIMs and a +1 plus/minus.
Lucchini made his NHL debut in 2022-23 and has since played in 51 games between Minnesota and Ottawa and has earned himself a new two-year, two-way contract with Nashville. The 29-year-old undrafted left-winger occupied Minnesota's bottom six for 40 games in 2023-24, picking up two goals and five points.
Nashville added to its offensive depth on Tuesday by adding nine-year veteran Vinnie Hinostroza to the Predators on a two-year, two-way contract. The 30-year-old appeared in 14 games with Pittsburgh in 2023-24 and had a goal and three points. Nashville will be his sixth NHL team as he looks to add to his 54 goals and 151 points in 374 career NHL games played.
Utica gained a strong defensive piece on Tuesday after New Jersey signed Colin White to a two-year, two-way deal. The 27-year-old defenseman has 10 points in 84 career NHL games but failed to make it to the big leagues in 2023-24 after collecting eight points in 53 games with San Diego (AHL).
After four seasons in the Blackhawks organization, Mike Hardman has signed a two-year, two-way deal with New Jersey. Hardman hasn't made an NHL appearance since 2022-23 with Chicago but has a goal and five points in 37 career NHL games played. In 63 games with Rockford (AHL) in 2023-24 he had 22 goals and 37 points in 63 games played.
Jones joins Minnesota after two strong seasons with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) after he signed a two-year, two-way contract on Tuesday. The 25-year-old 7th-round pick made his one and only NHL appearance with Vegas in 2021-22 and only appeared in two games. In 2023-24 with Calgary (AHL) he had 21 goals and 43 points in 72 games played.
After four seasons in Chicago, Reese Johnson has signed with Minnesota on a one-year, two-way contract. The undrafted 25-year-old has 141 career NHL games under his belt after collecting two goals and five points in 42 games played in 2023-24.
Iowa (AHL) got their goaltender for 2024-25 after Minnesota signed Troy Grosenick to a one-year, two-way contract on Tuesday. The 34-year-old last played in the NHL in 2020-21 with Los Angeles but spent 2023-24 with Milwaukee (AHL) and had a 17-8-2 record with a 2.56 GAA and .907 SV%.
Minnesota continued their depth signings on Tuesday by bringing in Cleveland's (AHL) captain last season Brendan Gaunce to a two-year, two-way contract. The 30-year-old has appeared in 177 career NHL games since 2015-16 and has 13 goals and 28 points during that span. In 2023-24 he spent 24 games with Columbus (4 Pts) and the remainder of the season with Cleveland (AHL) where he had 19 goals and 39 points in 46 games played.
Iowa (AHL) gained more depth pieces on Tuesday as Minnesota signed Cameron Crotty to a one-year, two-way contract on Tuesday. The 25-year-old managed to appear in one NHL game with Arizona in 2023-24 but spent the majority of the season with Tucson (AHL) where he had three goals and 13 points in 55 games played.
After two seasons in Buffalo's minor league system, Joseph Cecconi has signed a one-year, two-way contract and will join the Minnesota Wild. The 27-year-old defenseman has never made the jump to the NHL despite playing steadily in the AHL for the last five seasons. In 2023-24 with Rochester (AHL), Cecconi had a goal and 13 points.
Los Angeles continued to add to its AHL depth on Tuesday as it signed 25-year-old Reilly Walsh to a one-year, two-way contract. The defenseman has only one NHL game previously under his belt (2021-22) but appeared in 60 games for Providence (AHL) in 2023-24, picking up nine goals and 28 points.
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.
