Signing
Corey Potter agrees on a 2 year extension with the Oilers!. 750k/800k. Not too shabby for playing 40 NHL games.
Potter has three goals and 14 points through 27 games with the Oilers.
NHL Hockey Player News
The Lightning have re-signed C Tom Pyatt to a 2-year contract today. Signed through 2013-14.
The Bolts lock up one of their vital energy players. He has three goals and five points through 35 games.
Blues just announced they have signed winger Ryan Reaves two a 2-year contract extension #stlblues
Reaves is a very serviceable enforcer for the Blues. He has 48 PIM through 25 games.
SUNRISE, Fla. Florida Panthers Executive Vice President & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with C John Madden.
Madden should aide the team's injury-filled depth chart. He scored 12 goals and 25 points last season with the Minnesota Wild.
#Blackhawks agree to terms with forward Andrew Shaw on a three-year deal.
Shaw is currently playing for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL and may be an option for the team to call up.
#Blackhawks sign McNeill, Danault to three-year contracts.
Danault scored six goals and 34 points in 33 games for the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL.
Signing
#Blackhawks sign McNeill, Danault to three-year contracts.
McNeill has 18 goals and 39 points through 37 games while playing on the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL.
MONTREAL -- Montreal Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier announced Sunday the signing of defenseman Josh Gorges to a six-year contract extension (2012-13 to 2017-18). As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Gorges is a vital part of the team's blue line and is now under contract for a significant amount of time. Expect him to take on even more of a leadership role.
Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier today announced that the team has signed defenseman Jerome Gauthier-Leduc to a three-year entry-level contract. Buffalo selected Gauthier-Leduc in the third round (68th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Gauthier-Leduc could challenge for a roster spot as early as next season. He has 20 goals and 51 points through 35 games in the QMJHL.
SUNRISE, Fla. Florida Panthers Executive Vice President & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has agreed to a two-year contract extension with D Mike Weaver.
Over the last three seasons, Weaver has established himself as one of the more steady defensive d-men in the game. It is no shocker how the Panthers felt about him or that they were willing to give him an extension.
The #sens have signed forwards Stefan Noesen and Matt Puempel to entry-level deals.
Puempel scored 17 goals and 32 points over 29 games with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL. He should be in the mix for a roster spot over the next couple of seasons.
The #sens have signed forwards Stefan Noesen and Matt Puempel to entry-level deals.
Noesen currently has 13 goals and 34 points while playing with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL. Expect him to make a push for a roster spot next summer.
Lightning announce signing of forward Pierre-Cedric Labrie to a 2-year, 2-way contract
Expect Labrie to help out the Bolts bottom line. He has six goals and 18 points through 28 games with the Norfolk Admirals.
Signing
#canadiens Michael Bournival: 3 ans / 1.8 total + 270 000 $ SB Possibilité de 630 000 en bonis sur 3 ans pour matchs joués.
Bournival has dominated the QMJHL and is currently representing Team Canada at the World Juniors. Expect to see his name frequently over the next couple of years.
just signed my first NHL contract! #minnesotawild
Phillips has 18 goals and 52 points in 31 games with the St. John Sea Dogs. He could challenge for a roster spot as soon as next season with the Wild.
Signing
"Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier today announced that the team has signed forward Kevin Sundher to a three-year entry level contract. Sundher was Buffalo’s third-round draft pick (75th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Sundher has dominated the WHL so far with 21 goals and 53 points through 33 games. Certainly a name to remember down the line.
Tampa Bay has signed Antti Mietttinen, that's why he's on waivers, but might have some immigration issues, so won't play right away
Miettinen could merit some fantasy hockey value with the Bolts. He scored 15 or more goals over the last three seasons with the Minnesota Wild.
Bruins sign Dougie Hamilton to entry-level contract. Lighting it up in OHL. Chiarelli will be guest on pre-game show tonight. #NESN 630pm
Hamilton won't play a minute in the NHL this season but is definitely a name to remember moving forward.
According to sources, the #NHLFlames have signed #bdnwheatkings F Michael Ferland to a 3-year, entry level contract. http://bit.ly/f2yciJ
Ferland will stay in the WHL the rest of the season but could get a long look at next year's training camp.
BOSTON, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has signed center David Krejci (pronounced “KRAY-chee”) to a three-year contract extension through the 2014-15 season. Per club policy, financial terms of the deal will not be disclosed.
Krejci was rewarded for his three-point effort last night with a contract extension. Expect the Czech native to continue centering the top line for a number of years.
NHL Free Agents: Best Available Players in 2025
Once the dust settles on the Stanley Cup Final, the NHL offseason officially commences as the latest wave of free agents hit the market as teams and players alike reevaluate their current situation and plot their next steps toward success.
With a plethora of talent up for grabs every summer, Stanley Cup contenders can be formed as well as broken up through free agency. With NHL signings going down at a breakneck pace throughout the opening days of free agency, we’ll keep you in the loop with our 2025 NHL free agency tracker. You can find all of the latest NHL signings of the free agency period as players switch teams, sign extensions, and change the outlook of the league with a single decision.
Whether you’re a diehard fan of your favourite team and are looking to stay up to date with every move made by the front office, or are an avid daily fantasy sports bettor that wants to prep for their wagers, our NHL free agency tracker is the best destination for all your free agent market news.
Types of Free Agent Markets
Each NHL free agent holds their own unique distinction when signing with a team. These distinctions are made based on a number of factors including age, NHL experience, as well as their current contract situation. NHL free agents are divided by restricted and unrestricted free agents, with each classification of player holding varying rights, including how teams are able to offer them contracts, and the results of receiving an offer.
Below, we take a deep dive into each type of NHL free agent so you can get a thorough understanding of each free agent market type, how they are able to sign with teams, and the possible outcomes from each offseason acquisition.
Restricted Free Agents
A restricted NHL free agent (RFA) is a player that is either under the age of 27 or has been in the NHL for less than seven seasons. Teams hold a form of protection over their restricted free agents, providing them with a sort of insurance if their RFA decides to sign with a new team.
While restricted free agents are technically eligible to sign a new contract with different teams, the process can become messy if a team other than their original squad makes them an offer and they accept. Restricted free agents are only able to sign a standard NHL contract with the team that currently owns the players rights, all other squads must submit an offer sheet if they want to lure away a player from their team. If an offer sheet is made to an RFA, the team who holds the players rights will be left with the option to either match the offer made to their player, or allow the player to sign with the team that made the offer sheet, in return receiving draft compensation depending on the value of the contract offered.
Qualifying Offers
In order for a team to retain a player’s rights heading into the free agency period, they must make a qualifying offer to the player. These offers are in the form of a one-year contract, with the amount offered being formulated depending on the value of their previous contract.
For any player who was on a deal worth $660,000 or less, the qualifying offer they receive must be worth 110% the amount of their previous season’s salary. For a player making between $660,000 and $1,000,000, they must be offered 105% their previous seasons salary. Finally, if a player was making more than $1 million in their previous year of duty, their team must offer them 100% of their previous season’s salary.
These offers are not final and players are eligible to receive greater or lesser valued contracts from the team that holds their rights once free agency begins. Players who reject qualifying offers remain restricted free agents.
Non-Qualified RFAs
If a team decides to not submit a qualifying offer to a restricted free agent on their roster, all non-qualified RFAs instantly become free agents and are welcome to sign contracts with any team come July 1st.
Unrestricted Free Agents
The other form of NHL free agent is the unrestricted free agent (UFA). UFAs have the right to sign their next deal with any team without restriction, as long as the offer they sign complies with league salary cap mandates and rules. Unrestricted free agents are truly what can shake up the free agent market, with many of the leagues top stars entering into the offseason as UFAs.
There are multiple forms of unrestricted free agents, each with their own unique classifications, but don’t necessarily affect the potential value of the contracts offered to them in the offseason. Below are two of the most common UFAs.
Group 3 UFAs
Common among NHL veterans, Group 3 comprises players entering free agency that are 27 or older, or have played in the NHL for more than seven accrued seasons. An accrued season is defined as a season in which a player has suited up for action on an NHL roster in at least 40 games (30 for goalies). Any player that fits this criteria will become an unrestricted free agent once their contract expires in the following offseason.
Group 6 UFAs
Another way that players can become an unrestricted free agent is by being 25 years of age or older and to have played three or more professional hockey seasons under an NHL contract (AHL, ECHL, Europe), but played in less than 80 NHL games (28 for goalies) in their career. Often, Group 6 unrestricted free agents are developing players that, for one reason or another, have not had the chance to crack into an NHL lineup, but still possess experience as a high-level player. There is no difference in the rights of Group 3 and Group 6 unrestricted free agents, but typically the latter will receive smaller contracts, both in terms of value as well as in duration.
Undrafted UFAs
The final way that a player may enter into free agency as an unrestricted free agent is by going undrafted in their three years of draft eligibility. If a player is not selected by an NHL franchise through the draft they are still eligible to crack into a final roster as a free agent.
NHL Free Agency FAQs
Who are the top NHL free agents in 2025?
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.
What time does free agency start?
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.