Top 10 best value NHL contracts in 2024-25

Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone likes bargain hunting – finding a great deal can be extremely rewarding.

And that’s especially true when you’re trying to manage a balance sheet with millionaires. Finding any bit of value in your NHL lineup is extremely important, something that many recent Stanley Cup-winning squads have done so well in recent years.

Today, with NHL training camps set to begin in the next two weeks, it’s time to look at some of the top value deals heading into the 2024-25 campaign. The rules are simple: players can’t make more than $2 million this year, and they don’t have a more lucrative contract lined up for 2025-26 yet.

So, here we go:

Nils Höglander, LW (Vancouver Canucks)

Contract: One year remaining at $1.1 million

Höglander’s 24 goals were impressive last year – especially when you factor in the fact he played just 12 minutes a night while sitting near the top on the Canucks in some notable advanced analytics. Höglander should sit on the top line to start the season with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser, so his ice time should improve in a big way in 2024-25. Höglander played 60 games with Vancouver in 2021-22 but spent most of the following year in the AHL. So to have him bounce back and play easily the best hockey of his pro career, while still showcasing his physical side, had to impress the Canucks’ brass. If he can break past the 25-goal barrier this year, he’ll be set for a nice payday.

Daniel Sprong, RW (Vancouver Canucks)

Contract: One year remaining at $975,000

Sprong has already played for five teams in his NHL career, but the past two seasons with Seattle and Detroit have been mighty impressive. He had 21 goals and 46 points for the Kraken in 2022-23 before scoring 18 goals an 43 points for the Red Wings last year. The Canucks will have one of the deepest lineups of any team Sprong has ever skated for so his opportunities might be limited compared to the past two years. But at under a million, the Canucks couldn’t go wrong here adding some solids coring help. Sprong has the talent to play a top-six role on this team this year if he can put everything together.

Pyotr Kochetkov, G (Carolina Hurricanes)

Contract: Two years remaining at $2 million

Kochetkov signed his current three-year deal in 2022 despite playing just a handful of NHL games, but you could easily see the promise. And if it wasn’t for his fantastic play in Frederik Andersen’s absence last year, the Hurricanes might not have come close to finishing as high up in the standings as they did. He went 24-13-4 with four shutouts in 42 games to earn some serious Calder Trophy consideration. The best part? Kochetkov was better the busier he was, going 9-1-0 when he faced 30 or more shots in a game. Kochetkov has the potential to become the NHL’s best backup (or, if we still can’t trust Andersen’s health, something even bigger).

Cam York, D (Philadelphia Flyers)

Contract: One year remaining at $1.6 million

It took York a while to establish himself with the Flyers, but he put up a solid 10 goals and 30 points in 82 games last year. He also spent significant time on the power play, stole the puck often and was second on the team with 174 blocked shots. So York can do a little bit of everything, and should serve on the top pairing alongside Travis Sanheim again in 2024-25 while challenging Jamie Drysdale for the No. 1 power-play defense position. York does a lot of great things with the puck, but he seemed to look more capable away from it the more ice time he was given. Flyers fans like him, and York isn’t far away from a pay increase, but it’s up to maximize the value.

Fabian Zetterlund, LW (San Jose Sharks)

Contract: One year remaining at $1.45 million

Zetterlund could have easily faded into obscurity on the Sharks, the worst team in the NHL, last year. Instead, he scored 24 goals and 44 points in his first 82-game NHL season, proving to be a crucial piece of the Timo Meier deal that sent the Swiss-born forward to the Devils in 2023. The Sharks are still going to be a bottom-feeder, but now Zetterlund will have a chance to play alongside either Macklin Celebrini, or, more likely, Will Smith on the second line. His chemistry with Mikael Granlund should continue, so Zetterlund will be surrounded by some of the best help from his young career. The best part? The Sharks don’t have many notable names needing new deals next summer, so if Zetterlund continues to be a serious scoring threat for the Sharks, he could be headed toward a solid salary increase.

Logan Thompson, G (Washington Capitals)

Contract: One year remaining at $766,666

Thompson’s numbers took a bit of a dip last year in Vegas, but he still came out with a 25-14-5 record on a Golden Knights team that, yet again, dealt with some significant injury issues throughout the lineup. Since proving himself as a legitimate NHL goalkeeper at the end of the 2021-22 season, Thompson has proven he’s capable of stealing games and going on absolute heaters. In Washington, he’ll have much less defensive support, and he’ll have to fight Charlie Lindgren for playing time. But given he’s making less than the current league minimum of $775,000, Thompson easily has one of the best contracts of any 1A/1B goaltender in the game today. He needs to find some consistency, but there’s a lot to be excited about if you’re a Caps fan – especially the difference in salary between Thompson and the guy he’s replacing, Darcy Kuemper ($5.25 million until 2027).

Juuso Välimäki, D (Utah HC)

Contract: Two years remaining at $2 million

Välimäki went from being claimed on waivers at the start of the 2022-23 season to playing upwards of 23 minutes a night with the Arizona Coyotes down the stretch last. Now, armed with a new two-year deal worth $2 million, it looks like Utah might have a real bargain on their hands. The Finnish defender had just 17 points last year, a step down from his 34 the previous year, but he should still fill a top-four role on a revamped back end for the franchise. Perhaps taking a back seat to Mikhail Sergachev on the left side will allow him for better matchups and stability, but there’s a lot of value for Välimäki at his current AAV – his best years might still be on the horizon.

Martin Pospisil, LW (Calgary Flames)

Contract: Two years remaining at $1 million

Pospisil is such a fascinating prospect. It took him five years to finally establish himself as an NHLer and he made his impact known with 24 points and 109 penalty minutes last year. So, while he’s not going to produce like some of the others on this list, he’ll be an absolute menace and feel no shame making you pay on the ice. It also helps that he’s been playing with significant confidence recently, too: Pospisil was a huge part of Slovakia at the World Championship and was a key reason why they’re off to the Olympics in 2026. Sure, he wasn’t always playing against the best competition, but he outperformed some quality, bigger-name NHLers in both events – and that can’t hurt his confidence.

Darren Raddysh, D (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Contract: Two years remaining at $925,000

It felt like Raddysh’s rise up the NHL ladder took forever – he’s 28 with just one full NHL season under his belt. But Raddysh exceeded all expectations with 33 points in 82 games this past year and looks primed to play alongside Victor Hedman in 2024-25. He played some of his best hockey when he played 21-plus minutes for the Bolts last year, playing an all-out, never-give-up style that made him so difficult to take advantage of. Raddysh has an incredible opportunity to step up on a team that still wants to be a serious Stanley Cup contender, so there’s some significant pressure heading Raddysh’s way. But at $925,000? Raddysh is a tremendous value option.

Morgan Geekie, RW (Boston Bruins)

Contract: One year remaining at $2 million

Part of the reason why the Bruins were able to look past Patrice Bergeron’s and David Krejci’s retirements last year, among others, was the help of some of the team’s cheaper depth pieces. Geekie was no exception. He had a career-best 17 goals and 39 points in 76 games while playing the most significant role of his NHL career. Geekie has always been a skilled, strong winger who just needed the right opportunity to prove himself. It didn’t happen in Carolina or Seattle, but he has seemingly found a home in Boston where he was able to get some of the best opportunities of his career. Look for Geekie to have the second right-wing spot locked up, with the potential to put up some solid numbers with Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand.