As the calendar turned to July, the National Hockey League’s annual free agency period burst open, bringing a flurry of player movement and contract agreements. As of July 2, 2025, teams across the league are busy reshaping their rosters, with players signing lucrative long-term deals or exploring new opportunities. This tracker provides a comprehensive look at the landscape, detailing which players have found new homes or re-signed and who remains available in the various free agent categories. While some anticipated big splashes were tempered by a market described by observers as more “muted” and featuring “responsible” signings compared to years past, significant transactions have nonetheless defined the early hours.
Understanding the Different Free Agent Types
Navigating NHL free agency requires understanding the different statuses players hold once their contracts expire. The league’s collective bargaining agreement defines several distinct groups, impacting a player’s ability to sign with any team and whether their former club is entitled to compensation. Knowing these categories is key to following the free agency action.
Restricted Free agents (RFAs – Group 2)
Players designated as Restricted Free Agents (Group 2) have received a qualifying offer from their previous team. This means the original club retains negotiation rights. Other teams can present an “offer sheet” to an RFA, but if the player accepts, their original club has the right to match the offer to keep the player. Should the original team choose not to match a signed offer sheet, they receive draft pick compensation from the signing team. The amount of compensation depends on the average annual value (AAV) of the offer sheet. For offers below $1,544,742.04 AAV, there is no compensation. The scale escalates significantly for higher offers, potentially requiring multiple first-round picks for multi-million dollar contracts.
unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs – Group 3)
Unrestricted Free Agents in Group 3 are free to sign with any NHL team without their previous club being entitled to compensation. Players qualify for this status either by being 27 years old or older by the preceding June 30th or by having accumulated at least seven “Accrued Seasons” in the league. These players represent many of the top targets when the market opens, as teams look to add established talent.
Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs – Group 6)
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents also have the freedom to sign anywhere without compensation. This category typically includes players whose contracts have expired and who meet specific age and NHL game-played thresholds. To qualify, a player must be 25 or older by the preceding June 30th, have completed three or more professional seasons, and have not played a sufficient number of NHL games – fewer than 80 for skaters or fewer than 28 for goaltenders (regular season and playoffs combined).
Unrestricted Free Agents (Did Not Receive Qualifying Offer)
Players who were eligible to receive a qualifying offer from their team but did not are immediately granted Unrestricted Free Agent status. This means they can sign with any club freely, with no compensation owed to their former team. This often happens when a team decides against committing to the RFA’s qualifying offer salary or sees the player as unlikely to fit into future plans.
Team-by-Team Free Agent & Signing Status
Below is a snapshot of NHL teams, listing players who have recently signed contracts and those currently holding various free agent statuses as of July 2, 2025.
Anaheim Ducks
This is a team looking to transition towards competitiveness, adding experienced pieces around their young core.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Mikael Granlund signed a three-year deal, providing a veteran presence and offensive consistency.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Judd Caulfield, Calle Clang, Lukas Dostal, Drew Helleson, Mason McTavish, Jan Mysak.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Justin Bailey, Oscar Dansk, Robby Fabbri, Oliver Kylington, Brock McGinn, Carson Meyer.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Brett Leason, Josh Lopina, Isac Lundestrom (signed with Columbus).
Boston Bruins
The Bruins appear focused on adding grit and a more physical style, aiming to avoid being an “easy out.”
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Tanner Jeannot signed a five-year contract, forward Sean Kuraly signed, joining forward Michael Eyssimont, defenseman Michael Blumel, forward Oskar Steeves, defenseman Jordan Harris, and defenseman Jonathan Aspirot who also signed agreements.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: John Farinacci.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Brandon Bussi (signed with Florida), Cole Koepke (signed with Winnipeg), Vinni Lettieri, Tyler Pitlick, Riley Tufte (re-signed with Boston), Parker Wotherspoon (signed with Pittsburgh).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Drew Bavaro, Trevor Kuntar, Jakub Lauko, Daniil Misyul, Ian Mitchell (signed with Detroit), Jaxon Nelson, Oliver Wahlstrom.
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo added depth and stability with several signings.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Ryan McLeod signed a four-year deal, goaltender Alex Lyon signed for two years, forward Tyson Kozak signed a three-year agreement, and defenseman Mason Geertsen signed for two years.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Bowen Byram, Tyson Kozak (re-signed), Ryan McLeod (re-signed), Conor Timmins.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Kale Clague, Mason Jobst, James Reimer, Arttu Ruotsalainen, Felix Sandstrom.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Brett Murray, Lukas Rousek (signed with HV71 in Sweden).
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Jacob Bernard-Docker (signed with Detroit), Erik Brannstrom (signed with Lausanne in Switzerland), Aleksandr Kisakov, Bennett MacArthur, Tyler Tullio.
Calgary Flames
Calgary made a move in net early in the period.
Recent Contract Agreements: Goaltender Ivan Prosvetov signed a one-year contract.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Morgan Frost, Rory Kerins, Yan Kuznetsov, Sam Morton, Jeremie Poirier, Connor Zary.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Tyson Barrie, Martin Frk, Carl-Johan Lerby, Anthony Mantha, Kevin Rooney, Jarred Tinordi, Eetu Tuulola, Dan Vladar (signed with Philadelphia).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Jonathan Aspirot (signed with Boston).
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Waltteri Ignatjew, Connor Murphy.
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina made a big splash on the blueline via trade.
Recent Contract Agreements: Defenseman Mike Reilly signed for one year, forward Casey Miller agreed to an eight-year deal, and goaltender Cayden Primeau signed a one-year contract.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Skyler Brind’Amour, Domenick Fensore, Noel Gunler, Cayden Primeau (re-signed), Ronan Seeley, Ryan Suzuki.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Brent Burns, Jesper Fast, Tyson Jost, Spencer Martin, Dmitry Orlov, Tarmo Reunanen, Jack Roslovic, Joakim Ryan, Jesper Sellgren, Riley Stillman (signed with Edmonton), Dustin Tokarski.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Anttoni Honka, Yaniv Perets, Ty Smith.
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago had a quiet start to the free agency period.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Dominic Toninato signed a two-year contract.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Louis Crevier, Arvid Soderblom.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Andreas Athanasiou, Patrick Maroon (retired), Alec Martinez, Zach Sanford, Brett Seney.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Cole Guttman.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Philipp Kurashev (signed with San Jose), Jalen Luypen, Aku Raty, Antti Saarela.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado focused on retaining some depth players.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward T.J. Tynan and forward Jack Ahcan each signed one-year contracts. Defenseman Ronnie Attard also signed a one-year deal.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: None listed.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Jack Ahcan (re-signed), Jonathan Drouin, Jere Innala, Erik Johnson, Joel Kiviranta, Ryan Lindgren (signed with Seattle), Matthew Phillips, Tucker Poolman, Calle Rosen, T.J. Tynan (re-signed), Jimmy Vesey, Chris Wagner.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Adam Scheel.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): William Dufour, Jean-Luc Foudy, John Ludvig, Kevin Mandolese.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus made a significant move on the blueline and retained players.
Recent Contract Agreements: Defenseman Ivan Provorov signed a seven-year contract, forward Owen Sillinger signed a one-year agreement, and forward Isac Lundestrom signed for two years.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Daemon Hunt, Mikael Pyyhtia, Dmitri Voronkov.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Justin Danforth, Christian Fischer, Dylan Gambrell, Jack Johnson, Luke Kunin, Sean Kuraly (signed with Boston), Kevin Labanc, Joseph LaBate (signed with Vancouver), Ivan Provorov (re-signed), Owen Sillinger (re-signed), James van Riemsdyk (signed with Detroit).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Trey Fix-Wolansky.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Ole Julian Bjorgvik-Holm, Cole Clayton (signed with San Jose), Jordan Harris (signed with Boston), Samuel Knazko.
Dallas Stars
Dallas brought back key players to their roster.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Radek Faksa signed a three-year contract, and forward Colin Blackwell signed a two-year deal.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Antonio Stranges.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Colin Blackwell (re-signed), Cody Ceci (signed with Los Angeles), Evgenii Dadonov (signed with New Jersey), Mikael Granlund (signed with Anaheim), Magnus Hellberg, Adam Mascherin, Brendan Smith.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Matej Blumel (signed with Boston), Mathias Emilio Pettersen.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): None listed.
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit had a relatively quiet opening day, signing veteran depth.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward James van Riemsdyk signed a one-year contract, defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker signed for one year, and forward Ian Mitchell also signed a one-year deal.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Elmer Soderblom, Eemil Viro.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Jack Campbell, Tim Gettinger, Alex Lyon (signed with Buffalo), Tyler Motte, Jeff Petry, Brogan Rafferty, Craig Smith, Joe Snively.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Gage Alexander, Cross Hanas.
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton focused on retaining their own restricted free agents.
Recent Contract Agreements: Defenseman Evan Bouchard signed a four-year contract, goaltender Matt Tomkins signed for two years, defenseman Riley Stillman signed a two-year deal, and forward Andrew Mangiapane signed a two-year agreement.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Evan Bouchard (re-signed).
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Connor Brown (signed with New Jersey), Drake Caggiula, Connor Carrick, Collin Delia, Travis Dermott, John Klingberg (signed with San Jose), Lane Pederson (signed with Philadelphia), Corey Perry (signed with Los Angeles), Derek Ryan, Jeff Skinner.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Ronnie Attard (signed with Colorado), Philip Kemp.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Jacob Perreault, Olivier Rodrigue, Cameron Wright.
Florida Panthers
The two-time defending champions made headlines by bringing back core pieces.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Brad Marchand signed a six-year contract, forward Tomas Nosek signed for one year, goaltender Daniil Tarasov signed a one-year deal, goaltender Brandon Bussi signed for one year, and forward Nolan Foote signed a one-year agreement.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Tobias Bjornfot, MacKenzie Entwistle, Oliver Okuliar, Wilmer Skoog.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Rasmus Asplund, Evan Cormier, Zac Dalpe, Kaapo Kahkonen (signed with Montreal), Matt Kiersted, William Lockwood, Brad Marchand (re-signed), Jaycob Megna (signed with Vegas), Tomas Nosek (re-signed), Jesse Puljujarvi, Nate Schmidt (signed with Utah), Nico Sturm (signed with Minnesota), Vitek Vanecek (signed with Utah).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Nathan Staios, Daniil Tarasov (re-signed), Zachary Uens.
Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles added experienced depth, especially on the blueline.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Corey Perry signed a one-year contract, forward Joel Armia signed for two years, and defensemen Cody Ceci, Brian Dumoulin, and goaltender Anton Forsberg signed agreements.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: None listed.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Joseph Cecconi, Vladislav Gavrikov (signed with New York Rangers), Tanner Jeannot (signed with Boston), Caleb Jones (signed with Pittsburgh), Trevor Lewis, David Rittich (signed with New York Islanders), Taylor Ward.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Samuel Fagemo, Reilly Walsh.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Cole Krygier, Jack Studnicka.
Minnesota Wild
Minnesota addressed needs by adding scoring and depth.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Nico Sturm signed a two-year contract.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Michael Milne, Marco Rossi.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Travis Boyd (signed with Toronto), Justin Brazeau (signed with Pittsburgh), Marc-Andre Fleury (retired), Troy Grosenick, Jon Merrill, Gustav Nyquist, Chase Priskie, Devin Shore.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Cameron Crotty, Dylan Ferguson, Tyler Madden.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Graeme Clarke, Ryan O’Rourke, Adam Raska, Luke Toporowski.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal made a couple of depth signings early on.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Alex Belzile and defenseman Matt Clurman each signed one-year contracts. Forward Alex Blais and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen each signed one-year agreements.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Jakub Dobes, Jayden Struble, William Trudeau.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Joel Armia (signed with Los Angeles), Alex Barre-Boulet, Christian Dvorak (signed with Philadelphia), Brandon Gignac, Connor Hughes, Michael Pezzetta (signed with Toronto), David Savard.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Noel Hoefenmayer, Gustav Lindstrom, Xavier Simoneau.
Nashville Predators
Nashville focused on a defenseman with their early move.
Recent Contract Agreements: Defenseman Nick Perbix signed a two-year contract.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Luke Evangelista.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Kieffer Bellows, Mark Friedman, Jakub Vrana.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Marc Del Gaizo, Grigori Denisenko, Jake Livingstone.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offers): Jordan Frasca, Ondrej Pavel, Luke Prokop, Jesse Ylonen.
New Jersey Devils
New Jersey added experience on the back end and up front.
Recent Contract Agreements: Goaltender Jake Allen signed a five-year contract, forward Connor Brown signed for four years, forward Evgenii Dadonov signed a one-year deal, and defenseman Dennis Cholowski signed a one-year agreement.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Cody Glass.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Jake Allen (re-signed), Nathan Bastian, Dennis Cholowski (re-signed), Tory Dello, Justin Dowling, Brian Dumoulin (signed with Los Angeles), Samuel Laberge (signed with San Jose), Curtis Lazar, Daniel Sprong, Tomas Tatar, Max Willman.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Nolan Foote (signed with Florida), Santeri Hatakka, Isaac Poulter.
New York Islanders
The Islanders added multiple players, including a familiar face.
Recent Contract Agreements: Goaltender David Rittich signed a one-year contract, defenseman Tony DeAngelo signed for one year, forward Jonathan Drouin signed a two-year deal, and defenseman Ethan Bear, forward Matthew Highmore, and defenseman Cole McWard signed agreements. Forward Simon Holmstrom signed for two years.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Adam Beckman, Marc Gatcomb, Emil Heineman, Simon Holmstrom (re-signed), Travis Mitchell, Maxim Tsyplakov.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Tony DeAngelo (re-signed), Hudson Fasching, Grant Hutton, Fredrik Karlstrom, Matt Martin (retired), Mike Reilly (signed with Carolina).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Jakub Skarek, Tyce Thompson.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Samuel Bolduc, Aidan Fulp, Scott Perunovich (signed with Utah).
New York Rangers
New York made a significant move to acquire a defenseman.
Recent Contract Agreements: Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov signed a seven-year contract, and forward Will Cuylle signed a two-year deal.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Brendan Brisson, Will Cuylle (re-signed), Dylan Garand, K’Andre Miller (traded to Carolina).
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Alex Belzile (signed with Montreal), Calvin de Haan, Louis Domingue, Ben Harpur, Riley Nash, Chad Ruhwedel.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Bo Groulx (signed with Toronto).
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Lucas Edmonds, Zac Jones, Arthur Kaliyev, Jake Leschyshyn.
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa added experienced forwards to their lineup.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Nick Cousins signed a one-year contract, and forward Lars Eller signed for one year.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Xavier Bourgault, Maxence Guenette, Jan Jenik, Donovan Sebrango.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Vitaly Abramov, Nick Cousins (re-signed), Jeremy Davies, Anton Forsberg (signed with Los Angeles), Adam Gaudette (signed with San Jose), Dennis Gilbert (signed with Philadelphia), Travis Hamonic, Matthew Highmore (signed with New York Islanders), Hayden Hodgson.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Wyatt Bongiovanni, Angus Crookshank (signed with New Jersey), Cole Reinhardt (signed with Vegas), Filip Roos.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Philippe Daoust, Jamieson Rees, Tristen Robins.
Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia added goaltending depth and other pieces.
Recent Contract Agreements: Goaltender Dan Vladar signed a two-year contract, forward Christian Dvorak signed for one year, and defensemen Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert each signed one-year agreements. Forward Lane Pederson signed a one-year deal.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Cam York.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Louie Belpedio, Rhett Gardner, Ben Gleason, Cal Petersen, Givani Smith.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Olle Lycksell, Eetu Makiniemi.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Elliot Desnoyers, Jakob Pelletier, Zayde Wisdom.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh retained some key young players via new deals.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Philip Tomasino and forward Connor Dewar each signed one-year contracts. Forward Justin Brazeau, defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, and defenseman Caleb Jones each signed two-year agreements.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Vasily Ponomarev.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Kasper Bjorkqvist, Nathan Clurman (signed with Montreal), Matt Grzelcyk, Marc Johnstone, Matt Nieto, Colton Poolman.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Mac Hollowell, Jimmy Huntington (signed with San Jose), Filip Kral, Mathias Laferriere.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Raivis Ansons, Emil Bemstrom, Connor Dewar (re-signed), Taylor Gauthier, P.O Joseph, Philip Tomasino (re-signed).
San Jose Sharks
San Jose was active, signing multiple players early.
Recent Contract Agreements: Defenseman John Klingberg signed a one-year contract, forward Colin White signed for one year, forward Philipp Kurashev signed for one year, and forward Adam Gaudette signed a two-year agreement. Forward Jimmy Huntington, forward Samuel Laberge, and forward Cole Clayton each signed one-year deals.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents (RFAs): Thomas Bordeleau, Danil Gushchin, Jack Thompson.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs): Walker Duehr, Alexandar Georgiev, Jan Rutta, Scott Sabourin, Jimmy Schuldt (signed with Vancouver), Colin White (re-signed).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs): Pavol Regenda.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Carl Berglund, Nolan Burke, Brandon Coe, Noah Gregor, Klim Kostin, Nikolai Kovalenko, Georgi Romanov, Mitchell Russell.
Seattle Kraken
Seattle added a significant defenseman to their blueline.
Recent Contract Agreements: Defenseman Ryan Lindgren signed a four-year contract, and goaltender Matt Murray signed for one year.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Ryker Evans, Kaapo Kakko, Tye Kartye.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Brandon Biro, Nikolas Brouillard, Michael Eyssimont (signed with Boston), Maxime Lajoie, Gustav Olofsson, Ales Stezka.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Luke Henman.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): None listed.
St. Louis Blues
St. Louis made a notable acquisition at center.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Nick Bjugstad signed a two-year contract.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Nikita Alexandrov, Hunter Skinner, Vadim Zherenko.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Radek Faksa (signed with Dallas), Mackenzie MacEachern (signed with Vancouver), Ryan Suter.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Corey Andonovski.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Tanner Dickinson, Anton Malmstrom.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay focused on re-signing several depth players.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Gage Goncalves signed a two-year contract, forward Pontus Holmberg signed for two years, forward Simon Lundmark signed for two years, forward Nick Abruzzese signed a one-year deal, and forward Boris Katchouk signed a one-year agreement.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: None listed.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Anthony Angello, Cam Atkinson, Logan Brown, Luke Glendening, Tobie Paquette-Bisson, Nick Perbix (signed with Nashville), Derrick Pouliot, Simon Ryfors, Matt Tomkins (signed with Edmonton).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Gabriel Fortier.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Jaydon Dureau, Gage Goncalves (re-signed), Ryder Korczak.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Following a major trade, Toronto focused on retaining key forwards.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Steven Lorentz signed a three-year contract, forward Matthew Knies signed for six years, and forward Travis Boyd, forward Bo Groulx, defenseman Dakota Mermis, and forward Michael Pezzetta signed agreements.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Dennis Hildeby, Roni Hirvonen, Matthew Knies (re-signed), Topi Niemela, Nicholas Robertson, William Villeneuve.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Jani Hakanpaa, Steven Lorentz (re-signed), Nicolas Mattinen, Dakota Mermis (re-signed), Matt Murray (signed with Seattle), Alex Nylander, Max Pacioretty.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Nick Abruzzese (signed with Tampa Bay), Alex Steeves (signed with Boston).
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Pontus Holmberg (signed with Tampa Bay), Reese Johnson, Mikko Kokkonen, Cedric Pare.
Utah Mammoth
Utah was active, adding several players as they build their roster.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Kailer Yamamoto signed a one-year contract, and defenseman Nate Schmidt and forward Brandon Tanev each signed three-year agreements. Defenseman Scott Perunovich signed a one-year deal, and goaltender Vitek Vanecek signed for one year.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Jack McBain.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Nick Bjugstad (signed with St. Louis), Robert Bortuzzo, Michael Carcone, Cameron Hebig, Patrik Koch, Josef Korenar.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Travis Barron, Egor Sokolov, Sammy Walker.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Kailer Yamamoto (re-signed).
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver successfully retained their top free agent forward.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Brock Boeser signed a seven-year contract, and forward Mackenzie MacEachern, forward Joseph LaBate, and defenseman Jimmy Schuldt signed agreements.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Nikita Tolopilo, Jett Woo.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Brock Boeser (re-signed), Phillip Di Giuseppe, Noah Juulsen (signed with Philadelphia), Pius Suter, Christian Wolanin.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Akito Hirose, Nate Smith.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Christian Felton, Ty Glover, Cole McWard (signed with New York Islanders), Tristen Nielsen.
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas was involved in a blockbuster trade leading up to free agency.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Brandon Saad, forward Reilly Smith, forward Cole Reinhardt, defenseman Kaedan Coghlan, and forward Jaycob Megna signed agreements.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Lukas Cormier, Alexander Holtz, Raphael Lavoie, Jonas Rondbjerg, Cole Schwindt.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Callahan Burke, Mason Geertsen (signed with Buffalo), Robert Hagg, Dysin Mayo, Mason Morelli, Victor Olofsson, Tanner Pearson (signed with Winnipeg), Gage Quinney, Brandon Saad (re-signed), Ilya Samsonov, Reilly Smith (re-signed).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Isaiah Saville.
Washington Capitals
Washington has a number of veteran players status uncertain.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Hendrix Lapierre.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Nicklas Backstrom, Ethan Bear (signed with New York Islanders), Anthony Beauvillier, Henrik Borgstrom, Lars Eller (signed with Ottawa), Alex Limoges, Andrew Mangiapane (signed with Edmonton), T.J. Oshie, Luke Philp, Taylor Raddysh, Michael Sgarbossa, Hunter Shepard.
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: Riley Sutter.
Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Alexander Alexeyev, Pierrick Dube, Mitchell Gibson.
Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg added depth up front with early signings.
Recent Contract Agreements: Forward Tanner Pearson signed a one-year contract, and forward Cole Koepke signed for one year.
Players Remaining as Free Agents:
Group 2 Restricted Free Agents: Morgan Barron, Tyrel Bauer, Parker Ford, Rasmus Kupari, Isaak Phillips, Dylan Samberg, Gabriel Vilardi.
Group 3 Unrestricted Free Agents: Mason Appleton, Dylan Coghlan (signed with Vegas), Chris Driedger, Nikolaj Ehlers, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Brandon Tanev (signed with Utah), Dominic Toninato (signed with Chicago).
Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents: None listed.
* Unrestricted Free Agents (did not receive qualifying offer): Simon Lundmark (signed with Tampa Bay), Mason Shaw.
Notable Players Still Available
As the market continues to develop, several significant players remain unsigned, representing potential impact additions for teams looking to make further moves. These include dynamic forwards like Nikolaj Ehlers, veteran defensemen such as Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov, and goaltenders including Alexandar Georgiev and Ilya Samsonov. Their decisions will further shape the league’s landscape in the coming days.
Beyond the Signings: Market Dynamics
Beyond the individual transactions, the opening of free agency revealed some broader trends. While not marked by the same level of spending frenzy as some previous years, teams appeared to be making more targeted, “responsible” signings. Some teams, like Boston, signalled a shift towards a more physical identity through their acquisitions. Others, like Detroit and Chicago, experienced a relatively quiet opening day, potentially relying more on internal development or waiting for later opportunities. The two-time champion Panthers demonstrated the power of culture and success, managing to retain key pieces essential to their pursuit of a third straight title.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of NHL free agents?
The main categories of NHL free agents are Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) and Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs). RFAs have received a qualifying offer from their previous team, giving that team matching rights or draft pick compensation if the player signs elsewhere via an offer sheet. UFAs are completely free to sign with any team without restriction or compensation owed to their former club. UFAs are further broken down into Group 3 (based on age or accrued seasons) and Group 6 (based on age, professional seasons, and limited NHL games played). Additionally, players who were RFA-eligible but did not receive a qualifying offer become UFAs.
How does Restricted Free Agent (RFA) compensation work?
If a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) receives an offer sheet from another team and their original club chooses not to match it, the original club is compensated with draft picks. The number and round of the picks are determined by the average annual value (AAV) of the offer sheet. The compensation scale starts with no picks for offers below approximately $1.5 million AAV and can go up to four first-round picks for offers exceeding approximately $11.7 million AAV. The specific financial tiers are set by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
How is this NHL free agent list updated?
This NHL free agent list is based on official information released by the league as of July 2, 2025. It captures a specific point in time during the busy free agency period. Player statuses and signings can change rapidly as contracts are agreed upon, filed with the league, and officially announced. While this tracker includes recent signings noted by the league, the dynamic nature of free agency means player statuses may continue to evolve beyond this publication date.
Conclusion
NHL free agency remains one of the most exciting and unpredictable times of the hockey year. As of July 2, 2025, many players have found new homes or secured their futures with their current teams, while others continue to explore their options. The early days saw a mix of targeted signings and significant re-signings, shaping the rosters for the upcoming season. Keep an eye on the remaining free agents and potential trades, as the picture is still developing across the league.