#nhl-free-agency

#nhl-free-agency

For some while, even dating back to the early stages of last season, the 2026 free agency class was one every hockey fan was looking forward to with a big heap of major talent who could end up anywhere. But now, it looks bleaker than it has ever looked. Before the offseason, the list was stacked: Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel, Connor McDavid, and the list goes on, but that list doesn't look so eye-catching anymore.

The best free agent still on the market is arguably Jack Roslovic and according to one NHL insider, the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the teams that could land the forward as training camps begin to open around the league. In 81 games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season, he registered 22 goals and 17 assists for 39 points, while also having 14 hits and 10 penalty minutes.

Jeff Petry is 37 and needs to be insulated, but there are reasons to believe he could have a renaissance year and significantly outperform his league-minimum base salary. First, there is the expected change in workload. Petry averaged nearly 19 minutes per game (fourth among Red Wings defensemen) and was saddled with a subpar partner in Ben Chiarot. In other words, he was thrust into a challenging role that he was no longer equipped to handle.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are not the same team that had the likes of elite stars Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux. They do not have the goaltending of Tom Barrasso or the offensive defenseman like Paul Coffey. They are retooling on the fly in hopes of making the playoffs once again. Last season they hovered around .500 and missed the playoffs for the third straight season. With a revamped roster do those expectations go back to making the playoffs?

Although Anthony Stolarz is a 31-year-old goalie who has only started 142 career NHL games, he's arguably the team's best option right now when it comes to the crease. He suffered an injury last year, which resulted in him starting fewer games than Joseph Woll, but statistically he was the better player. Not only, but he was called upon as the team's No. 1 starter in the playoffs, before once again getting injured.

The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent forward Luke Kunin on a one-year, one-way contract worth $775K. Kunin, 27, amassed 11 goals and 18 points in 63 games with the San Jose Sharks in 2024-25 before he was acquired by the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 7. He suited up in 12 contests for the Blue Jackets and failed to collect a point.

The Kings signed six players on Day 1 of free agency, focusing on filling their critical roster holes, but did not secure a top-tier forward or defenseman.

"He's what I consider a hard worker. He goes to the hard areas, something that we needed more of. He's not afraid to be a net front presence guy."

Vitek Vanecek, fresh off winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, has signed a one-year contract with the Utah Mammoth as he heads West.