From All-Stars and award winners down to diamonds in the rough, here's who will be available this summer.
The rising salary cap -- set at $104 million next season, an increase of $8.5 million -- has allowed teams to retain their players, who no longer need competing offers to get the money they're chasing.for six seasons.
Before he did, GM Don Waddell said there were upward of 12 teams seeking to trade for his negotiating rights. Twelve teams, for a 34-year-old center that had 58 points last season. As shallow as the pool is, there are still some impactful players expected to be available -- as well as a collection of players who will land significant offers, but maybe shouldn't. Here's a look at the 2026 NHL free agent market.
The contract terms and average annual contract values are courtesy of PuckPedia. In the case of players whose salaries were retained in transactions, we're listing the full AAV of their contracts. The NHL's all-time leading goal scorer, potentially headed to unrestricted free agency?
This would obviously be the biggest offseason news in hockey were it not for the fact that Ovechkin turns 41 in September, that he said he would "probably not" play for another NHL team if he didn't return to Washington and because retirement remains on the table for the Capitals captain. Listening to Ovechkin's postseason news conference, he didn't sound like a guy ready to hang up his skates.the Capitals' season finale wasn't his last game.
He talked about how his children want him to keep playing and don't want to leave Washington. Ovechkin showed he has got something left in the tank, leading Washington in goals and points last season -- and that's with a career-low five power-play goals. The two most important factors in his decision are how his body feels and whether the Capitals continue to improve their roster for playoff contention, after missing the cut this season.
and Alex Tuch . But NHL sources told me those moves were primarily meant to augment the team's core for the next few seasons --, and two good goalies -- rather than as a direct enticement to Ovechkin. If that's the ancillary benefit, all the better.overshadowed his teammates in 2024-25. But to not have a farewell tour -- or a proper farewell for Capitals fans -- just doesn't seem right for Ovechkin.
Signing a one-year deal with Washington would satisfy that -- and now both he and the Capitals have a better understanding for how much cap space is available to make that happen. With the UFA market so thin, there's a sense around the NHL that teams are going to have to get creative to improve their teams.
Which means it's once again time to revisit the most loudly hyped mechanism to quickly upgrade a roster that rarely, if ever, gets utilized: The restricted free agent offer sheet. Multiple reports indicated that Robertson and agent Andy Scott were seeking an average annual salary upward of $14 million on a long-term deal. As I reported last week, one NHL source said the Stars had offered Robertson the eight-year, $12 million AAV deal they handed to, killing that deal.
They might try again ... or someone could swoop in with an offer sheet provided they believe a player who was tied for fourth in goals scored last season is worth the four first-rounders it would likely cost to get him. All that established, the Stars and Robertson are still engaged in talks, hoping to find common ground before it's too late. As we always say in these situations: His stuff is there.
Levine also believes these players could be "long-shot" offer sheet candidates if they can't find the contract they're looking for from their current teams:, including four first-round picks for any player signed to an AAV north of $11,939,167. Just something to keep in mind as players such asThe worst-kept secret of trade season was that the Knights wanted Andersson and that Vegas was the only place where he was looking to sign an extension.
He's the third-leading player in average ice time in the regular season and the playoffs, having slotted in nicely next to The buzz around the Stanley Cup Final was that Andersson and the Knights have had a handshake agreement on an extension. Does that change after he was a minus-3 with one assist in his last eight playoff games? It's Vegas. Until the ink is dry on the contract, nothing can be assumed .
In theory, there should be an extension here. In reality, the Golden Knights are facing their annual cap crunch, with $4.625 million in open space. Looming over all of this: Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo still has one more year at $8.8 million AAV on his contract. He missed the entire 2025-26 season while attempting to rehab a chronic hip injury but Should Andersson hit the market, he will be coveted by teams looking to solidify their blue line.
That could include thedidn't trade Carlson to the Ducks because he was cooked. They traded him because they weren't willing to give him a contract that would cover the years in which the 36-year-old defenseman will likely be cooked. In the short term, Carlson has plenty left to offer offensively. He had 60 points in 71 games between Washington and Anaheim, including 14 points in 16 games for the Ducks.
He had six points in 12 playoff games for the Ducks in the playoffs, all of them assists. He averaged over 24 minutes per game with Anaheim, seeing time with Carlson's calling card has never been his defense, although he's not a disaster in his own end. He can still quarterback a power play and make things happen with his passing and vision at 5-on-5.
He should be one of the more coveted players on the UFA market, which is why Carolina jumped the line and traded for his negotiating rights from Anaheim for a sixth-round pick and 23-year-old minor leaguer Kyle Masters. Reports are that Carlson could be seeking an average annual contract value of $10 million. It's been a bizarre little run for Marchment over the past year.
Dallas traded him to Seattle last June for a third- and a fourth-round pick, out of cap considerations. The fit wasn't right with the Kraken, as he had just four goals in 29 games, so they flipped him to Columbus for a second- and a fourth-round pick, where the fit was very much right: 15 goals in 39 games, for 32 points overall. The 6-foot-5 winger plays with an edge and is good for at least 20 goals per season.
Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell has indicated he'd like to bring Marchment back. They have significant cap space but a chunk of that will be dog-eared for restricted free agents such asboth indicating they're not going to commit long-term to the franchise, it would be nice if Marchment ends up being someone who does.
The veteran winger had a nice bounce-back season for the Bruins with 25 goals and 29 assists in 60 games, skating to a plus-20. He played the majority of the time with center, who not coincidentally had his first 30-goal season. Arvidsson is a solid supporting cast player ... when he's playing. We almost had him in the "boom-or-busts" tier because he hasn't played more than 70 games since 2018.
The veteran forward has reportedly decided to come back for a 20th NHL season. Whether or not that's in his native Ottawa is the question. Giroux saw his ice time dip to 16:18 on average but his production didn't suffer. He ended up with around the same numbers he had in 2024-25 with 49 points in 82 games.
He's a former captain with 105 games of playoff experience. If nothing else, the man can win a faceoff . According to The Athletic, the Blackhawks offered Mikheyev a contract near the trade deadline in the two- to three-year range with a cap hit similar to the one he has now, but the winger rejected it. He wins puck battles.
He's a solid two-way player with offensive upside. Though the Blackhawks would probably like to keep him around as top prospect Roman Kantserov arrives from Russia, they also expect he's headed to the market. This O.K. player didn't have his best campaign in Seattle analytically but still wound up with around the same 5-on-5 production in 50 games due to injuries that he had in the previous season's 81 games.
It's expected he'll hit the market, ending his five-year run in Seattle. The Ducks have only three defensemen under contract for next season. They also have a generation of young defensemen in need of more playing time. Trouba played with Jackson LaCombe in the postseason, and it was the Ducks' best tandem analytically .
Trouba himself had his best offensive season since 2022 while continuing to hit opponents like Jacob Trouba does. While there's a chance he could return to Anaheim, contract term is apparently the holdup between the two sides. Given his intangibles and his age, though, he won't suffer for options as a free agent.
It's hard to imagine that Zuccarello, who turns 39 on Sept. 1, would want to leave Minnesota after seven seasons and his primary gig threading passes forto convert. But if the Wild and the Norwegian winger can't find a contract that works, Zuccarello would be an asset for many scoring lines around the league.
Greer had one of the quietest offensive glow-ups in the NHL last season, setting new career highs in goals , points and average ice time in a full season. Which is what happens when one plays withmore than the fourth line, as Greer did during the Panthers' injury-filled campaign. Now he has proof of concept that he can hang with the offensive talents while bodychecking opponents into dust. The veteran played 81 games for Nashville last season.
He's good for between 14 and 18 goals and brings a gritty game down the lineup while also killing penalties. For the right price and term, a useful player. As with Zuccarello and the Wild, it would have to take some change of heart or negotiations going sideways for Kane not to remain with the Red Wings, where he has spent the past three seasons.
His "showtime" days are behind him, but Kane can still produce at a respectable clip for someone with a $3 million cap number. After back-to-back 20-goal seasons, Roslovic should pull down over $4 million AAV on his next contract. We'll note that both of those seasons were while Roslovic was playing on one-year contracts, trying to secure the next one.
Something to keep in mind for the teams that believe the 29-year-old has earned his term. Tolvanen was one of former general manager Ron Francis' better moves, having plucked him off waivers from the Predators in December 2022. He had 67 goals and 72 assists in 288 games for Seattle. But Tolvanen's numbers dipped last season despite an increase in ice time, going from 23 goals in 81 games to just 12 goals in 78 games.
He's expected to hit the market after no deal in Seattle materialized. Bjorkstrand was a dependable 20-goal scorer and depth forward before this season with the Lightning, where his offensive production plummeted along with his ice time . Does he just need a change of scenery, or was this more than a hiccup? Ferraro's rookie season was Joe Thornton's final one with the Sharks, meaning the defenseman arrived just as San Jose stopped contending.
Now that the Sharks are in theGM Mike Grier said the now-veteran defenseman will first test the free agent market before the Sharks circle back -- assuming they do. Ferraro had a career-high 23 points last season playing 21:02 per game. It was easily his strongest season in a few years. Gudas had the lowest average ice time of his career for Anaheim , playing only 56 games because of injuries and a five-game suspension for injuring.
Gudas' leadership and physical intimidation are still assets, but he's an average-at-best defender and not getting any younger. His former team, the Panthers, acquired his negotiating rights from Anaheim in exchange for A.J. Greer on Monday. Lee just wrapped up a seven-year contract by seeing his goal output drop by 10 from last season.
The Islanders' captain had 19 goals and 23 assists in 82 games. He turns 36 on July 3. If Lee is willing to bend like a contortionist on money and term, GM Mathieu Darche would likely bring him back to the Islanders. If not, Lee's exceptional skills around the crease in the attacking zone are an asset, even if that production drop is concerning.
Jenner is a tantalizing option in a thin center market. He's a veteran entering his 14th season. He has shown to be good for 20 goals under ideal conditions. He's a relentless player and a team captain.
But he's not exactly fleet of foot, and he hasn't played 70 games since 2020. Would it be a shock to see Jenner, the Blue Jackets' all-time leader in games played , wearing another uniform? Not when he does things like change agents to Pat Morris, as That said, seeing Jenner leave in the same offseason that could also see Werenski traded would be a shock to the system for Jackets fans.
The siren song of the puck-moving free agent defenseman is hard to ignore. Klingberg just completed his third one-year deal. The Sharks had cap space to fill, so they threw $4 million at him. Klingberg had his best offensive season since 2021-22 with 27 points.
There's a danger of overcommitment here to a player who is too hit or miss and not getting younger. Laine missed a good portion of the season after adnominal surgery but has been an afterthought for coach Martin St. Louis during the playoffs: traveling with the team, practicing, getting nowhere near a game. This tier was built for Laine, who once scored 44 goals in 82 games for Winnipeg.
Because he spends so much time on injured reserve, Laine is eligible for a low-base-salary, incentive-laden contract this summer. Will anyone take a chance on one of the NHL's biggest reclamation projects? The Kings and Lightning are two teams to watch. Mantha is expected to test free agency after thriving in a one-year contract "prove it" season with Pittsburgh, scoring 33 goals and 31 assists.
The playoffs were a different story: one assist in six games for a minus-5, to go along with 20 penalty minutes. Mantha doesn't have a playoff goal in 20 postseason games. Ten years ago, Tarasenko was one of the NHL's most elite goal scorers. Now, he has settled into a depth scoring role quite nicely in Minnesota with 23 goals, while getting some power-play time.
At the right price, he could be worth a contract -- provided what we saw last season is the real Tarasenko, and not that regrettable 11-goal campaign for Detroit two seasons ago. He's not expected back in Minnesota. For years, Andersen had two challenges in the postseason: His health and those couple of wobbly games that would encourage coach Rod Brind'Amour to make a switch in goal. After three playoff rounds, it appeared he put those concerns to bed.
And then he suffered a knee injury against Vegas, was replaced byWhat's next for him is anyone's guess. What's next for the Canes might be a run at Winnipeg starThe Panthers believe they can win a Stanley Cup without Playoff Bob ... or at least with the slightly younger and significantly cheaper version of him. The Panthers acquiredearlier in the week. Markstrom's two-year contract pays him $6 million against the cap annually.
That's a bargain compared to the $10 million AAV on Bobrovsky's last deal. With that, Bobrovsky will hit the free agent market after three tips to the Final and two Stanley Cup wins with Florida. Florida balked at the term and money Bobrovsky was seeking.
The Panthers ultimately felt that the veteran goaltender would come off his asking price due to the seven years he's spent in South Florida with his family, the success he had with his ever-improving roster, and the fact that he's earned around $100 million on his last two contracts. Add in the fact that his regular-season numbers are in decline, including his .877 save percentage and minus-12.2 goals saved above expected last season, and the Panthers figured there was a path to a new deal..
The Toronto Maple Leafs also have a young Russian goalie in the system with Calder Cup winner Artur Akhtyamov. They also have Bobrovsky's former Florida backup. The Carolina Hurricanes reportedly checked in on Bobrovsky before the trade deadline.
Then there's the most "if you can't beat'em, sign'em" option in the Edmonton Oilers. Ingram was an inspiring story and there were moments when he appeared to offer the Oilers a solution in goal. Ingram can be an effective half of a tandem.
There are going to be suitors, but he remains an option in Edmonton barring whatever else they might do to find a goalie partner forplayed in the postseason combined with top prospect Sergei Murashov being about ready for the NHL, Skinner is likely to be in another uniform next season. Talbot turns 39 years old in July. He had an .883 save percentage last season, while going 12-9-6 for Detroit. He had minus-13.1 goals saved above expected.
He is, in fact, a free agent. One of the more surprising names among the unqualified players, given how high GM Bill Guerin was on him after acquiring Brink from the Flyers for defenseman. But Michael Russo of The Athletic said this might be a formality, as the Wild are trying to avoid arbitration and get Brink in at a lower salary. That said, he can test the market if that doesn't happen soon.
An interesting name to hit the market, as Cotter's qualifying offer was just $850,000 for the Devils. But they obviously weren't looking to spend the money he could have won in arbitration on a player whose goal total fell by seven tallies year over year as he skated to a minus-24. But the 26-year-old works hard and can augment someone's bottom six.
Harris, a Massachusetts native, signed with the Bruins last summer but was limited to just eight regular-season games and one playoff game due to injuries. He was a low-risk signing, coming off a 33-game stint with the Blue Jackets after the Canadiens included him in their package for He showed some decent flashes of offense while with Montreal. Provided he's healthy, someone else would be smart to get Harris at a bargain.
's departure from Toronto. He didn't come close to doing that, but scored 14 goals and added 25 assists in 71 games last season. That said, he was a healthy scratch at times for the Leafs and didn't really hold up his end of the defensive game.
His qualifying offer from Toronto would have been $4.1 million, and that has taken much for the Leafs to commit to a player with whom they were not totally enamored.79-year-old woman struck, killed by Tesla outside Simi Valley restaurant
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