This is a weird year when it comes to NHL free agency. A flurry of trades ahead of the draft led to some key players finding new homes and signing new contracts, while the restricted free agent market (headlined by Jason Robertson) continues to play out. That led to a free agent group that doesn’t exactly blow you away, but there are some major talent upgrades out there for teams trying to make the next step.
Free agency opens at 9 a.m. ET on July 1, and there remains a prevailing feeling that we could be waiting to see some of the big names leave the board, with teams still trying to work some major trades. We know Winnipeg is still listening to offers on Connor Hellebuyck, Zach Werenski could be on the move, and the Montreal Canadiens are making a lot of noise when it comes to potential deals that will get them to the next level. Those dominoes could impact free agency and open the market for some teams to swoop in and snag some of the mid-level talent.
Advertisement
Now let’s dive into the Top 10 players on the market this year.
No. 1: Rasmus Andersson, D, Vegas Golden Knights
Andersson was a trade-deadline acquisition from the Calgary Flames intended as a playoff push move, and it worked, as the 29-year-old defenseman helped propel the Golden Knights all the way to the Stanley Cup. A true difference-maker as a top-pairing player, Vegas won’t be able to retain him without some major salary cap gymnastics. That could happen, but all signs point to him moving on in free agency.
Andersson is a do-everything defenseman who is able to play at home, as well as be a part of the offense with 47 points in the 2025-26 season. He might not be quite offensively minded enough to quarterback a power play, but he is still a top-tier defenseman who could command in the $10M AAV range in this market.
Advertisement
No. 2: John Carlson, D, Carolina Hurricanes
We need to list the Canes here because that’s who technically owns his rights at the moment. Carolina made a late trade towards the end of the 2026 NHL Draft to get Carlson’s rights from the Anaheim Ducks, in an effort to negotiate with him for a few days before free agency opens.
It doesn’t matter that Carlson is 36-years-old, because he is still playing elite hockey. Registering 70 points in 71 games last year, he remains a Top 10 defender in the entire NHL. Obviously Carlson would take the Stanley Cup Champions to an entirely new level, but there are reports that it’s unlikely he’ll remain in Carolina, with Carlson’s camp seeking a short-term deal in the $10M AAV range. He’s definitely worth that money, but the Canes are unlikely to put all their eggs in that basket, especially when they have greater needs than adding to their defense depth.
No. 3: Anthony Mantha, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins
I’m buying in on Mantha being better than his inconsistent stats show, are far more akin to the 64 points he scored last year with the Penguins, than the 44 point guy he was in 2023-24. We have a player who seems to flourish inside a system that actually needs him, where he struggles to be an impact on a back line without a lot of talent around him.
Advertisement
That means I think Mantha could be a great pickup for a team on the playoff bubble needing a talent injection. I also don’t think he’s going to command a bank-breaking sum in free agency because his career inconsistency will scare some teams off.
No. 4: Jacob Trouba, D, Anaheim Ducks
There are going to be some major growing pains on defense for the Ducks moving forward after having dealt John Carlson, and now losing Trouba in free agency.
Jacob Trouba is a solid second-line defenseman on most teams in the National Hockey League. I don’t buy he’s a top-line guy, but that’s still not bad for a team who needs a veteran presence on their line and someone who can be a sneaky breakaway threat with his long passing ability.
Advertisement
No. 5: Stuart Skinner, G, Edmonton Oilers
We are at a dearth of talent in the NHL when it comes to goaltenders, and the fact Stuart Skinner makes this list at No. 5 shows that. There are so many times Skinner seems like he’s ready to take the jump and then he falters when given the opportunity.
At this point he sits as a low-level starter or a premium backup. That’s about where his value is, and when teams are still trying to work out what happens with Sergei Bobrovsky and Connor Hellebuyck, there is some value here.
No. 6 Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
Ovi is still deciding whether he’ll retire, re-sign with the Capitals for one more year, or potentially make the jump to free agency. I’m not buying for a second that the 40-year-old is a good fit, basically anywhere in the league at this point. Kudos for a phenomenal career, but at this point Ovechkin is only good for cherry picking goals, which is the role he had in Washington these past two seasons.
Advertisement
Outside of that, he’s a defensive liability, not much of a passer, and well, he’s 40. That’s basically the only issue. Still, he might be enough for a terrible team to sell some tickets, but I have no idea why he wouldn’t just retire a hero at this point rather than try to have a sad run elsewhere.
No. 7: Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers
I don’t think a lot of people fully comprehend what a down season Bob had last year. Too much is being made of the Panthers’ injuries, and the goaltender’s agents are trying to sell him as still being a multi-year, $4.5M AAV talent when he just really wasn’t last season — but kudos to them for trying.
In 2025-26, we saw Bob finish with an .877 save percentage and allowing 3.07 goals per game. I don’t think he’s magically going to become elite again, and rather this is the beginning of a decline.
Advertisement
No. 8: Boone Jenner, C, Columbus Blue Jackets
Jenner is really not an amazing player, but this is a profoundly weak market at center — especially ones with tenure. A team needing a third or fourth line guy will probably take advantage of adding to their depth here. The one thing that Jenner does offer is faceoff ability, which a lot of teams are lacking right now.
No. 9: Viktor Arvidsson, LW, Boston Bruins
Arvidsson is a jack of one trade: He’s great at skating fast and putting shots on net. That very narrow skillset allows him to put up some decent numbers, but he’s not really a great piece to build around. If a team has a specific plan for how to utilize him on a line then he could be a decent pickup, but the worry is that someone will sign him assuming they’re getting a 20 goal scorer without understanding how he achieved that.
Advertisement
No. 10: Mason Marchment, F, Columbus Blue Jackets
There was some talk about Marchment being a potential trade during the NHL Draft, but evidently, he was too important for CBJ to part ways with, hoping they could negotiate a deal. He’s a decent enough third-line player to have some teams intrigued, but doesn’t bring a lot to the table.
