NHL
live
Updated 1m ago
The NHL’s free agency period is here, and the league’s player movement has begun. It likely will prove fast and furious.
What has happened? What’s the next big move?
Follow along with all of our coverage from our staff of NHL experts and check out our latest NHL free agency big board from Chris Johnston here.
GO FURTHER
NHL free-agent big board 4.0: Expanding the list of top targets as big names fall
Defenseman Ivan Provorov signs a seven-year deal, worth $8.5 million in average annual value, with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
GO FURTHER
NHL contract grades: Blue Jackets massively overpay Ivan Provorov in confounding 7-year deal
Advertisement
Middle-six wingers
Goaltending is probably the biggest positional need, but Jake Allen is the only option worth considering on the market. The Oilers will almost certainly have to address that position via trade. Instead, shopping for wingers who can complement Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is a good idea. That’s especially important with Evander Kane being traded and Viktor Arvidsson bound to follow.
GO FURTHER
What’s every NHL team’s biggest need ahead of 2025 free agency?
I believe the Maple Leafs will be among the teams showing interest Tuesday in UFA winger Micheal Pezzetta. The rugged fourth-line winger is definitely the kind of player head coach Craig Berube likes in his lineup. If Pezzetta ends up with the Leafs, that would certainly add a little more spice to the Habs-Leafs rivalry.
GO FURTHER
NHL rumblings: Knights talking Andersson trade and latest on Marner, Marchand, Kyrou
A little nastiness
On paper, the Stars look like true Cup contenders, year after year. But on the ice, they’ve been pushed around a bit. The Panthers have shown that depth plus nastiness is the recipe for success. The Stars have the depth. Now they need some sandpaper. If they can make the math work, Florida’s own Aaron Ekblad could bring both.
GO FURTHER
What’s every NHL team’s biggest need ahead of 2025 free agency?
Top-four defenseman
The Red Wings have two young defense pillars in Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson, but could really use another veteran in the top four to insulate them. Last year, Ben Chiarot and youngster Albert Johansson did that job most nights. While Detroit can likely get away with running it back on one of those two pairings, they should really push to upgrade at least one of those two spots.
GO FURTHER
What’s every NHL team’s biggest need ahead of 2025 free agency?
The Edmonton Oilers want Corey Perry back but are currently limited in what they can offer him, so in their view, the ball is in his court.
Edmonton can’t chase it financially. There will most likely be better offers on the table come Tuesday for the 40-year-old winger, who continues to be an impactful player despite his age. Things change by the hour on June 30 as I write this, but all signs point to Perry going to market.
GO FURTHER
NHL rumblings: Knights talking Andersson trade and latest on Marner, Marchand, Kyrou
Advertisement
Mitch Marner signs an eight-year deal with a $12 million AAV.
GO FURTHER
NHL contract grades: Mitch Marner gets a fresh start and Golden Knights add a superstar
Golden Knights get: Right winger Mitch Marner
Maple Leafs get: Center Nic Roy
GO FURTHER
NHL trade grades: Maple Leafs do well to get something for Mitch Marner
A veteran goaltender
GM Don Waddell has supported goalie Elvis Merzlikins, saying the 31-year-old won the Blue Jackets more games than he lost them until his late-season unraveling. But the Jackets would benefit from a fresh look in net. We know Jet Greaves will be in Columbus for 2025-26, and we know Daniil Tarasov — traded to Florida — will not be. But the Jackets should be looking for a veteran, either via trade or free agency.
GO FURTHER
What’s every NHL team’s biggest need ahead of 2025 free agency?
Defenseman Evan Bouchard signs a four-year deal with a $10.5 million AAV with the Edmonton Oilers.
GO FURTHER
NHL contract grades: Term, not money, is the issue with Evan Bouchard and Oilers
Andrei Kuzmenko has re-signed with the Los Angeles Kings on a one-year, $4.3-million contract, the team announced Monday.
Kuzmenko, whose time in the NHL has been marked by stretches of great offensive production followed by ones with minimal impact on the scoresheet, spent 66 games with the Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers and Kings last season. After struggling with the Flames and following a short transition stint with the Flyers, the 29-year-old forward revived his season with the Kings.
GO FURTHER
Kings re-sign Andrei Kuzmenko for one year, $4.3 million
Advertisement
Ivan Provorov, a top-four defenseman capable of playing big minutes against tough competition, is finalizing a new seven-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets with an AAV of $8.5 million, league sources told Aaron Portzline and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic on Monday.
GO FURTHER
Ivan Provorov re-signing with Blue Jackets for 7 years, $59.5 million
Brad Marchand has agreed to a six-year extension with the Florida Panthers, league sources told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
The dollar amount of the deal was not immediately available.
GO FURTHER
Brad Marchand agrees to six-year extension with Panthers following Stanley Cup run
The Boston Bruins will not issue qualifying offers to Drew Bavaro, Trevor Kuntar, Jakub Lauko, Daniil Misyul, Ian Mitchell, Jaxon Nelson and Oliver Wahlstrom. They will become unrestricted on Tuesday.
The Vegas Golden Knights are finally landing their man, agreeing to a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday to trade for Mitch Marner with an eight-year contract extension in place, per league sources.
Marner passes up the opportunity to test the free-agent market by agreeing to the extension, which will pay him $12 million per season.
GO FURTHER
Golden Knights land Mitch Marner with 8-year extension in sign-and-trade with Maple Leafs: Sources
Kings re-sign winger Andrei Kuzmenko for one year at $4.3 million, per team release.
Advertisement
Leafs-Lorentz deal
Zac Jones and Arthur Kaliyev were among the players to whom the Rangers did not extend qualifying offers. They will both be free agents.
Jones, a 2019 third-round pick by New York, played 115 career games for the Rangers but never more than 46 in a season, which he did in 2024-25. Jones burning the first year of his entry-level contract in 2020-21 took away his waiver exemption the past two seasons. He was frequently a healthy scratch, but the Rangers couldn't send him to AHL Hartford without fear of losing him on waivers. He had been on the trade market, but the Rangers were never able to work out a deal for him. Jones, still only 24, is a smaller puck-moving defenseman capable of playing on the power play. He had arbitration rights, and the Rangers were worried that could push his next contract's average annual value higher than they were comfortable with, according to a league source.
The Rangers claimed Kaliyev on waivers midway through last season. He played only 14 games and had three goals and an assist.
Depth at forward
Colorado made the bold decision last season to trade Mikko Rantanen rather than extend him with one of the richest contracts in the NHL, and it seemed to signal that the organization’s philosophy will be to build as deep a team as possible instead of a star-studded, top-heavy one. The Avalanche have roughly $9 million in cap space and need several players to fill the forward lineup.