The conclusion of the NHL season is typically a busy period. Just ten days after the Florida Panthers lifted the Stanley Cup, the NHL Entry Draft was held over two days, introducing a new wave of talent to the league. Three days later, free agency commenced. Although many top players had already re-signed with their teams before the market opened, several others still found new homes.
Within days, the free agent market had quieted down, the buzz subsided, and the league entered its summer `cottage season`.
Still on the horizon this summer are arbitration hearings scheduled from July 20 to August 4. Trade discussions are also expected to persist as teams that missed out in free agency look for alternative ways to enhance their rosters. Training camps will open in September, but for now, the NHL calendar is relatively calm.
With that in mind, let`s examine the current state of all 32 teams, the ongoing discussions around them, and what developments to anticipate over the next couple of months. We`ll review their key additions and losses, recent comments from their general managers, and include insights from Elliotte Friedman from a season-ending episode of the 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.
Anaheim Ducks
Notable Acquisitions: Chris Kreider, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, Petr Mrazek
Notable Departures: Trevor Zegras, John Gibson, Isac Lundestrom
Cap Space Remaining: $28.988 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
(Mason) McTavish, (Lukas) Dostal, they still gotta get contracts done with those guys. Verbeek, he`s careful right? I don`t think he wants to hand anybody money too quickly. He`s like if you want the money you`re going to have to earn it. So I think if there`s long-term extensions here they`re at numbers very favourable to the Ducks, to the point I`d be surprised.
What to watch for this summer: Finishing 16 points outside the playoffs in 2024-25 represented a significant improvement for the Ducks. How urgent is their push to claim a playoff spot, perhaps a wild card spot? The most pressing internal matters are contract extensions for their No. 1 goalie Dostal and 22-year-old McTavish, who had his best offensive season yet. Will GM Pat Verbeek feel compelled to make more trades after already moving long-tenured Ducks like Gibson and Zegras? He possesses three young left-shot defensemen in breakout player Jackson LaCombe and 21-year-olds Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov. Reports suggest Verbeek has declined trade offers for them so far. However, with considerable cap space still available, the Ducks could still be active.
Boston Bruins
Notable Acquisitions: Sean Kuraly, Tanner Jeannot, Viktor Arvidsson, Mikey Eyssimont, Jordan Harris, Matej Blumel
Notable Departures: Cole Koepke
Cap Space Remaining: $2.081 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
Boston`s going to have some cap flexibility and I think they want that. Boston is one of those teams, and they`re not the only one, that if some of these guys who are supposed to be free agents next year (make it to market), whether they get one or not, I think they want the opportunity to be in position to take a shot at some of those guys. So if you notice, they didn`t really do much to hamstring themselves in the future.
What the GM has said:
At times last year, even when we had our group, we were an easy out, and I can`t stand for that. So we are going to reestablish that. – Don Sweeney.
What to watch for this summer: With limited cap space remaining, a signed roster, and no major restricted free agents needing negotiation, the Bruins` most significant offseason work might be complete. There are questions about where their offense will come from beyond David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie next season. After trading several assets at last season`s deadline and finishing at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, the Bruins are in a period of readjustment.
It appears their primary goal this summer was to become a tougher team to play against, and they seem to have accomplished that. But if these are the only significant moves Boston makes this offseason, how confident should fans be about their playoff chances? Much will depend on Pastrnak`s production, Charlie McAvoy`s return to full health, and Jeremy Swayman`s performance at the start of the season, especially after his contract negotiation extended into training camp in 2024.
Buffalo Sabres
Notable Acquisitions: Sam Lafferty, Josh Doan, Michael Kesselring, Conor Timmins, Alex Lyon, Justin Danforth, Zac Jones
Notable Departures: JJ Peterka, Jacob Bernard-Docker, James Reimer
Cap Space Remaining: $13.604 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
Peterka asked out. He wanted out. With Byram, I`m under the impression that he would play there next year. He`s not against playing there next year. For Byram it`s about the contract. He wants, like any player does, a big deal.
What the GM has said:
We believe Bo`s an excellent hockey player that can help our team win. I`ve maintained the same position that if there`s a deal out there that makes sense for us that we think is going to improve our roster, we`re open to it. But if there`s not, we`re not in a situation where we`re looking to move him out or looking to move him for futures. We want to help our team win hockey games and he does that. – Kevyn Adams.
What to watch for this summer: There`s more uncertainty here than a team with a 14-year playoff drought would prefer. They`ve already had to trade one of their top young scorers because he wanted to leave. For 23-year-old defenseman Bowen Byram, team-elected salary arbitration could result in a two-year award, making him an unrestricted free agent sooner. Meanwhile, local star Alex Tuch is entering the final year of his contract and will be seeking a significant extension. He could also become a trade candidate in 2025-26 if no extension is reached.
Calgary Flames
Notable Acquisitions: Ivan Prosvetov
Notable Departures: Kevin Rooney, Dan Vladar, Anthony Mantha
Cap Space Remaining: $15.412 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
I wouldn`t be surprised if they`re poking around a guy like Byram. I heard they were around a lot of the `D` that hit the market, but they had a limit and I think they were smart about that. I think they had something going with the Kings. I don`t think Conroy is afraid to do something big, but I think he`s got goals and he`s gotta hit those goals before he does it.
What the GM has said:
There`s going to be a time when we are going to go out and identify guys and get guys because we`re right there, but to do it right now just for the sake of doing it because today`s free agency just doesn`t make sense. It`s not part of the plan. You`d rather see a young guy get an opportunity in a spot than a veteran guy that maybe has played 8-10 years in the league and he`s a good player, but where`s the upside going to be? I`d rather see our young guys get an opportunity. – Craig Conroy
What to watch for this summer: The biggest potential news piece revolves around Rasmus Andersson. Entering the final year of his contract, it`s highly improbable the defenseman will remain a Flame past the 2025-26 trade deadline, putting him on trade watch until then. Nothing materialized at the draft, and Calgary might keep Andersson into training camp or the regular season to maximize return, but a summer move isn`t out of the question. Aside from that, it`s a relatively quiet summer as they navigate their rebuild. Connor Zary`s contract is the most important pending item as the RFA works towards an extension. Some speculate about a potential Nazem Kadri trade, but for now, that seems unlikely.
Carolina Hurricanes
Notable Acquisitions: Nikolaj Ehlers, K`Andre Miller, Cayden Primeau
Notable Departures: Scott Morrow, Spencer Martin, Jack Roslovic, Dmitri Orlov, Brent Burns, Jesper Fast
Cap Space Remaining: $10.644 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
I still think 2C is Carolina`s big question. If Claude Giroux hit free agency — and I didn`t think he was going to leave — but if he hit free agency I could have seen the Hurricanes taking a big run at him.
What the GM has said:
We as an organization are always trying to look ahead. This summer, we came into it with a lot of cap space and watched free agency approach and saw everybody re-sign with their own teams and the opportunity to find players to use that cap space on dwindled. We also had a lot of picks and prospects so we pivoted to another strategy to acquire players. That`s how the K`Andre deal got done. We`re always trying to look ahead and give ourselves options and make sure we have the ability to keep adding to the team. Our goal is to keep getting better and better and raise the bar. – Eric Tulsky.
What to watch for this summer: Having signed major contracts with Nikolaj Ehlers, K`Andre Miller, and Logan Stankoven, the Hurricanes have utilized a significant portion of their available cap space, suggesting the main moves are likely finished. However, they would ideally still like to acquire a center to play behind Sebastian Aho and ahead of Jordan Staal. The challenge is that most NHL teams are seeking a similar player (a second-line center). Carolina has used up most of their 2026 draft capital, though they retain their own first-round pick. There are no crucial RFAs left to re-sign, and a look at their roster depth indicates a team largely prepared for training camp position battles.
Chicago Blackhawks
Notable Acquisitions: Andre Burakovsky, Joe Veleno, Dominic Toninato
Notable Departures: Sam Lafferty, Pat Maroon, Philipp Kurashev, Alec Martinez, TJ Brodie
Cap Space Remaining: $22.312 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
They weren`t exactly thrilled with how things went last year with some of their vets and I think they just decided we`re not doing that again, so I`m not surprised they were pretty quiet. The true success of the organization this year is going to be who takes steps?
What to watch for this summer: As the Blackhawks aim to progress, the summer market hasn`t been particularly active, with trades slowing down and free agency seeing many players re-sign early. GM Kyle Davidson has made some modest improvements, but for now, the team`s focus remains heavily on the development of one key player. Keep an eye on Connor Bedard`s summer preparation, as his readiness for the upcoming season is paramount in Chicago. The team needs a significant breakout from him, and Bedard is reportedly committed to achieving that. While the Hawks might get fortunate and find a more impactful player than their current additions on the summer trade market, conditions haven`t yet been favorable for a substantial step forward.
Colorado Avalanche
Notable Acquisitions: Brent Burns, Gavin Brindley
Notable Departures: Erik Johnson, Tucker Poolman, Jimmy Vesey, Joel Kiviranta, Miles Wood, Charlie Coyle, Jonathan Drouin, Ryan Lindgren
Cap Space Remaining: $4.123 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
I would expect the Avalanche are going to keep looking. They have some flexibility. They`ve been in a difficult cap situation for a lot of the past couple years while Landeskog was battling his injury and recovery and Nichushkin was having his concerns. They had no flexibility. So I don`t think that the Avalanche are disappointed with the fact they finally have salary cap flexibility and I think they`ll save that to see when they find the optimum place to use it.
What to watch for this summer: Colorado significantly adjusted its roster throughout last season, leaving less major work for the summer. However, cap space was freed up, and it will be interesting to see how and when the Avalanche utilize it. A specific player situation to monitor is Martin Necas, who performed just under a point-per-game pace after being acquired. He is entering the final year of his contract before unrestricted free agency. How will the team handle his situation? Colorado is a Stanley Cup contender, so simply trading him isn`t ideal. But would they keep him all season without an extension and risk losing him for nothing next summer? Does Necas want to stay, and what annual salary is he seeking with the rising salary cap?
Columbus Blue Jackets
Notable Acquisitions: Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood, Isac Lundestrom
Notable Departures: Gavin Brindley, Christian Fischer, Kevin Labanc, Luke Kunin, Jack Johnson, James van Riemsdyk, Justin Danforth, Sean Kuraly, Jordan Harris
Cap Space Remaining: $16.342 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
They made a big run at (Noah) Dobson. I don`t know about structure of the contract, but I do believe in overall money Columbus offered more. With Provorov, if you would have told us two weeks before free agency that Columbus was going to sign Provorov to that deal I don`t think anyone would have believed it. It`s clear to me Waddell, Provorov and his representatives had conversations a few months ago and Waddell always knew what it was going to take and he just waited until he absolutely had to do it. He looked at Dobson, didn`t get him. He looked at other opportunities and didn`t get it. And all of a sudden he circled back and said OK I`m in now.
What the GM has said:
We`d like to sign what we say a 2-3 kind of guy (goalie), but what we`d really like to do is find someone who doesn`t need waivers, so potentially we have to trade for that. There are options there. – Don Waddell.
What to watch for this summer: The Blue Jackets were highlighted by Elliotte Friedman as a team to watch for potential activity and significant moves heading into the draft and free agency. GM Don Waddell mentioned during his July 1 media availability that he pursued several opportunities that didn`t materialize, indicating the team was actively trying to make substantial moves. Could this still happen during the summer? Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets need to decide if they are comfortable starting the season with Elvis Merzlikins and Jett Greaves as their goaltending duo. They also need to negotiate a contract extension with Adam Fantilli, although he has one year remaining on his entry-level contract, so this might not be settled before training camp.
Dallas Stars
Notable Acquisitions: Radek Faksa
Notable Departures: Brendan Smith, Evgenii Dadonov, Cody Ceci, Mason Marchment, Mikael Granlund, Matt Dumba
Cap Space Remaining: $1.955 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
I just think it comes down to the number. I think Dallas has an area they don`t want to go over and the question is does (Jason) Robertson want to go over that? I can`t imagine they want to go over Rantanen, which is $12 (million AAV).
What the GM has said:
A lot of our work was done back in February and I kinda knew that, and now we`re just trying to add the pieces around that. And we`re looking for some internal growth also. – Jim Nill.
What to watch for this summer: Two significant contract negotiations are underway in Dallas concerning players signed for one more season who will become restricted free agents in 2026. Jason Robertson is the most prominent name and the more urgent situation, as he is two years away from potential unrestricted free agency. The former 40-goal scorer, who reached 25 goals in 2024-25, has been mentioned in trade rumors and is likely to remain a subject of speculation throughout the summer. Thomas Harley is the other contract situation to monitor. He is further from UFA eligibility, but the 23-year-old had a breakout season that included representing Canada internationally. Both players are positioned for considerable salary increases.
Detroit Red Wings
Notable Acquisitions: John Gibson, Mason Appleton, James van Riemsdyk, Jacob Bernard-Docker
Notable Departures: Petr Mrazek, Craig Smith, Alex Lyon, Jeff Petry, Vladimir Tarasenko
Cap Space Remaining: $12.086 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
The thing about Yzerman is he believes in himself. Even if nobody else believes in what he`s doing he thinks he`s doing the right thing, and that is drafting and developing their guys. So unless he can hit a big home run, and this year would have been a guy like Ehlers, he`s not going to do that anymore with four- and five-year terms. Yzerman is betting his reputation on when all these kids we`ve drafted and developed are ready, they`re going to be players.
What the GM has said:
We`ve got 12 (forwards) signed right now, our debate is do we sign another one to have that 13th forward, or do we leave that spot open and see if something comes up over the summer, or leave it open and let (a prospect) earn that spot? – Steve Yzerman.
What to watch for this summer: It appears the Red Wings aimed to be involved with several top players expected to reach the free agent market, but those plans were largely foiled when most players re-signed with their previous teams. Detroit wanted to pitch Nikolaj Ehlers, who did become available, but he reportedly wasn`t interested in moving to Michigan. Consequently, Yzerman`s team finds itself in a difficult position after falling back in the standings in 2024-25. Their path forward is less direct, relying heavily on recent draft picks developing in the near future. Each year, Yzerman`s strategy faces scrutiny, and some are beginning to doubt its effectiveness. Currently, Yzerman`s most significant move was acquiring another goaltender, following a similar move at the previous trade deadline.
Edmonton Oilers
Notable Acquisitions: Andrew Mangiapane, Curtis Lazar, Isaac Howard
Notable Departures: Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, Corey Perry, John Klingberg, Evander Kane
Cap Space Remaining: $175,834
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
I`m curious about the right side next to Draisaitl, right now maybe Podkolzin, we`ll see who gets the opportunity to go play there. I think they tried a few things on the open market, but were limited in what they could do.
What the GM has said:
I would expect (a top-six winger) probably to come from within. We`ve got a number of guys that played in that role last year. Both Kapanen and Podkolzin did for stretches. I expect Matt Savoie to be on our team and to play a role. We got David Tomasek who`s played a lot of wing as well as some centre. We`ve got internal candidates that I think deserve the opportunity to show us what they can do. If we`re looking for anything else it might be a body more for the bottom six. – Stan Bowman.
What to watch for this summer: There`s plenty to consider this summer for a team with minimal cap space that wasn`t very active early in the offseason. First and foremost, Connor McDavid is now eligible to sign an extension. Other superstar players have waited until August or September to re-sign in similar situations, so there`s no immediate panic, but every day of the regular season without an agreement will increase anxiety. Beyond that, there`s speculation about whether the Oilers will alter their goaltending situation, possibly trading Stuart Skinner for a replacement or, more likely, moving Calvin Pickard to secure a more established backup for Skinner.
Florida Panthers
Notable Acquisitions: Jeff Petry, Daniil Tarasov
Notable Departures: Nate Schmidt, Nico Sturm, Kaapo Kahkonen, Vitek Vanecek
Cap Space Remaining: -$3.725 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
There`s a lot of assumption that Evan Rodrigues is gonna get dealt, I was told not to assume anything. They`ve got to figure out what Tkachuk`s surgical plan is, or recovery plan is, and guys always get hurt. And Rodrigues is a really popular player there. I could see the Panthers waiting to see this play out.
What to watch for this summer: The Panthers` primary work is mostly complete, with a strong core of players signed to multi-year deals. The main question Florida must address is how they will get under the salary cap. Evan Rodrigues` name has surfaced in trade rumors because his $3 million annual average value could bring them cap compliance in one move. However, given the uncertainty surrounding Matthew Tkachuk`s injury, Florida might use long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to manage their cap situation. It`s also worth noting that Sergei Bobrovsky will enter the final year of his $10 million AAV contract in 2025-26, making him eligible for an extension at any time, but he will turn 37 years old in September.
Los Angeles Kings
Notable Acquisitions: Corey Perry, Cody Ceci, Brian Dumoulin, Anton Forsberg, Joel Armia
Notable Departures: Vladislav Gavrikov, David Rittich, Trevor Lewis, Tanner Jeannot, Jordan Spence
Cap Space Remaining: $6.768 million
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast:
To me, it`s exactly the same thing (Ken Holland) did in Edmonton: brought in veterans and tried to improve the team around the edges. Where did LA lose last year to Edmonton? They didn`t get the puck out in Game 4, that hurt them, but also as the series went on the fourth line was hammered by Edmonton, third defence pair was hammered by Edmonton. Gavrikov and those guys were exhausted by the end of that series and Edmonton ran circles around them. Whether you agree or not with Holland`s plan this is what I think he was trying to do is say OK I`m going to make my third pair Ceci and Dumoulin, I`m going to put Perry and Armia on the fourth line and that will strengthen it.
What the GM has said:
Brandt Clarke was the eighth pick in the draft, he needs to play. There`s a lot of hope and belief he`s really going to develop into an important player on this team. We`re in a window right now where, in my opinion, the team can compete with the best in the NHL and it`s hard to have too many young defencemen when you`re trying to compete with the best teams. Ultimately I didn`t see us having Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence in the 2-3 hole on the right side. I believe there`s room for one, ultimately we made a decision on Brandt Clarke and give Jordan Spence an opportunity to go elsewhere and further his career. – Ken Holland.
What to watch for this summer: The Los Angeles Kings appear to have completed the bulk of their offseason work, with reactions from fans being mixed, potentially leaning negative. Are the Kings now better equipped to challenge teams like Edmonton or Vegas in the playoffs? The more significant questions facing the Kings now pertain to the next offseason: Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe are entering the final year of their contracts. Kopitar is nearing the end of his career, but the 28-year-old Kempe is in his prime, having led the Kings with 35 goals and 78 points last season, and will be seeking a large contract. When will his situation be resolved, and how high will his average annual value rise?
Duncan Priestley