NHL Free Agency Update
With the 2025-26 NHL season just underway, the pool of star players slated for next summer’s unrestricted free agent (UFA) market has thinned significantly in just the first few days. The trend began on September 30 when the Minnesota Wild made a major move by locking up left winger Kirill Kaprizov with an impressive eight-year contract extension. This was quickly followed by center Connor McDavid, who agreed to a two-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers on October 6, preserving the core of one of the league’s most exciting teams.
Recent Signings
Significant developments continued this week; the Winnipeg Jets secured Kyle Connor with another eight-year deal, and the Vegas Golden Knights followed suit by extending Jack Eichel for eight years as well, ensuring both players will remain cornerstones for their respective franchises.
Remaining Free Agents
This series of signings leaves only a few notable players still available. New York Rangers‘ left winger Artemi Panarin, approaching his 34th birthday on October 30, is nearing the end of his seven-year contract with an average annual value of $11.642 million. Meanwhile, Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who is 37, is also in the final year of his seven-year agreement at $10 million per season. Despite reports that Panarin rejected a favorable offer during the off-season, his contract situation remains a topic of silence between him and Rangers’ upper management as the new campaign begins.
Bobrovsky’s future seems to hinge on his performance throughout the season, especially as the reigning champion Panthers strive for another playoff run. Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards speculated that if Bobrovsky maintains strong performance levels, he could be looking at an annual renewal between $6.5 million and $7 million for either a five- or six-year term, or possibly even $8 million per year for four years.
Other Notable Players
Other notables approaching free agency next year include Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche’s Martin Necas, and power forward Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres.
Canadiens Negotiations
In Montreal, there’s an intriguing subplot with the Canadiens currently in negotiation talks with 21-year-old defenseman Lane Hutson, who recently won the Calder Trophy and is nearing the end of his entry-level deal. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Canadiens made Hutson an eight-year extension offer; however, sources indicate that their proposal was “slightly below 8 by $9 million”. There are indications that Hutson and his representatives are keen to finalize a new deal before the season kicks off, although the conversations have come to a temporary halt. It seems the Canadiens might have included some salary deferral options and even a Canadian retirement compensation arrangement (RCA), but these were not of interest to Hutson’s camp.
While negotiations may have slowed, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes remains positive about finalizing a contract, while reassuring fans that Hutson won’t be eligible for free agency until 2031, hence the club holds the upper hand in these discussions. Notably, Hutson also lacks arbitration rights due to his entry-level status, making him ineligible for an offer sheet from other teams next summer.
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