Happy free agency to all who celebrate! NHL Free Agency 2026 opens at 12 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 1 -- and what’s really marked this year’s group is far less about the players available to be signed as unrestricted free agents, and more related to the anarchy that could ensue with established talent.
NHL Free Agency live tracker: Every signing as it happens
Every signing as it happens.
If you’ve been following along, we already know that this 2026 class of UFAs is fairly weak. Teams worked to get ahead of the best players leaving, either locking them up to long-term deals or trading them around the draft to teams that subsequently got contracts done themselves. This also means that players who didn’t get dealt already are now causing major waves, operating as the dominoes people are waiting to fall before other signings take place. The players we’re really waiting on right now are:
- Jason Robertson, LW -- Dallas Stars: Robertson is an RFA, but has already informed multiple teams that he won’t sign contracts with them, killing multiple trades. Where Robertson ends up will start the dominoes at forward
- Zach Werenski, D -- Columbus Blue Jackets: Werenski is one of the best defensemen in the NHL, and wants to be on a contender. Stunningly he killed a potential trade to the Dallas Stars, so now teams are waiting to see whether or not CBJ can get a deal done.
- John Carlson, D -- Carolina Hurricanes: One of the top free agents this year, Carlson was dealt to the Hurricanes during the late rounds of the NHL Draft solely to give the Canes three extra days to negotiate with him ahead of free agency. The league waits to see whether or not this move was successful, and it will have a huge impact on the rest of the class if Carlson doesn’t end up hitting the market at noon.
We’ll be following along with all the signings as they happen, and giving a full list of the moves. The biggest name deals will be bolded.
- Alex Ovechkin signs one-year, $4.5M deal with the Capitals
- John Carlson signs two-year, $8.5M AAV deal with the Lightning
- Frederik Andersen signs one-year, $2.8M deal with the Oilers
- Mario Ferraro signs three-year, $4M AAV deal with the Jets
- Anders Lee signs three-year, $5.4M AAV deal with the Mammoth
- Ryan Shea signs five-year, $4M AAV deal with the Oilers
- Boone Jenner signs four-year, $5.75M deal with the Capitals
- Kevin Stenlund signs one-year, $2.75M deal with the Mammoth
- Vincent Desharnais signs four-year, $4.2M AAV deal with the Capitals
- Sergei Bobrovsky signs three-year, $7M AAV deal with the Maple Leafs
- Connor Clifton signs two-year, $2.25M deal with the Bruins
- Jacob Trouba signs four-year, $8.25M AAV deal with the Sharks
- Jeffrey Viel signs a five-year, $2.5M AAV deal with the Lightning
- Paul Cotter signs one-year, $2.15M deal with the Canucks
- Stuart Skinner signs a two-year, $3.75M AVV deal with the Jets
- Ilya Mikheyev signs four-year, $3.85M AAV deal with the Lightning
- Ian Cole signs one-year, $4M deal with the Blackhawks
- Mason Marchment signs a five-year, $7M AAV deal with the Shark
- Eetu Lustrarinen signs an eight-year, $5M AAV extension with the Panthers
- Cole Smith signs a three-year, $3M AAV deal with the Blackhawks
- Viktor Arvidsson signs a two-year contract with the Red Wings
- Jaden Schwartz signs three-year, $3.25M AAV deal with the Avalanche
- Mats Zuccarello signs one-year, $1M deal with the Kinds
- Los Angeles Kings sign Erik Haula to a two-year, $3.6M AAV dea
- Carter Mazur re-signs with Detroit Red Wings, two-year, $875K AAV deal
- Trevor van Riemsdyk signs with Pittsburgh Penguins
- Ivan Demidov signs 8-year, $9.13M AAV extension with the Montreal Canadiens
- Dan Vladar signs 5-year, $5.5M AAV extension with the Philadelphia Flyers
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