NHL teams committed more than $862 million in salary to 102 players on the first day of free agency, excluding entry-level and minor-league contracts.
Chicago made the largest individual move by signing Bowen Byram for $75 million, a deal that puts him at $12.5 million a year and makes him the league’s highest-paid defenseman, at least for now. Philadelphia spent just under $90 million, though much of that money, like Byram’s contract, does not begin until the 2027-28 season.
Rangers, Maple Leafs and Sharks Add Immediate Help
NEW YORK RANGERS coach Mike Sullivan got a stronger blue line, even with No. 5 pick Alberts Smits needing another year before making the jump. General manager Chris Drury acquired Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson in separate trades, giving Adam Fox, Vladislav Gavrikov and Igor Shesterkin more support.
Trading Vincent Trocheck to Utah leaves a hole at center, but adding Pavel Dorofeyev gives the Rangers more skill up front.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS GM John Chayka reshaped the roster with a busy mix of buying and selling, saying the individual moves did not always make sense alone but fit the larger plan. Toronto added Sergei Bobrovsky, Darren Raddysh, Emil Andrae, Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic, Brandon Duhaime and Teddy Bleuger.
Gone from Toronto are Joseph Woll, Simon Benoit, Brandon Carlo, Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli and others. With Auston Matthews’ future in question, Chayka has also added No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna to the organization’s next wave.
SAN JOSE SHARKS GM Mike Grier moved for immediate help by acquiring Darnell Nurse and signing Mason Marchment and Jacob Trouba. He also kept adding to the prospect base by drafting Ivar Stenberg and two others in the first round, giving San Jose a stronger short-, medium- and long-term outlook around Macklin Celebrini.
FLORIDA PANTHERS lost Bobrovsky but added Brady Tkachuk to play with Matthew, brought back Radko Gudas and extended Eetu Luostarinen. The 2024 and ’25 Cup champions still look built for another run and have future salary-cap room available.
Red Wings and Flyers Leave Major Questions
DETROIT RED WINGS have not made the playoffs since 2016, now the NHL’s longest active drought, and captain Dylan Larkin’s desire to leave adds another issue. Viktor Arvidsson and trade pickup Keegan Kolesar were the most notable additions.
GM Steve Yzerman can wait for the best Larkin offer, but the situation could become a larger distraction and limit further roster construction.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS may eventually be judged right for not spending big on assets and cap space to acquire Nurse, John Carlson or Byram. Carlson signed with Tampa Bay, while Philadelphia’s biggest need remains a No. 1 defenseman who can run the top power-play unit.
GM Daniel Briere did make a long-range move by signing Tyson Foerster for almost the next decade.
Sabres and Stars Still Have Unfinished Business
BUFFALO SABRES have lost more proven NHL talent than they have added over the past two weeks, trading Byram to the Blackhawks and Alex Tuch to Washington. Landing Daxon Rudolph with the fourth pick in the Byram deal helps the future, as do additions of young defensemen Olen Zellweger and Louis Crevier.
Buffalo has not landed Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck in trade talks this summer, after Colton Parayko declined a move at the deadline. Jarmo Kekalainen is now leaning on Buffalo’s young pipeline after a season in which the Sabres won their first Atlantic Division title and ended a league-record 14-year playoff absence.
DALLAS STARS remain tied to the status of Jason Robertson, a restricted free agent whose next contract could exceed $100 million. Jim Nill traded Mavrik Bourque to Nashville for picks and moved Ilya Lyubushkin in the same deal to create cap space.
Nill also acknowledged he had a deal worked out with Seattle before Robertson vetoed it. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski declined to join Dallas, leaving the Stars’ offseason centered on either signing Robertson or recovering value for a player in his prime after a 45-goal, 96-point season.