There will be no shortage of money for NHL teams to spend this summer after the league confirmed this week a salary cap jump to $104 million for next season.
What will they spend it on?
The upcoming free-agent class is a little short on headline names, but there are plenty of quality players eligible to hit the open market on July 1. And many of them are bound to land eye-popping contracts in a rising-cap environment.
As free agency draws nearer, we’ll dust off the Big Board to more closely track the movements of the marketplace.
But first, an appetizer. Let’s start with 20 (potential) unrestricted free agents to watch.
Note: Players are ranked by how closely they demand watching, given their potential impact and the buzz around them.
1. Darren Raddysh
Age: 30
Position: RHD
2025-26 cap hit: $975,000
Talk about timing the market perfectly. Raddysh exploded for 70 points in his walk year, stepping into a major role during a season in which the Tampa Bay Lightning played without Victor Hedman for significant stretches. Once an undrafted free agent, Raddysh is a late-bloomer who possesses a cannon for a shot and is ideally suited for quarterbacking a power play. He’s also effective at moving the puck and has taken big strides in his defensive play in recent years, creating a well-rounded analytical profile in the process. To top it off, Raddysh plays a premier position as a right-shot defenseman, virtually guaranteeing a strong market for his services.
2. Rasmus Andersson
Age: 29
Position: RHD
2025-26 cap hit: $4.55 million
There’s a fair amount of skepticism that the Swede will even test the open waters. The Vegas Golden Knights were viewed as his desired destination long before they landed him in a January trade from the Calgary Flames, and Andersson has shaken off a slow start there to play some of his best hockey down the stretch and into the playoffs. Andersson is a well-rounded two-way defenseman who has the size needed to win puck battles, the competitiveness needed to make life difficult for opponents and the agility needed to help his team go on the attack offensively. He touches all facets of the game.
3. Alex Tuch
Age: 29
Position: RW
2025-26 cap hit: $4.75 million
Tuch is likely to land the richest deal of any potential UFA this summer because there’s no one else available with his set of attributes. A power forward with good speed for a big man, he’s a perennial 30-goal scorer with a dangerous shot. As a bonus, he’s a threat to score short-handed, too. The Buffalo Sabres have indicated a willingness to extend Tuch and will almost certainly take another run at signing him after the playoffs.
4. John Carlson
Age: 36
Position: RHD
2025-26 cap hit: $8 million
The Anaheim Ducks have had exploratory talks on an extension with Carlson since acquiring him from the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline. The veteran defenseman remains a strong puck mover with a shot opponents need to respect. He put up an eye-catching 60 points between Anaheim and Washington, doing most of his damage at even strength, and he’s currently averaging more than 24 minutes per night for the Ducks in the playoffs. Clearly, Carlson’s still got game.
5. Sergei Bobrovsky
Age: 37
Position: G
2025-26 cap hit: $10 million
Bobrovsky has been seeking a long-term deal with the Florida Panthers following three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final, and the sides now appear to be at a stalemate. While his numbers took a big dip last season, he’s a reasonable bet to play well into his 40s because of his exceptional level of conditioning. Bobrovsky is an athletic goaltender, particularly when it comes to lateral mobility, and he carries the added allure that comes with Cup credentials.
6. Evgeni Malkin
Age: 39
Position: C, RW
2025-26 cap hit: $6.1 million
One of the greatest players of his generation, Malkin has made no secret of his desire for another season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. So far, the Penguins haven’t shown their cards, which raises the possibility he may have to look elsewhere. Malkin remains an above-average offensive contributor, producing 1.09 points per game last season, and can still bend the game to his will with elite puck protection and creativity. He’s especially dangerous on the man advantage.
7. Charlie Coyle
Age: 34
Position: C, RW
2025-26 cap hit: $5.25 million
There’s nothing particularly flashy about Coyle’s game, but he remains a heavy-minutes depth center who can wear down opponents with a relentless style of play. He turned back the clock with 58 points for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season and will be an attractive piece for teams looking to shore up their middle six. Of note is the fact that Coyle has suited up for every game over the past five seasons, speaking to his consistency and durability.
8. Bobby McMann
Age: 29
Position: LW, RW
2025-26 cap hit: $1.35 million
McMann is staring down the biggest payday of his professional career after scoring 29 goals in a season split between the Seattle Kraken and Toronto Maple Leafs — the fourth-highest total among potential free agents. A big body who skates well, McMann drives the net hard and plays a power game. He’s also unafraid to take the body and get in on the forecheck, and he has authored a great story of perseverance, going undrafted before working his way up from the ECHL. His biggest asset is an explosive shot release.
9. Stuart Skinner
Age: 27
Position: G
2025-26 cap hit: $2.6 million
Skinner put up reasonably solid regular-season numbers following a December trade to the Penguins, producing 8.3 goals saved above expected while compiling a 12-9-5 record. A positionally sound goaltender who excels at remaining square to the shooter, his track record suggests that he can form one half of a successful tandem. Skinner has plenty of big-game experience from consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final with the Edmonton Oilers in 2024 and 2025.
Stuart Skinner has shown he can be part of an effective tandem. (Joe Sargent / NHLI via Getty Images)
10. Jacob Trouba
Age: 32
Position: RHD
2025-26 cap hit: $8 million
A big, physical right-shot defenseman whose game is built around defensive structure and preventing goals rather than creating them. Trouba gets around the ice pretty well and can clear traffic at the net front, while always looming as a threat to lower the boom on an opponent. He’s served as the defensive conscience on a pairing with Jackson LaCombe throughout the Ducks’ playoff run, and they’ve dominated their minutes against elite talent. That’s a pretty good advertisement to prospective bidders about what Trouba can still do.
11. Anthony Mantha
Age: 31
Position: LW, RW
2025-26 cap hit: $4.5 million
Mantha signed a prove-it contract with the Penguins last summer after recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee, and he proved it in a big way. Long viewed as a dangerous scorer with an excellent shot who struggled to put it all together, Mantha struck for a career-best 33 goals and 64 points. The only sour note came from a rough playoff performance, which included just one assist, but that shouldn’t overshadow the fact that Mantha re-established himself as an offensively gifted winger.
12. Mason Marchment
Age: 30
Position: LW
2025-26 cap hit: $4.5 million
An in-season trade to the Blue Jackets sparked Marchment’s flatlining game and put him in a much stronger position heading into free agency. The big winger plays an aggressive style and has good hands in tight spaces, as evidenced by the 15 goals he scored for Columbus in 39 games. He doesn’t shy away from physicality and plays a style more resembling the power forwards of years gone by than what is typical in today’s NHL.
13. Jaden Schwartz
Age: 33
Position: LW
2025-26 cap hit: $5.5 million
A defensively responsible two-way forward with a high compete level, Schwartz saw a sharp decline in his production with the Kraken last season. However, he’s only two years removed from a 26-goal season and carries a little extra shine thanks to his Stanley Cup bona fides earned during the 2019 run in St. Louis. Schwartz has cracked the 20-goal plateau on six occasions during his career.
14. Logan Stanley
Age: 27
Position: LHD
2025-26 cap hit: $1.25 million
An unexpected scoring binge arrived in Stanley’s contract year, with his nine goals in a season split between the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres more than his previous five NHL seasons combined. Of course, he’s more known for the stout physical play you’d expect from a 6-foot-7 defenseman. Unafraid to drop his gloves to defend teammates, and with a reach that’s basically unmatched across the league, Stanley is in position to cash in this summer with a contract that could be worth $25 million or more.
15. Patrick Kane
Age: 37
Position: RW
2025-26 cap hit: $3 million
Kane has made a late-career home in Detroit following hip-resurfacing surgery and remains an offensive threat. He still has elite hands in tight spaces and good hockey sense, making him a dangerous playmaker. While his goal-scoring rate has declined with age, he profiles as a good complement to high-end offensive teammates. Kane is a highly competitive player who oozes a strong love for the game and would no doubt love to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
16. Mats Zuccarello
Age: 38
Position: RW, LW
2025-26 cap hit: $4.125 million
Still logging top-line minutes with the Minnesota Wild and churning out the offensive production to justify that usage, Zuccarello’s playmaking skills haven’t diminished much with age. He’s formed an incredible partnership with Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov in recent years, making it unlikely that he’d ever be compelled to test the open market. However, if Zuccarello ends up fielding interest, his agent’s phone will ring.
Mats Zuccarello has a special bond with Kirill Kaprizov in Minnesota. (Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
17. Frederik Andersen
Age: 36
Position: G
2025-26 cap hit: $2.75 million
The biggest question surrounding Andersen in recent years has been durability. However, he’s had an incredibly strong start to the playoffs for the red-hot Hurricanes this spring, which should at least attract attention from teams searching for a short-term upgrade in net. Andersen is a big goalie who uses his size well, relying more on positioning than acrobatic saves. He plays a butterfly style and counts rebound control among his strengths.
18. Viktor Arvidsson
Age: 33
Position: LW, RW
2025-26 cap hit: $4 million
Last summer’s trade to Boston was a breath of fresh air for Arvidsson’s game. At his best, the undersized winger plays a hard-nosed game that yields dividends at both ends of the ice. He’s quick and possesses good puck skills, returning to the 25-goal plateau for the Boston Bruins this season after a couple of seasons below it. That should help earn Arvidsson another solid contract.
19. Mario Ferraro
Age: 27
Position: LD
2025-26 cap hit: $3.25 million
On the younger end of this UFA class, Ferraro is a minute-munching, shot-blocking defenseman who appears capable of producing much better numbers on a more complete team than the San Jose Sharks have been in recent years. He’s also a decent puck mover and penalty killer with a competitive streak to match. Ferraro will be looking for a long-term commitment on his next contract.
20. Alex Ovechkin
Age: 40
Position: LW
2025-26 cap hit: $9.5 million
As hard as it is to imagine Ovechkin pulling another team’s sweater over his head, it would be a mistake to leave him off this list entirely. While it’s fair to wonder how much gas is left in the tank for the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer, he did add 32 more to his total this past season. Ovechkin doesn’t move around the ice like he once did and is now viewed as almost an offensive specialist. Still, there will certainly be job opportunities out there beyond Washington if he’s willing to entertain them.
