The NHL’s annual free agent market begins at noon ET on Monday, July 1. As Opening Day approaches, speculation will grow among hockey fans and pundits as to which pending unrestricted free agents will sign with their current clubs or opt to test the market.
This year’s market features several notable stars garnering a lot of buzz. They include Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart and Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel.
While the top pending UFAs grab most of the headlines, several intriguing players fly under the radar. They include winger David Perron, whose Stanley Cup experience could make him a valuable addition to contenders. The list also includes a late defenseman and a center who has recovered from career-threatening injuries.
Continue as we examine these five free agents, what they bring to the table and why they should get more attention.
Do you agree or disagree with our selections? Are there any players you think are being overlooked? Let us know in the app comments below.
Anthony Duclair, a well-traveled forward, has played for eight teams in his 10-season NHL career. He split this season between the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring 24 goals and 42 points combined.
That was the fourth time Duclair reached or surpassed 20 goals and 40 points. The 28-year-old winger is completing a three year contract with an average salary cap of 3 million dollars. He will likely look for a long-term deal with some no-trade protection that will provide him with some stability during the remainder of his playing prime.
Duclair has played well over the last five seasons in the top six. Despite missing all but 20 games last season due to injury, he helped the Florida Panthers reach the 2023 Stanley Cup Final with 11 points in 20 games. He struggled to score against the talent-lacking Sharks, but regained his scoring touch with the Lightning, scoring 17 points in 15 regular-season games.
the Lightning limited cap space means they could end letting Duclair go as a free agent. He would fit well on teams looking for an affordable second-line winger. The Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken and the Utah franchise could be suitable destinations.
Sean Monahan’s playing career seemed in jeopardy when the Calgary Flames exchanged it to the Montreal Canadiens in August 2022. He came from consecutive surgeries on his hips, raising questions about whether he would regain his shape. TO persistent groin injury derailed his promising start with the Canadiens in 2022-23.
Monahan answered those questions this season with his best performance in years. Fully healthy, he scored 13 goals and 35 points in 49 games with the rebuilding Canadiens. That performance made the 29-year-old center a hot topic of midseason trade speculation, entering February at the top of our list. NHL Large Trading Block Board.
Traded to the Winnipeg Jets on February 2, Monahan scored 13 goals and 24 points in 34 games with his new club. He finished the season with 26 goals and 59 points, sitting seventh
among this summer’s UFA class. The versatile forward is completing a
one year$2 million contract and will look for something with a longer term for perhaps double that salary per season.
Monahan hasn’t come up in rumors much lately, but that could change as free agency approaches. The Jets could try to waive him and he could even be welcomed back to Montreal. The Vegas Golden Knights and Utah’s NHL franchise could also pursue him.
In his 17 NHL seasons, David Perron has reached or surpassed the 40-point mark 13 times. He has 768 points in 1,131 games and 61 points in 104 playoff games. The playmaking winger also has Stanley Cup experience, helping the St. Louis Blues win hockey’s holy grail in 2019.
Now 36 years old, Perron’s best seasons are behind him. However, he still put up respectable numbers this season, putting up 47 points in 76 games with the Detroit Red Wings. He is completing a two-year degree, $9.5 million contract and could seek a similar term for around $4 million per season.
On April 29, Perron said that I would like to return with the Red Wings and believes they would like to have him back. They have $29.4 million in cap space. by 2024-25 with 13 active players under contract. However, rising stars like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond are restricted free agents in line for raises that will take up a big chunk of that cap space.
Perron will continue to draw attention on the free agent market if he is available on July 1. Potential destinations could include a return to the Vegas Golden Knights or St. Louis Blues.
Matt Roy, a seventh-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings (194th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft, developed into a solid top-four defenseman. He has spent his entire six-season NHL career with the Kings, but is ready to cash in as an unrestricted free agent. The 29-year-old blueliner is completing a three year contract with an average annual value of $3.2 million.
Since his first full NHL campaign in 2019-20, Roy is the Kings’ leader in total more/less with plus-68, hits (588) and blocked shots (620). This season he was second in ice time per game (20:54) and his leader in poor ice time
(2:51). He also scored 20 or more points in each of the last three seasons.
Roy could be looking for $5 million per season on a long-term deal, but the Kings may not be able to afford it. They have 20.2 million dollars. in the top space with 13 active players on the roster under contract for 2024-25. RFAs Quinton Byfield and Jordan Spence must re-sign, promise Brandt Clarke is ready for promotion and must find a reliable starting goaltender.
A right-shooting defenseman with solid closing skills, Roy will draw plenty of interest from teams lacking a blueliner of his caliber. Suitors could include the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets.
This season was momentous for Sean Walker. Few NHL fans, other than fans of the Los Angeles Kings, knew who he was when he was acquired last June by the Philadelphia Flyers in a deal. three-team swap involving the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Walker adapted well to Philadelphia, forming a solid second defensive pairing with Nick Seeler. The pair’s efforts helped the Flyers maintain a playoff spot for most of the season. The 29-year-old defender frequently appeared in trade rumors ahead of the March 8 trade deadline.
Traded to Colorado Avalanche March 6, Walker finished with a career-high 29 points in 81 games split between the two clubs. The 5-foot-11, 191-pounder averaged 19:14 of ice time per game. this season. Walker is also a right-shooting defenseman, which should help him land a lucrative new contract with clubs looking for top-four depth on the right side of the blue line.
Those teams could include the Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators and Toronto Maple Leafs. Completing a
four year contract With an average annual value of $2.7 million, Walker could look to double his salary on the open market in July.
Statistics and commercial information through NHL.com and StatMuse.com. Salary information via PuckPedia.