NHL free agency preview: How each team can earn an...

The Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup champions, and the 2026 NHL draft is now complete. Although the flow of trades has already begun, the next wave of player acquisition is set to begin Wednesday at noon ET when NHL free agency begins. All 32 front offices are trying to be the ones on the ice next June lifting the most famous trophy in sports. Here's a guide to how all of them can make the right moves this summer, including their own free agents and salary cap space, as well as players they should target with that money under the cap. Note: Profiles for the Atlantic and Metro teams were written by Kristen Shilton. Ryan S. Clark analyzed the Central and Pacific teams. Stats are collected from Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey. Projected cap space as of June 28, per PuckPedia. Draft recap: All 224 picks Grades for all 32 teams Winners and losers Offseason trade grades ATLANTIC DIVISION Boston Bruins 2025-26 result: Lost in the first round Key players hitting UFA: F Viktor Arvidsson Key players hitting RFA: D Jordan Harris Cap space: $7.72 million What they should do: Boston has two key areas of need: a top-six winger and a solid right-shot defenseman. The Bruins have (rightly) been in talks with Viktor Arvidsson's camp on an extension -- after the physical veteran pumped in 25 goals and 59 points in 69 games last season -- to maintain some critical depth scoring. But Boston wasn't waiting any longer on him to re-sign, and started addressing their forward position by trading multiple-first round picks to Utah for JJ Peterka on Friday. He's one year removed from a career-best 68-point season in Buffalo but failed to click with the Mammoth after being traded last summer. The Bruins are banking on this change of scenery being more to Peterka's liking. That leaves the back end as a primary focus. If the Bruins want to improve on the right side, then looking to Rasmus Andersson would be prudent. Or, GM Don Sweeney could be better off working the phones and packing up some picks, prospects or even a current roster player to bolster the team's blueline. Overall, the Bruins are fairly well situated though and that should give Sweeney some room to be aggressive in how he continues to improve those two critical positions. Buffalo Sabres 2025-26 result: Lost in the second round Key players hitting UFA: D Logan Stanley, F Beck Malenstyn Key players hitting RFA: F Peyton Krebs Cap space: $13.80 million What they should do: Buffalo is in a great spot coming off their busy week. The Sabres fleeced Chicago last Tuesday in the Bowen Byram trade, finalized a sign-and-trade for pending UFA Alex Tuch, locked-in pending RFA Zach Benson to a seven-year, $52.5 million contract and got a potential replacement for Byram by grabbing Olen Zellweger from Anaheim. So, what's left to do going into free agency? A few things. Krebs -- another pending RFA -- would be worth getting on a short-term, show-me type deal (following his career-best 12 goals and 39 points last season). Then there's the matter of re-stocking up front now that Tuch is officially out of the picture. Anthony Mantha or Mason Marchment are two veteran options who could bring some punch and secondary scoring, although they don't have the same top-end upside as Tuch. GM Jarmo Kekalainen could also be aggressive and target a top center via trade that allows Tage Thompson to slide over to the wing more permanently. Malenstyn is worth signing for another year or two for bottom-six depth, but ultimately Buffalo's focus should stay on improving their top two units. And there's a lingering goalie question, too. Are the Sabres content to stick with last year's tandem of Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or is that an area they could use some of their cap space to see upgraded? The Connor Hellebuyck buzz was loud over draft weekend. Detroit Red Wings 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F Patrick Kane, F David Perron, G Cam Talbot Key players hitting RFA: D Simon Edvinsson, F Carter Mazur Cap space: $29.05 million What they should do: If there's a silver lining for GM Steve Yzerman heading into free agency, it's that captain Dylan Larkin gave him plenty of advance notice about wanting to get out of dodge. Yzerman can plan accordingly how he wants to honor that request while also handling some other serious in-house business. He's done just one thing so far: trading top goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa to Utah for the 23rd overall pick, which Detroit used on JP Hurlbert in Friday's first round. There's got to be more on the agenda. Edvinsson deserves a long-term contract reflective of his value as a top-four blueliner in Detroit for the bulk of his prime years. It would make sense for Yzerman to give another year to Kane for how he can still contribute at 5-on-5 and special teams with the added leadership element. Finding an upgrade over Talbot to backup John Gibson -- like Eric Comrie, perhaps? -- would give the Red Wings some peace of mind in the crease. From there, much of what Yzerman can do to improve Detroit upfront hinges on the Larkin deal. Who is he getting back? And what will that mean for the areas left to address (is it center, or wing, that will require more attention?) It's pretty slim pickings for top-six talent in free agency, so leveraging Larkin for whatever he can in terms of reliable scorers ready to step into a legitimate role will be critical to any forthcoming trade. Florida Panthers 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F A.J. Greer, F Tomas Nosek, G Sergei Bobrovsky, G Daniil Tarasov Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $5.87 million What they should do: The Panthers didn't wait for July 1 to get their aggressive offseason plans in motion. The team doubled its number of Tkachuks this month by bringing Brady on board via a trade with Ottawa to bolster the club's offense alongside brother Matthew. GM Bill Zito said the Panthers' "weren't done" after making that transaction (after previously trading RFA Mackie Samoskevich to help facilitate it). What should be pulling Zito's attention is who's going to replace Bobrovsky as Florida's top goaltender. The UFA goalie market is hardly robust -- Stuart Skinner might be the best veteran option available -- so another trade could be how the Panthers improve in that area. Re-signing Tarasov as their No. 2 makes perfect sense though, and holding onto Nosek would offer up some reliable depth scoring. Florida should also be considering some help on their blue line with some low-cost free agent adds like Logan Stanley or Mario Ferraro, who can complement their core pieces there and provide insurance. Montreal Canadiens 2025-26 result: Lost in the conference finals Key players hitting UFA: F Patrik Laine Key players hitting RFA: D Arber Xhekaj, F Zack Bolduc, Kirby Dach Cap space: $10.98 million What they should do: Montreal is a great spot in terms of overall roster construction. GM Kent Hughes' job is to keep the Canadiens humming along following an exciting spring run to the Eastern Conference finals. Getting Dach back on a short-term extension would be smart business for the player and team, and Bolduc is worthy of a new deal as well after a fine regular season and playoffs. There's some needed subtraction for Montreal before they do more adding, though -- offloading Brendan Gallagher's contract and potentially Sam Montembeault's too will open up cap space for the Canadiens to bring in younger replacements. To that end, there's no need to renegotiate with Laine at this point, either. Montreal brokered a small deal with the New York Rangers for forward Brett Berard (who had 0 points in 13 games last season) that won't move the needle much. Chasing after some low-risk veterans -- like Greer, James van Riemsdyk or Michael Bunting -- could fill in some gaps up front. And on the back end, keeping Xhekaj on with a new contract would be serviceable, so long as Hughes also targets other blueliners (particularly on the right side) who can round out Montreal's defensive corps. Ottawa Senators 2025-26 result: Lost in the first round Key players hitting UFA: D Nick Jensen, F Nick Cousins, F Lars Eller, F Claude Giroux Key players hitting RFA: F Arthur Kaliyev, G Leevi Merilainen Cap space: $9.08 million What they should do: Ottawa was backed into a corner by Brady Tkachuk's trade request, but GM Steve Staios made up for some of that loss by trading for William Eklund last week. Still, there's more work to be done making the Senators a stronger team across the board. Staios started the process by signing pending RFA Jordan Spence to a new deal and acquiring the right to another RFA -- goaltender Samuel Ersson -- via trade with Toronto. He is a potential backup for Linus Ullmark. The Tkachuk move gives Ottawa ample cap space to use on top-six talent, but it will take serious wheeling and dealing given the dearth of available free agent difference-makers to complement Tim Stutzle & Co. Speaking of partnering up, Thomas Chabot is lacking a true wingman on the Senators' top pairing, and Rasmus Andersson might do the trick in a pinch. The Senators stand to lose a chunk of leadership too now that Tkachuk is gone, with Giroux and Eller also potentially out the door as free agents. Staios would be smart to use some of the picks acquired in the Tkachuk deal or prospects they have now (or grabbed from San Jose in the Eklund deal) to target some middle-six skaters that will give them a scoring boost and a dose of physicality, along with some veteran presence in the locker room. Tampa Bay Lightning 2025-26 result: Lost in the first round Key players hitting UFA: F Oliver Bjorkstrand, F Mitchell Chaffee Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $13.17 million What they should do: Tampa Bay tried to work a new deal with pending UFA defenseman Darren Raddysh but there was no middle ground to be found. GM Julien BriseBois found him a new home in Toronto via a trade that gave the Lightning something for potentially nothing. For the first time in a long time, Tampa Bay actually has some cap room to work with this offseason, and can target some top-six forward talent to balance out their right side specifically. Viktor Arvidsson would be the best free agent option in that respect, and Jack Roslovic could be a more budget-friendly add. Otherwise, BriseBois will have to pry someone away from their current club if the market fails to bear fruit for their right-side depth needs. The Raddysh move leaves only two right-shot defenders -- Erik Cernak and Maxwell Crozier -- patrolling that side of the Lightning blue line, and they'll need some help. Jacob Trouba might fit the bill. BriseBois does have to be mindful of his spending, because the league's reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov is entering the final year of his contract. There is a deservedly large payday coming his way if the Lightning expect to keep him on another deal. Resigning their own pending UFA Bjorkstrand could be a relatively inexpensive way to maintain some consistency up front in the short term. Toronto Maple Leafs 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: D Troy Stecher Key players hitting RFA: F Nicholas Robertson, F Matias Maccelli Cap space: $22.28 million What they should do: Toronto has been active this month and shows zero signs of slowing down, especially now that they have No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna primed to step into an NHL role right away. The Leafs already brought in Raddysh to be a centerpiece of their defense. In the aftermath of that transaction, the Leafs shipped Brandon Carlo off to St. Louis for a pair of draft picks (good move) and have been openly shopping Morgan Rielly; Rielly's no-trade clause leaves the Leafs with only Rielly-approved destinations, so whether a deal can get done to his liking remains a mystery. In the meantime, GM John Chayka must figure out the Leafs' goaltending situation now that Joseph Woll is gone and the goalie Toronto got in return (Samuel Ersson) was subsequently traded to Ottawa. Anthony Stolarz is projected to be their starter and Dennis Hildeby could slide into a backup role ... unless Chayka doesn't see him in that slot (and is willing to potentially lose him on waivers) and goes after a familiar name like Frederik Andersen or even Sergei Bobrovsky. The Leafs' bottom six is also shrouded in uncertainty given Max Domi's unknown status following an offseason surgery complication. Signing pending RFAs Robertson and Maccelli won't be enough to give Toronto a true scoring boost; adding a veteran free agent like Boone Jenner or Patrick Kane might offer some dimension without breaking the bank. There is also the Matthew Knies of it all hanging over Toronto. Chayka has tried to trade the winger without success so far. If the Leafs do find a landing spot for him, the return must be commensurate with his value as one of the NHL's future star power forwards. METRO DIVISION Carolina Hurricanes 2025-26 result: Won the Stanley Cup Key players hitting UFA: G Frederik Andersen Key players hitting RFA: D Alexander Nikishin Cap space: $11.11 million What they should do: Carolina went free agent shopping early when they traded for the negotiating rights to pending UFA defenseman John Carlson during the sixth round of the draft. If GM Erik Tulsky can get a deal over the line before July 1 it's a nice get to beef up the Hurricanes' already excellent blue-line group. From there, Carolina is basically in position to run it back given the bulk of their Cup-winning core is under contract for next season, including Seth Jarvis, but he is now sidelined 4-6 months following shoulder surgery. That could alter how Tulsky views potential depth additions up front, especially if they can be flipped at the trade deadline for assets once Jarvis is healthy. The primary in-house business is with RFA Nikishin and pending UFA Andersen. It's not likely Carolina will retain Andersen despite how he propelled some of their playoff success; in the end, it was an injury to Andersen that hindered his play and put Brandon Bussi back in the No. 1 slot, where he projects to remain next year. Pyotr Kochetkov can stick as the Hurricanes' backup, unless Tulsky wants to carry three goalies again and spies another veteran -- say, Matt Murray or Pheonix Copley -- in free agency. The in-house priority though is Nikishin: do the Hurricanes keep him, or broker a trade with one of the several interested parties in the young defenseman's services? He collected 11 goals and 31 points in his first full NHL campaign, and ultimately could help the Hurricanes gather more scoring depth that proves a better value in the short term than Nikishin. Or, as has been rumored, he could be the centerpiece of a trade to land Hellebuyck. To that end, Tulsky should absolutely move on from Jesperi Koktaneimi -- whether via trade or contract buyout. Carolina could use the cap space, and Koktaneimi -- after posting just nine points in 42 games last season -- could benefit from a fresh start. Again, the Hurricanes are set up for success as they are. Whatever Tulsky can add to the group will only make it stronger in theory. Columbus Blue Jackets 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F Danton Heinen, F Boone Jenner, F Mason Marchment, D Erik Gudbranson Key players hitting RFA: F Adam Fantilli, F Cole Sillinger, G Jet Greaves Cap space: $25.36 million What they should do: Columbus checked off one item on the to-do list by acquiring Valeri Nichushkin in a trade with Colorado last week. The transaction cost the Blue Jackets draft capital (and cap space, thanks to Nichushkin's hefty $6.125 million tab), but potential top-six scorers will be hard to come by in free agency so it made sense that Columbus addressed that need already by bringing in Nichushkin. That move also alters how GM Don Waddell will approach to pending UFAs Marchment and Jenner. Both appeared primed to walk, and that's much easier for Columbus to stomach now that Nichushkin is in. The Blue Jackets have three key pending RFAs in Fantilli (whom they should lock-up on a smart mid- to long-range deal), Sillinger (worthy of something shorter) and Greaves (who played his way into a larger payday after carrying the load in net for the Blue Jackets last season). What Waddell does after that should hinge on how his conversations with Zach Werenski go leading into July 1. Multiple reports during draft week indicated that Werenski is not interested in re-signing after his current deal is up in 2028. If that's true, how will Waddell navigate this cratering loss to the Blue Jackets entire on-ice operation? Any trade involving Werenski would have to include a huge return for Columbus in order to be worthwhile, and it ideally has to include another defenseman of a high caliber. Kirill Marchenko -- an RFA next summer -- is also "unlikely to re-sign," according to ESPN's Kevin Weekes, which presents a future issue up front. All of that remains to be settled. In the meantime, targeting some help beyond Nichushkin up front as well as some options on the back end couldn't hurt. New Jersey Devils 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F Evgenii Dadonov Key players hitting RFA: F Paul Cotter Cap space: $11.55 million What they should do: New Jersey didn't see a future with pending RFA Simon Nemec and traded him to Calgary last week. Clearly, new GM Sunny Mehta isn't wasting time retooling a Devils lineup that failed to make the playoffs in 2025-26. It starts with the club's offense. New Jersey scored the sixth-fewest goals in the NHL last season, and their depth chart is pretty light outside the top-six group headlined by Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Mehta brought the Devils some quality draft capital (in the form of two future first-round picks) in the Nemec trade, and it would be prudent for him to use some of those assets to target NHL-ready skaters who can put the Devils back on track. There's also speculation about the status of goaltender Jacob Markstrom; is he part of New Jersey's plans moving forward? Given the weak free-agent class of goaltenders, this would be the perfect time to leverage Markstrom for some top-six addition (especially if it allows Hughes to stay on the wing instead of oscillating from there to center). The Devils don't seem to be eyeing a rebuild in the near future -- extending Hischier sooner than later as he enters the final year of his contract would solidify that -- so the primary objective from here should be finding established players they can swap for draft choices and remain in win-now mode. New York Islanders 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: D Adam Boqvist, D Carson Soucy, F Anders Lee, G David Rittich Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $6.18 million What they should do: The Isles have one significant job, and it's re-making their offense. That was part of what led to switching out head coach Patrick Roy late last season for Peter DeBoer. It was too little, too late when it came to New York making the playoffs, but it showed the Islanders weren't content on being idle and now that bullishness must go towards investing up front. Outside of Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, there aren't true top-six talents for New York to work with right now. Some might be coming along -- Calum Ritchie is just 21 years old and has shown flashes in supporting roles, while Cole Eiserman might be ready soon -- but the Islanders have to get younger with full-time NHL forwards ready to impact their outcomes nightly. That's going to require GM Mathieu Darche to start working the phones, because it's slim pickings there in free agency. The Islanders' fortunes took a massive turn when they lucked into the first overall pick of the 2025 draft and scored a franchise cornerstone defenseman in Matthew Schaefer. And New York has its goaltending set with Ilya Sorokin ensconced as their starter. But make no mistake, DeBoer didn't come to New York so he could guide them through another muddled season of pseudo rebuilding. He'll want to start the season with a strong core in place, and it's on Darche to shop for the right ingredients that DeBoer can get to cooking. New York Rangers 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F Jonny Brodzinski, F Conor Sheary Key players hitting RFA: D Vincent Iorio, D Braden Schneider Cap space: $15.68 million What they should do: New York dipped its toe into the trade market on Friday when they flipped depth forward Brett Berard to Montreal for prospect defenseman William Trudeau ... and that same day went big, acquiring the rights to pending RFA Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas. He has the sort of upside the Rangers are looking for to boost their offense after a dismal 23rd-place finish last season (averaging just 2.87 goals per game). The question is whether New York can maximize Dorofeyev's talents like the Golden Knights did; his seven-year, $77 million deal indicates that they believe he can. The Rangers shouldn't be done dealing. It's time they find a trade partner (finally) for Vincent Trocheck, because it's a matter of when not if New York sends the veteran somewhere else for the final three years of his contract (carrying a $5.625 million annual cap hit). What the Rangers need in return are puck-moving defensemen who can help boost the team's previously lagging scoring production (New York wrangled just 39 goals combined from defensemen last season). Up front, the Rangers can still zero in on free agents like Mason Marchment or Michael Bunting to offer them some immediate scoring help. In terms of other trade assets, New York has been listening to offers on pending RFA Schneider, and he might be the best chip they can leverage after Trocheck to address those problem areas in earnest. Oh, and there's the backup goalie slot. With Jonathan Quick retired, is Dylan Garand (with three games of NHL experience) ready to be the guy behind Igor Shesterkin? Or does GM Chris Drury have to get Eric Comrie or Matt Murray involved to provide support? It's one step at a time here for New York in revamping the roster, but this summer will be critical in a return to form. Philadelphia Flyers 2025-26 result: Lost in the second round Key players hitting UFA: D Noah Juulsen, F Luke Glendening, F Carl Grundstrom Key players hitting RFA: D Jamie Drysdale, F Nikita Grebenkin, F Trevor Zegras Cap space: $33.68 million What they should do: Philadelphia's handling of pending RFAs Drysdale and Zegras will dictate how much they can accomplish in other areas. The Flyers have plenty of cap space, but a solid portion of it stands to be used on locking in Zegras (after a career-best 67-point season last year) and Drysdale (who matched his personal-high 32 points in 2025-26). After working on those two deals, Philly has to uncover a hidden gem to aid its putrid power play -- the Flyers finished 32nd overall with the extra man last season (at just 15.7%) in large part because they lacked a real quarterback to help their top unit do real damage. That won't be found in free agency; it's more likely GM Danny Briere will have to canvass his fellow general managers for trade assistance. Briere already took care of finding a backup for Dan Vladar (newly signed to an extension) by grabbing Joseph Woll from Toronto, so he can focus on filling in the edges on Philadelphia's back end and bottom six once the futures of Zegras and Drysdale have been determined. Pittsburgh Penguins 2025-26 result: Lost in the first round Key players hitting UFA: F Noel Acciari, F Anthony Mantha, D Connor Clifton, G Stuart Skinner Key players hitting RFA: F Egor Chinakhov, G Arturs Silovs, F Hendrix Lapierre Cap space: $37.86 million What they should do: Pittsburgh has been quiet so far considering they have areas of need to target -- but the work there may have just begun. The Penguins acquired the rights to pending RFA Hendrix Lapierre from Washington on Friday for a pair of draft picks, a return that suggests strong belief they can get him signed to a new contract. The 24-year-old would be a fine depth forward for the Penguins. The Penguins can also easily take care of pending RFAs Chinakhov and Silovs -- both of whom have earned new contracts. From there, GM Kyle Dubas can take some big swings if he intends for Pittsburgh to be a contender next season (and he should). Making the most of the final seasons of the Sidney Crosby-Evgeni Malkin-Kris Letang core is critical. The Penguins have enough cap space to make waves via trade with a top-six forward acquisition who can make them a Metro Division threat. Pittsburgh had solid defensive prospects in the pipeline, but Dubas should be scouring the scene for blueliners who can improve the top four now, and potentially add some scoring potential as well. It's tough to gauge at this stage where Dubas' head is at. He has to be watching his fellow Metro GMs making moves, but he's been decidedly quiet. Could he send Erik Karlsson or Rickard Rakell somewhere else in exchange for younger options at both ends? It wouldn't be wild to see Morgan Rielly end up with Dubas, a GM with whom he has history. Rielly can produce on the power play and add a different element to the Penguins' attack. However, Rielly can choose his destination given his no-movement clause, and reports have indicated his preferred destinations are out West. This all makes it feel like a "stay tuned" situation in Pittsburgh. Washington Capitals 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F Brandon Duhaime, F Alex Ovechkin Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $14.33 million What they should do: Washington has been working hard already, trading for Jordan Kyrou from St. Louis and Alex Tuch (who they signed to an eight-year contract). What else is there to do? Well, a couple things. The Ovechkin decision is a big one. Will the Capitals' captain -- who turns 41 in September -- return for another season? It seems unlikely Ovechkin would play anywhere else, but the Caps will need to carve out some cap space -- around $9 million -- to keep a spot open for him. Beyond Ovi, it's the right side of the Capitals' defense that needs work. Rasmus Sandin is dealing with an injury, so how will Washington adjust? Nick Jensen or Radko Gudas can provide veteran insurance there. Really though, Washington has done its work getting Tuch and Kyrou involved, and will give Ovi as much time as he needs. Everything else almost feels like extra now. CENTRAL DIVISION Chicago Blackhawks 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: D Matt Grzelcyk, F Sam Lafferty, F Ilya Mikheyev Key players hitting RFA: F Connor Bedard, D Ethan Del Mastro, D Kevin Korchinski Cap space: $36.31 million What they should do: There's no denying that getting a new deal done for Connor Bedard is the most important item facing the Blackhawks this offseason. Bedard remaining under team control means they have time and the ability to set aside the sort of money GM Kyle Davidson and his front office staff believe is necessary to secure a deal with their franchise cornerstone. Beyond that, the major task facing the Blackhawks is finding a way to take the next step in their rebuild. They had an 11-point improvement in 2025-26 from the previous campaign; that's enough to suggest that the 80-point mark is within reach, a sign that a rebuild is trending upward. How they reach that could come back to what methods they take to insulate their youth. The easiest way to answer those concerns is adding personnel who can score more goals and also help preventing them. They attempted to do that during draft week by trading the No. 4 overall pick for Bowen Byram. While the trade gives them a potential No. 1 defenseman, it came at an incredibly high cost given the level of player they could have gotten at No. 4 (and without another first-round pick). Despite the potential long-term ramifications, the Blackhawks believe Byram can help them address the issues on both ends of the ice. Colorado Avalanche 2025-26 result: Lost in the conference finals Key players hitting UFA: F Joel Kiviranta Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $5.63 million What they should do: Continue to identify and improve on the aspects of their roster that led to them getting swept in the Western Conference finals. That process started more than a week before free agency when Ross Colton was traded to the Predators for draft picks, before Jack Drury was also traded to the Preds in exchange for young forwards Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L'Hereux. A few days later, they traded Valeri Nicushkin to the Blue Jackets for draft capital. Those moves allowed the Avalanche to create additional cap space to re-sign pending UFA defensemen Brett Kulak and Brent Burns. The Avs could use free agency to add middle-six forward help, in addition to defensive depth beyond their top six which is now all under contract. In fact, the Avalanche have 17 players from their 2025-26 roster who remain under contract going into next season. That group includes the core that won a title in 2022 such as Gabriel Landeskog, Nazem Kadri, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Josh Manson and Devon Toews. That sort of continuity could allow the Avs to feel comfortable with giving Svechkov and L'Hereux a chance to fight for one of those middle-six spots, considering they are young players on cheap contracts. There's also the possibility that the Avs could be inclined to add forwards with more experience in their pursuit for the fourth title in franchise history. Dallas Stars 2025-26 result: Lost in the first round Key players hitting UFA: F Nathan Bastian, F Jamie Benn, F Michael Bunting, D Alex Petrovic Key players hitting RFA: F Mavrik Bourque, F Arttu Hyry, F Jason Robertson Cap space: $9.26 million What they should do: Arriving at a conclusion when it comes to Jason Robertson's future is the most important decision facing the Stars this offseason. Multiple reports indicated that they tried to trade the pending RFA winger before the draft. Of course, a deal could also be struck before or after July 1. Stars GM Jim Nill told reporters after the draft that there was a trade offer from the Kraken for Robertson that was declined while adding, "Our preference is to re-sign Jason Robertson. Can we make it work?" In order for Nill to answer that question, he will need to make some difficult financial choices that could create issues elsewhere on the roster. Especially if Robertson is aiming for a salary that's expected to be around $12 million annually, which is the same figure as Stars winger Mikko Rantanen. But that's what comes with trying to retain a three-time 40-goal scorer that just had his second season of more than 90 points. The Stars were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, which snapped their streak of three straight Western Conference finals appearances. Still, the Stars believe they are a Stanley Cup front runner. Now it's a matter of seeing if Robertson is part of the roster that wins the second Stanley Cup in Stars history, or if he could gets traded in return for the help that can get the Stars over the hump. Minnesota Wild 2025-26 result: Lost in the second round Key players hitting UFA: D Zach Bogosian, F Nick Foligno, F Marcus Johansson, F Vladimir Tarasenko, F Marcus Johansson, D Jeff Petry Key players hitting RFA: F Bobby Brink, D Daemon Hunt Cap space: $9.42 million What they should do: That really goes back to how they approach the following subjects: The first is around what top-six American-born Olympic center they believe is a realistic target. The second is how do they manage their cap space to pull off the above move and still bolster their roster in other areas. The third is centered around what else can be done to show what they did in 2025-26 was the start of something more. All those items came into focus during their second-round series against the Avs. Center depth was already a concern going into the playoffs. It was even more magnified when an injury to Joel Eriksson Ek enhanced how their difficulty with what the Avs had down the middle in MacKinnon, Kadri and Brock Nelson. Thus the discussion around what Wild GM Bill Guerin will do to get a two-way, top-six center capable of making a difference. The playoff loss to the Avs also called into question how the Wild need more consistency beyond their top defensive pairing of Brock Faber and Quinn Hughes. That was more evident with Jonas Brodin missing the entirety of the series. Addressing those concerns around their top-six center, their defensive options and the other areas of their lineup that need depth could make the difference in the Wild getting back to the second round and going further in 2026-27. Nashville Predators 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F Erik Haula, F Tyson Jost Key players hitting RFA: D Justin Barron Cap space: $19.87 million What they should do: Any decisions that GM Chris MacFarland makes must come back to what must be done for the Predators to be five points better than they were in 2025-26. Why five points? Because that would have been one more point than the Kings, who earned the second wild card. Maybe it's not five points exactly. But it's still the sentiment of what the Predators must do to close the gap in the race for a playoff berth. MacFarland has done some work already, trading for two of the forwards he had when he was in charge of the Avs in Ross Colton and Jack Drury. It's possible those trades could be just the start for MacFarland and his new staff, in trying to lessen the burden upon veterans Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos. But what might be a bigger obstacle is attracting the personnel that can give them a consistent cast on defense. Several items contributed to the Predators shuffling through 12 defensemen during last regular season, with nine of the 12 playing more than 18 games. That rotating cast was part of the reason why they allowed the seventh-most goals per game in 2025-26. Using their cap space along with the draft capital that was collected by previous front offices could help MacFarland allow the Predators to mount a more serious challenge in what will once again be another difficult season in the Central. St. Louis Blues 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F Oskar Sundqvist Key players hitting RFA: F Jonatan Berggren, F Connor McMichael Cap space: $12.43 million What they should do: Continuing to revamp their roster in ways that these short-term changes can lead to long-term success. It seems like every two or three years, there's a team facing some sort of existential dilemma similar to what the Blues are trying to navigate right now. Realizing that a change is necessary is the first step. Assessing how much actual change is needed is what makes it all so complex, considering they finished four points out of a playoff spot. They've made quite a few changes already. They moved star forward Jordan Kyrou to the Capitals, returning young forwards Connor McMichael and Milton Gastrin as well as the No. 16 pick. They won the Mason McTavish sweepstakes, sending the No. 16 and 29 picks to the Ducks, then adding help on the back end by making another trade for Brandon Carlo. The revamp all started when they traded captain Brayden Schenn ahead of the trade deadline, and nearly traded Colton Parayko before he turned down a would-be move to the Sabres. It's still possible they could move on from Parayko, while there's also a belief that this could be Jordan Binnington's final season in St. Louis. Utah Mammoth 2025-26 result: Lost in the first round Key players hitting UFA: D Ian Cole, F Alexander Kerfoot, F Kevin Stenlund, F Kevin Rooney, G Vitek Vanecek, F Kailer Yamamoto Key players hitting RFA: F Barrett Hayton Cap space: $21.03 million What they should do: Utah is at the point in its evolution that reaching the playoffs in its second year since relocating from Arizona is not enough. The Mammoth are set on being a consistent playoff team that challenges for the Stanley Cup. They were two overtime wins away from eliminating the Golden Knights in five games; instead, they lost in six games to the team that would represent the Western Conference in the Cup Final. This creates the expectation the Mammoth will try to make a move to get at least one proven top-six talent with playoff experience, especially in the wake of them trading JJ Peterka after one season. Peterka struggled during his lone season in Utah, and that continued into the playoffs in which he was pointless in six games. A healthy amount of cap space coupled with ample draft capital allows the Mammoth to make a move to amplify what they feel is one of the more promising rosters in the NHL. There are other areas to address. Bottom-six roles require filling, while the team will also need more defensive depth. One area that already received attention from Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong was goaltending, as they traded for top prospect Sebastian Cossa. Getting Cossa, a first-round pick in 2021, could help with lessening Karel Vejmelka's burden, considering that no NHL goalie played more games than him during the 2025-26 season. Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: D Jacob Bryson, G Eric Comrie, D Colin Miller, F Gustav Nyquist Key players hitting RFA: F Cole Perfetti Cap space: $20.13 million What they should do: Ultimately determine if they're fine with just listening to offers for Connor Hellebuyck -- or accepting one of those offers. Whatever decision Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff makes about the three-time Vezina Trophy winner and Olympic gold medalist, it's going to change the course of the franchise. Cheveldayoff spoke to reporters before the draft and wouldn't confirm if Hellebuyck requested a trade out of Winnipeg. He did, however, say that they are listening to offers. As for Hellebuyck himself, the 2025 Hart Trophy winner voiced his frustrations after the season, saying that "it felt very wrong" to see the Jets go from winning the Presidents' Trophy in 2024-25 to missing the playoffs the following season. That freefall represents how all the Jets' problems are all on the same flight pattern. Among the items that contributed to them missing the playoffs was the lack of depth. Perhaps the strongest example of that was the 23-point gap between Kyle Connor, who was second in points, and those behind him. Connor had more points (92) than Josh Morrissey and Perfetti, who were fourth and fifth, had combined (87 points). It all amounts to the Jets having to figure out quite a few issues, with the reality that whatever happens with Hellebuyck will have a domino effect. PACIFIC DIVISION Anaheim Ducks 2025-26 result: Lost in the second round Key players hitting UFA: D Radko Gudas, F Ross Johnston, D Jacob Trouba, F Jeffrey Viel Key players hitting RFA: F Leo Carlsson, F Cutter Gauthier, D Pavel Mintyukov Cap space: $44.62 million What they should do: Ducks GM Pat Verbeek is learning what so many executives before him have come to discover: It's great to have a young, promising team ... until it comes time for all of them to get paid within years of one another. Finding avenues to pay those young players while still adding those veterans in crucial areas is the goal for the Ducks this offseason as they look to build on a two-round playoff appearance in 2026. That's part of what made the situation around Mason McTavish so difficult to escape until it wasn't when they traded him to the Blues. Initially part of that promising homegrown core, McTavish fell down the lineup, which led to questions about his future being elsewhere -- with the idea that shedding his $7 million annual cap hit could be crucial this offseason. Shedding McTavish's contract comes with the context that Verbeek still has to pay Carlsson, Gauthier and Mintyukov. The Ducks' front office also has another set of issues to worry about on defense. Their entire right side of John Carlson, Gudas and Trouba were all UFAs, and they traded Carlson's rights to the Hurricanes on Day 2 of the draft. Finding the right players for their blue line could make a difference for a team that was in the top five in terms of giving up the most scoring chances and high-danger scoring chances, while allowing the fourth-most goals per game in 2025-26. Calgary Flames 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: D Jake Bean, F Ryan Lomberg, F Victor Olofsson Key players hitting RFA: F John Beecher, D Simon Nemec Cap space: $20.53 million What they should do: Continue down the path of building toward the future. After years of going back and forth between being a potential playoff team, the Flames' front office eventually realized that the team would be best served by attaining as much draft capital as possible to build a brighter future. Entering 2026 draft week with multiple first-round picks in 2026, 2027 and 2028 follows the model that other franchises have used to jumpstart their rebuild. The Flames used some of that draft capital to add RFA defenseman Simon Nemec from the Devils; the No. 2 overall pick in 2022 could be a significant part of that future. Identifying and acquiring those players like Nemec who have talent but not a clear path toward using the full freight of their ability is one method. Another is building a collection of players on one-year deals that could be moved ahead of the trade deadline (returning picks or prospects). The Flames have six players who are set to be UFAs at the end of next season, including Blake Coleman, Morgan Frost and Ryan Strome. Edmonton Oilers 2025-26 result: Lost in the first round Key players hitting UFA: F Adam Henrique, G Connor Ingram, F Kasperi Kapanen, F Jack Roslovic Key players hitting RFA: F Colton Dach, D Spencer Stastney Cap space: $7.42 million What they should do: Build a roster that can win the Stanley Cup before Connor McDavid's two-year contract extension ends and he possibly heads elsewhere. Outlining that objective is the easy part for the Oilers. Developing the actual blueprint for that to happen has been the mission in some form since he was drafted No. 1 back in 2015. It's another year of finding the forwards they believe can strengthen their top six at team-friendly prices. One way to get more cap space is trading away Darnell Nurse and his $9.25 million annual cap hit; Nurse requested a trade in the weeks preceding the draft, but has a no-movement clause and will get to approve any destination. And if they do trade Nurse, it comes with the notion that they would need to find another defenseman to round out their top six .. while also trying to figure out their situation in net. A long line of Oilers goalies have struggled to put it all together. Tristan Jarry's time with the Oilers came with challenges, which led to Connor Ingram winning the starting job. But Ingram is a UFA, and there's no guaranteeing his return. That places an even greater emphasis for the Oilers to find another goalie at a certain price point they feel can help them win games in the regular season and the playoffs. Los Angeles Kings 2025-26 result: Lost in the first round Key players hitting UFA: F Andrei Kuzmenko, F Scott Laughton, F Mathieu Joseph Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $10.93 million What they should do: Can they find a top-six center? Can they find a top-six center that can help them score goals, create goals for others and prevent opponents from doing so? Can they add forwards they can trust to score goals in the regular season and the playoffs? Can finding the personnel who can answer those questions be enough for the Kings to return to the playoffs and get beyond the first round for the first time since 2014? That's a lot of questions for one offseason. But they are relevant questions for a team trying to replace their retired franchise center and captain Anze Kopitar, while trying to keep pace in what could be a year of change in the Western Conference. What potentially makes the Kings' situation even more challenging is how they're in the market for the same profile of player as other teams. Los Angeles appears to have the draft capital and enough salary cap space after Brandt Clarke signed a new contract to make a trade for a top-six center. The caveat there is that they are competing against teams that might be able to offer more or even something different in potential deals to get that caliber of player. San Jose Sharks 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: D Vincent Desharnais, D Mario Ferraro, D John Klingberg, D Nick Leddy, F Ryan Reaves Key players hitting RFA: F Collin Graf, F Philipp Kurashev, D Shakir Mukhamadullin Cap space: $39.42 million What they should do: Go out and get the personnel they feel can help them make the 2027 Stanley Cup playoffs. Finishing four points behind the Kings for the final Western Conference wild-card spot provided further proof that the Sharks are on the verge of transitioning from being in a rebuild to being ready to compete for a playoff spot. One could argue they are already at that point given how close they came in 2025-26. But decisions must be made about their blue line given there are six players -- two RFAs and four UFAs -- who need new contracts. There's a need to get those personnel choices on defense correct given they had the fifth-lowest shot share in 5-on-5 play during 2025-26. After the defensive decisions are made, that should leave the Sharks with quite a bit of cap space and if they feel it's necessary, the draft capital, to make a push. The caveat to all this is that Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith are entering the final years of their entry-level contracts. Both are expected to receive a significant pay raise, which is something Sharks GM Mike Grier and his front office staff will keep in mind. However, this is also the last year of Logan Couture's contract, and that means they'll have $8 million off their books that can be applied to paying Celebrini, Smith and whoever else they feel can make them a playoff team. Seattle Kraken 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: D Jamie Oleksiak, F Jaden Schwartz, F Eeli Tolvanen Key players hitting RFA: F Jacob Melanson, F Mackie Samoskevich Cap space: $22.59 million What they should do: Identifying problems and getting the necessary solutions to fix those problems can be two totally different experiences. Kraken GM Jason Botterill knows his team was in the top 10 in surrendering the most shots and high-danger chances, and were 11th in most scoring chances allowed. They were a bottom-five team in generating scoring chances and high-danger scoring chances, and finished in the bottom 10 in shots. Seattle has made a point to identify teams that have potential -- or outright -- cap issues, and use that to its advantage. That's essentially how the Kraken swung the deal that landed them a top-nine forward like Samoskevich, a RFA in need of a new contract. But how can they parlay that approach into getting them the sort of high-end talent that can change their overall dynamic? They tried ahead of the trade deadline to get Artemi Panarin. Botterill presented the capital for what he thought could facilitate a deal -- only for the winger to choose another Pacific Division team in the Kings. Botterill presented an offer to the Stars for Robertson that saw the winger turn down the chance to play in the Pacific Northwest. So again, identifying the problems is one thing; getting the necessary solutions is a different experience. Vancouver Canucks 2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs Key players hitting UFA: F Teddy Blueger, D Derek Forbort, F Evander Kane Key players hitting RFA: D Pierre-Olivier Joseph Cap space: $21.99 million What they should do: Preparing to endure a rebuild isn't going to be enough for the Canucks. First-time Canucks GM Ryan Johnson along with co-presidents of hockey operations Daniel and Henrik Sedin must determine how they can construct a rebuild that's different from the recent one that landed the franchise in their current position. Drafting Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Jared McCann and Elias Pettersson within a four-year window proves that the Canucks can find the sort of prospects who can become legitimate NHL players capable of helping teams win. Unfortunately, half of that group is now helping other teams win games, while there's no guarantee those who remain will play a role in the Canucks' future. How can the team use free agency to attain the help that can help deliver a bright future? The idea of signing players to one-year contracts that could be moved ahead of the trade deadline is appealing, mainly because of the draft capital (or prospects) those players could command in return. Vegas Golden Knights 2025-26 result: Lost in the Stanley Cup Final Key players hitting UFA: D Rasmus Andersson, D Dylan Coghlan, D Ben Hutton, D Jeremy Lauzon, F Brandon Saad, F Colton Sissons, F Cole Smith Key players hitting RFA: None Cap space: $4.63 million What they should do: None of their plans for the offseason really matter unless Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon can find a way to create cap space. Otherwise, it's going to be a rather long offseason for a team that knows everyone else challenging to win the Stanley Cup out of the Western Conference is going to make some sort of push. The process started during the first round of the draft, when the Knights traded Pavel Dorofeyev, an RFA in line for a significant pay raise, to the Rangers. Getting draft capital in exchange meant the Golden Knights didn't take on any cap dollars, but it did provide its own form of savings for a player who was going to be too expensive to retain. Still, it stings to lose a homegrown prospect that turned into a two-time 30-goal scorer. The Golden Knights have more than a dozen players under contract from the team that was two wins away from their second Stanley Cup. Ensuring that Andersson continues to be part of that group is one of the primary concerns this offseason; Vegas provided a sizable package to get Andersson in a trade with the Flames back in January. Andersson remains unsigned entering the final days before free agency, with the idea the Golden Knights will need to make more moves should they want to keep him and retool their roster.