July 3, 2025
Winger Gustav Nyquist has agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Winnipeg Jets. The Swedish veteran will remain in the Western Conference after suiting up for the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild during the 2024-25 campaign. Nyquist had a tough season, finishing with 11 goals and 28 points in 79 appearances. However, he registered a career-high 75 points just a year ago, and Nyquist could turn out to be a steal for the Jets if he can get anywhere close to the same performance level next season. The 35-year-old might get a spot in the top six to replace Nikolaj Ehlers, who is still an unrestricted free agent.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
July 3, 2025
New Jersey Devils forward Cody Glass has re-signed with the team on a two-year, $5 million deal. Glass, who moved to New Jersey from Pittsburgh in March, was a restricted free agent. While his time with the Penguins was difficult, Glass found some success with the Devils, posting seven points (two goals, five assists) in 14 outings. However, fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to keep up the same level of productivity in 2025-26, as Glass is expected to fill a bottom-six role for New Jersey.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
July 3, 2025
Right wing Anthony Mantha will start the 2025-26 NHL season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He inked a one-year, $2.5 million deal with Pittsburgh as a free agent on Wednesday. Mantha could earn a further $2 million through bonuses. Mantha is a four-time 20-goal scorer who can make a significant impact if he's healthy. Last season, he was limited to just 13 games with the Calgary Flames due to a knee injury. He picked up seven points (four goals, three assists) and had 16 hits. For his career, Mantha has managed 303 points (146 goals, 157 assists) in 507 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
July 2, 2025
New York Islanders left wing Emil Heineman has signed a two-year, $2.2 million contract with the team. The Islanders acquired the restricted free agent from the Montreal Canadiens last week and now have him under contract for at least a couple of seasons. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche has said that the team sees "a lot of potential" in Heineman, who had his rookie campaign in the NHL last season with the Canadiens. He finished the year with 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) and 173 hits in 62 games. Heineman is expected to start next season on the fourth line but could move up in the lineup if he performs well enough.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ethan Sears
July 2, 2025
New York Islanders winger Simon Holmstrom has agreed to a two-year contract extension. After signing a one-year deal worth $850,000 last summer, Holmstrom received a substantial pay raise, with his new contract valued at $7.25 million and coming with an average annual value of $3.625 million. The 24-year-old earned the big boost in salary with an impressive campaign. He amassed a career-high 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 75 games. Holmstrom will aim to become a 50-point scorer next season while maintaining a middle-six role.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
July 2, 2025
Defenseman Nate Schmidt has signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Utah Mammoth. The veteran blue-liner switches teams for the second consecutive offseason, having joined the Florida Panthers on a one-year, $800,000 contract 12 months ago. It turned out to be one of the best decisions Schmidt has made in his life, as he won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers. Schmidt impressed during the postseason with a 12-point effort across 23 games. During the regular season, he picked up 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 80 contests. Schmidt appears to be a good addition for Utah but probably won't have a big impact in fantasy hockey.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
July 2, 2025
Winger Brandon Tanev has joined the Utah Mammoth on a three-year, $7.5 million contract. The 10-year NHL veteran was available as a free agent after spending the 2024-25 season with the Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets. He finished the campaign with 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 79 games, dishing out 168 hits. Tanev has averaged almost three hits per game throughout his career and will bring physicality to the Utah lineup. With nearly 100 career goals to his name, Tanev has also proved that he can chip in offensively at times.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
July 2, 2025
The New Jersey Devils have picked up right wing Evgenii Dadonov in free agency on a one-year contract. The Russian veteran inked a $1 million deal with the Devils, but the total value of his contract could rise with performance bonuses. Before hitting the open market, Dadonov enjoyed a good two-and-a-half-year spell with the Dallas Stars. He finished the 2024-25 campaign with 20 goals and 40 points in 80 games. Last season, New Jersey ranked 20th in scoring, and adding Dadonov should boost the team's offense.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
July 2, 2025
Goaltender Alex Lyon has signed a two-year, $3 million deal with the Buffalo Sabres as a free agent. The 32-year-old will pack his bags after playing two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. Lyon posted a solid 14-9-1 record with 26 starts last term, allowing 2.81 goals with a .896 save percentage. The Sabres have made a significant investment in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and have an exciting goalie prospect in Devon Levi, meaning Lyon faces a battle for playing time in Buffalo.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
July 2, 2025
Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod has signed a four-year, $20 million extension with the franchise. The 25-year-old became a restricted free agent on Tuesday, but Buffalo locked him up with another deal. McLeod has improved his scoring numbers in each of his four NHL seasons and produced 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists) across 79 appearances in 2024-25. He will look to take another step forward next season, although it's unlikely that McLeod can sustain the 20.6 shooting percentage he had last term.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
July 2, 2025
Defenseman Nick Perbix will move to the Western Conference for the upcoming season after leaving the Tampa Bay Lightning to join the Nashville Predators as a free agent. The Predators signed him to a two-year, $5.5 million deal. Although his role was limited on the Lightning team, Perbix has accumulated 63 points (13 goals, 50 assists) in 220 career games. He also has 246 blocks and 203 hits. Perbix's production could improve in Nashville with more playing time.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
July 2, 2025
Defenseman Cody Ceci has signed a four-year, $18 million pact with the Los Angeles Kings. The well-traveled veteran will suit up for his seventh NHL team in 2025-26. He split the past campaign between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, making 85 total appearances during the regular season. Ceci notched 24 points (four goals, 20 assists) and recorded 155 blocks. The Kings also snapped up Brian Dumoulin on a three-year, $12 million deal in free agency, giving the team's backline a new look next season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
July 2, 2025
Winger James van Riemsdyk has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings. The veteran forward moves to Motor City after spending one season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Considering his role on the team, van Riemsdyk had a decent campaign in Columbus, notching 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 71 games. He's way past his heyday but can still contribute on teams as a depth scorer. Van Riemsdyk is close to fellow veteran Patrick Kane, and the two are likely to enjoy some time together on the same line in Detroit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
July 2, 2025
The Boston Bruins have acquired winger Viktor Arvidsson from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick. Edmonton decided to part ways with Arvidsson just 12 months after signing him to a two-year, $8 million contract. He had a disappointing season in 2024-25, recording 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 67 appearances. Arvidsson flirted with a 60-point campaign just two seasons ago, so he could still be a productive player for fantasy managers if he finds a good fit in Boston.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
July 2, 2025
The Philadelphia Flyers have signed free-agent goaltender Dan Vladar to a two-year, $6.7 million contract. With Dustin Wolf firmly establishing himself as the No. 1 option in Calgary, Vladar decided to move on and will now compete with Samuel Ersson for playing time in the City of Brotherly Love. In 2024-25, Vladar posted a 12-11-6 record while allowing 2.80 goals with a .898 save percentage. Ersson went 22-17-5 with a 3.14 goals-against average and a .883 save percentage. The Flyers also have Ivan Fedotov on the books for next season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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