NHL Free-Agency Big Board for April 2024
The NHL's annual free-agent market opens on July 1 at noon ET. While it's still three months away, we felt it was worthwhile to begin our monthly monitoring of this summer's notable unrestricted free agents.
This year's crop of potential UFAs features several notable forwards and defensemen bound to garner attention if they go to market then.
Aging superstars like Tampa Bay Lightning winger Steven Stamkos and Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane should still draw considerable interest if they test the open market. Players in their prime, such as Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart and Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jake Guentzel, are poised to land the biggest contracts of their careers.
Some of them could end up signing contract extensions with their current clubs. Most, however, will likely become available to the highest bidders on July 1. Those players could end up signing new deals soon after the free-agent market opens.
Here is our ranking of this summer's top 15 pending UFAs. Our assessment of each player is based on past and present performance and current contracts.
We've also included a list of honorable mentions who could rise in the rankings if any of our top 15 are re-signed.
Do you agree or disagree with our ranking? Let us know in our app comment below.
Honorable Mention
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Max Domi, Toronto Maple Leafs
Domi is completing a one-year, $3 million contract. An agitating forward who can play center or win, the 29-year-old exceeded 40 points this season (41), marking the sixth time he's reached that plateau. However, he's prone to lengthy scoring droughts.
Jonathan Drouin, Colorado Avalanche
After struggling in Montreal for six seasons, Drouin signed a one-year deal worth $825,000 with the Avalanche. Reunited with his old Junior A teammate Nathan MacKinnon, the 29-year-old winger has 48 points in 71 games. He could be content to re-sign with the Avalanche.
Shayne Gostisbehere, Detroit Red Wings
Defense has never been Gostisbehere's strong suit, but the 30-year-old blueliner continues to post solid offensive numbers. With 49 points in 73 games, he's on pace to reach 50 points for the third time in his 10-year NHL career. He's completing a one-year, $4.1 million contract.
Adam Henrique, Edmonton Oilers
A respected two-way forward who can play center or left wing, the 34-year-old Henrique was among the most notable players in this year's trade rumor mill. His age will affect his value in this year's UFA market, though. He's finishing a five-year, $29.1 million contract.
Joe Pavelski, Dallas Stars
The ageless Pavelski continues to defy Father Time. The 39-year-old winger reached the 60-point plateau this season for the 11th time in his 18-year NHL career. He's on a one-year bonus-laden deal with a base salary of $3.5 million. He could re-sign a similar deal with the Stars.
Chandler Stephenson, Vegas Golden Knights
A reliable second-line center for the Golden Knights, the 29-year-old Stephenson is completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $2.8 million. He'll seek a more lucrative deal that the cap-strapped Golden Knights could struggle to match.
Cam Talbot, Los Angeles Kings
Talbot is the best goaltender in a thin market for free-agent netminders this summer. The 36-year-old has put up respectable numbers with 23 wins in 47 games, with a 2.44 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. He's completing a one-year bonus-laden deal with a base salary of $1 million.
Chris Tanev, Dallas Stars
Tanev drew plenty of interest in the trade market before being acquired by the Stars on Feb. 28. Like Henrique, age will likely factor into the length and AAV of the 34-year-old shutdown defenseman's next contract. He's in the final year of a four-year, $18 million deal.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Florida Panthers
A six-time 30-plus goal scorer, Tarasenko's production has declined since reaching a career-high 82 points in 2021-22 with the St. Louis Blues. Still, the 31-year-old winger has 21 goals and 47 points this season split between the Panthers and Ottawa Senators. He's finishing a one-year, $5 million deal.
Sean Walker, Colorado Avalanche
A feisty, right-shot defenseman with good puck-moving ability, Walker was another much-discussed trade candidate before being acquired by the Avalanche on March 6. The 29-year-old is finishing a four-year, $10.6 million contract. He could cash in this summer on an expensive, long-term deal.
15. Sean Monahan, Winnipeg Jets
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Two years ago, Sean Monahan's days as an NHL player appeared to be numbered. In April 2022, he underwent season-ending labrum surgery on his right hip, a procedure similar to the one he had the previous year on his left hip.
In August 2022, the Calgary Flames traded Monahan to the rebuilding Montreal Canadiens in a cost-cutting deal to move his $6.4 million cap hit from their books. He had a promising start to the 2022-23 season but was sidelined from December 2022 to the end of the season with a groin injury that required surgery.
Re-signed by the Canadiens to a one-year, $1.9 million contract, the versatile 29-year-old Monahan is enjoying his healthiest season in years. He netted 35 points in 49 games with the Canadiens followed by 18 points in 26 games after being traded to the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 2. It's the first time he's exceeded 50 points in a season since 2018-19.
Healthy and productive, Monahan could draw plenty of interest this summer from teams in the market for a skillful two-way center who can also skate on the wing. The Jets could also look at re-signing him. However, his injury history could make teams reluctant to invest more than $4 million annually in him on a two-year deal.
14. Jake DeBrusk, Boston Bruins
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Among the youngest players in this summer's notable unrestricted free agents, Jake DeBrusk is completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $4 million. The winger has spent his seven-season NHL career with the Boston Bruins.
The longest contract in the 27-year-old's career was his three-year entry-level deal. He'll likely seek the league maximum of eight years with the Bruins or seven years if he hits the open market on July 1.
With 18 goals this season, DeBrusk is poised to reach 20 goals for the fourth time in his career. He's also one point away from 40, which will be the fifth time he's reached that plateau. That could put him in line for a raise of up to $6 million annually.
The Bruins have $21.7 million in projected cap space for 2024-25. They can afford to re-sign him but could consider other options.
DeBrusk tends to be a streaky scorer and was mentioned at times as a trade candidate. The Bruins could let him walk on July 1.
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13. Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
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All eyes were on Patrick Kane after he signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract on Nov. 28 with the Detroit Red Wings.
The future Hall of Fame winger was coming off a hip resurfacing procedure last June. Fans and pundits wondered if the 35-year-old would regain his scoring form.
The concern was for naught as Kane is on almost a point-per-game pace. With 17 goals and 41 points in 42 games, he's fifth among Red Wings scorers. That's a remarkable output after missing training camp and the first two months of the regular season.
Given his performance this season, the Red Wings could attempt to re-sign Kane. He may also decide to go to market on July 1 and see what offers he'll get. His solid play this season along with his championship pedigree ensures he'll draw a lot of interest.
Kane's days of getting lucrative long-term contracts are over. Nevertheless, he could land a two- or three-year deal worth around $5 million annually. Given his age, he could also decide to ink a one-year, bonus-laden deal with a playoff contender in pursuit of a fourth Stanley Cup ring.
12. Teuvo Teräväinen, Carolina Hurricanes
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Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in 2016, Teuvo Teräväinen became a reliable two-way winger for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Now in his eighth season with the Hurricanes, the 29-year-old has scored 20-plus goals four times and exceeded 42 points six times. He's fifth this season among Hurricanes scorers with 48 points.
Teräväinen is one of nine Carolina players slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. He's finishing a five-year contract with an average annual value of $5.4 million. He could be looking for a new deal worth over $6 million annually on a seven-year deal. His style of play would make him attractive for contenders seeking top-six forward depth.
The Hurricanes have the room to re-sign Teräväinen depending on what he seeks on his next contract. They have a projected cap hit of $30.7 million with 13 active roster players signed for 2024-25.
Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell won't be able to re-sign everybody, but he could retain Teräväinen if he doesn't seek a big raise or a contract beyond five years. His declining production since his career-best 76-point performance in 2018-19 could have Waddell putting the focus on his younger players.
11. Brady Skjei, Carolina Hurricanes
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Brady Skjei is among the nine players on the Carolina Hurricanes eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. The 30-year-old defenseman is finishing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5.3 million.
Acquired from the New York Rangers on Feb. 24, 2020, Skjei is part of a solid second defense pairing with Brett Pesce for the Hurricanes. With Pesce also eligible for UFA status, the Hurricanes risk breaking up that tandem.
The 6'3", 210-pound Skjei is a good puck-moving blueliner who reached a career-best 42 points this season. He's second on the Hurricanes in time on ice per game (21:19) this season, fourth in shorthanded ice time (2:14) and third in takeaways with 41.
With $30.7 million in projected cap space and 13 players under contract next season, the Hurricanes have the room to re-sign Skjei. However, they won't be able to bring everyone back.
His future in Carolina could depend on how much he's seeking on a long-term contract. He could get a six-year deal worth $7 million annually on the open market.
10. Matt Duchene, Dallas Stars
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On June 30, 2023, the Nashville Predators bought out the remainder of Matt Duchene's contract. He had three years left with an average annual value of $8 million. The following day, he signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Dallas Stars.
The Tennessean's Paul Skrbina reported at the time that the buyout was made by the Predators to free up salary-cap space at a time when the cap had been stagnant since the COVID pandemic. The fluctuations in Duchene's production didn't help, falling from a career-high 43 goals and 86 points in 2021-22 to 22 goals and 56 points last season.
The 33-year-old has performed well in Dallas this season. A versatile forward who can play right wing or center, he is tied for third with Roope Hintz among Stars scorers in points with 62 while his 24 goals rank fifth.
The Stars carry a projected cap space of $18.3 million for next season with 12 active roster players under contract. They might be able to retain Duchene if he doesn't seek more than $5 million annually on a three-year deal. If not, he won't have difficulty landing with another team when the UFA market opens on July 1.
9. Brett Pesce, Carolina Hurricanes
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Brett Pesce has spent his entire nine-season NHL career with the Carolina Hurricanes. The defenseman is completing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $4.03 million.
A reliable right-shot shutdown defenseman who can chip in offensively, the 29-year-old could draw lots of interest in this summer's free-agent market.
With Brady Skjei, Pesce is part of a solid second-pairing defense tandem for the Hurricanes. However, he became the subject of trade speculation last summer. Carolina didn't move him, but the rumors landed him at the No. 2 spot on our July 2023 NHL Trade Block Big Board.
Pesce is second among the Hurricanes in blocked shots (108) and logs over 20 minutes of ice time per game. He could get up to $7 million annually on a six-year contract on the open market if the Hurricanes aren't willing to go that high.
The Hurricanes can afford to re-sign Pesce. They carry a projected cap space of $30.7 million for next season with 13 active roster players under contract. However, they must also re-sign restricted free agents Seth Jarvis and Martin Necas as well as re-sign or replace pending UFAs like Skjei, Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen.
8. Tyler Toffoli, Winnipeg Jets
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Tyler Toffoli is among the NHL's best two-way forwards, but the 31-year-old winger has bounced around the league in recent years.
Since 2019-20, he's played for the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils before being shipped to the Winnipeg Jets before the March 8 trade deadline.
It's not that these teams didn't want to keep him. Some, like the Kings, Canucks, and Devils, couldn't reach an agreement with him on a new contract. The Canadiens and Flames were playoff contenders when they acquired him but traded him to add assets to rebuild their struggling rosters.
Toffoli has played well for every club he's been with since his NHL debut with the Kings in 2012-13. He has exceeded 20 goals and 40 points eight times, including a career-best 34 goals and 39 assists for 73 points with the Devils in 2022-23.
The Jets could be open to re-signing Toffoli. They have a projected cap space of $13.9 million with 16 active roster players under contract. He'll seek a long-term deal with a raise over his current $4.3 million average annual value.
Toffoli could also want a no-trade clause considering how often he's changed teams over the last four years.
7. Brandon Montour, Florida Panthers
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Joining the Florida Panthers in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres in 2021, Brandon Montour became an invaluable part of their defense corps over the past three seasons. That includes a career-best 73-point performance last season along with 13 points in 21 playoff games during the Panthers' run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
Montour, 29, missed the opening 16 games of 2023-24 recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He managed just six points in his first 20 games but steadily regained his form with 25 points in his last 38 contests.
The Panthers signed Montour in 2021 to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million. That turned out to be quite a bargain given his performance over that time. However, his next deal will be longer and more expensive. He could seek a seven-year deal worth $7.5 million per season.
A solid finish to this season and another big postseason effort will ensure Montour's stock remains high. The Panthers have a projected cap space of $21.5 million for 2024-25 with 12 active players under contract. However, they must also try to re-sign high-scoring winger Sam Reinhart. If they ink Reinhart, they might not have enough to retain Montour.
6. Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights
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One of five remaining players from the original Vegas Golden Knights, Jonathan Marchessault has 40 goals and 63 points this season.
The 33-year-old winger is their leading scorer and poised to break the franchise single-season goals record (43) currently held by teammate William Karlsson, another original Golden Knight.
Marchessault is completing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million. He is the Golden Knights' career leader with 506 games played, 190 goals, 221 assists, and 411 points. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy last season while leading the club to its first Stanley Cup.
Nevertheless, Marchessault and the Golden Knights could part ways at the end of this season. Given his age, he likely won't get a deal beyond four years. Having reached the 40-goal plateau for the first time and on course to break the single-season franchise goal record, he could seek a raise of over $7 million annually.
The Golden Knights carry a projected cap space of $9.7 million for 2024-25 with 15 active roster players under contract. They could get another $5 million in cap flexibility if goaltender Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury. However, a new contract for Marchessault could eat up over half of it unless they shed salary to make room for him.
5. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
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Training camp started with a bang last September for the Tampa Bay Lightning when Steven Stamkos expressed disappointment over the lack of contract extension talks with management.
Both sides agreed to put those discussions aside until the end of this season but it still raised questions about the 34-year-old winger's future in Tampa Bay.
Stamkos has been the Lightning's captain since March 2014. He led his club to Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021, two Cup Finals in 2015 and 2022 and a Presidents' Trophy in 2019. He's also their franchise leader with 1,073 games played, 545 goals and 1,122 points.
The Lightning captain is completing an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million. His accomplishments during that period made him a real bargain for Tampa Bay. He won't get a deal of that length at this stage in his career but could seek a shorter term at around the same cap hit.
Stamkos might have to accept a pay cut to stay unless the Lightning clear some cap space to accommodate his next deal. They only have a projected cap space of $11.5 million with 16 active roster players under contract for 2024-25.
He could end up testing the market on July 1.
4. Elias Lindholm, Vancouver Canucks
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It's been a difficult season for Elias Lindholm.
On Jan. 31, he was traded by the Calgary Flames to the Vancouver Canucks. After netting 32 points in 49 games with the Flames, the 29-year-old has just nine points in 22 games with the Canucks. Nevertheless, he's the top center in this summer's free-agent market.
On March 23, The Vancouver Province's Patrick Johnston cited a report by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman indicating Lindholm was dealing with an undisclosed injury. The two-way center has been sidelined since then though head coach Rick Tocchet said it was just a nagging injury that was improving.
How that affects Lindholm's performance over the rest of this season could impact his value in this summer's free-agent market. A talented two-way center, he's finishing a six-year deal with an annual cap hit of $4.9 million. He could seek over $7.5 million on a seven-year contract.
The Canucks have a projected cap space of $24.7 million with 13 players signed for next season. They will likely give priority to re-signing restricted free-agent defenseman Filip Hronek. They must also replace Nikita Zadorov and Tyler Myers if they let those two depart as UFAs on July 1. There might not be enough room to keep Lindholm.
3. Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
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After six seasons with the Calgary Flames, Noah Hanifin was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on March 6. He is completing a six-year contract with an annual cap hit of $4.9 million. He is the top defenseman eligible for UFA status this summer.
The 27-year-old was traded as he and the Flames failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension. It remains to be seen if he and the Golden Knights will have better luck. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman believes it wouldn't be surprising if he stayed in Vegas after this season.
The 6'3", 215-pounder is a smooth-skating defenseman who has exceeded 30 points five times in his nine-season NHL career, including 40 this season split between the Flames and Golden Knights. He's logging the second-most ice time per game on the Golden Knights (22:41) and sees time on the power play and penalty kill.
On Nov. 30, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported that Hanifin and the Flames were close to a seven-year extension worth an annual cap hit of $7.5 million before talks fell through. He could seek as much or more on the open market this summer. That could be out of the Golden Knights' price range given their limited cap space for next season.
2. Jake Guentzel, Carolina Hurricanes
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The Carolina Hurricanes acquired Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins before the March 8 trade deadline. The left winger has been a solid addition to the Hurricanes thus far, with 16 points in 11 games.
The 29-year-old established himself as a scoring winger during his eight seasons with the Penguins, helping them win the 2017 Stanley Cup. Skating alongside superstar Sidney Crosby, he reached 40 goals twice and has a 1.02-point percentage since 2018-19. He's also a reliable playoff producer with 58 points in as many games.
Earning an average annual value of $6 million on a five-year contract, Guentzel will seek a significant raise on a long-term contract. He could garner as much as $10 million annually on the open market if he and the Hurricanes fail to agree to a contract extension. With his scoring pedigree, he won't lack for suitors as a free agent on July 1.
With $30.7 million in projected cap space for 2024-25, the Hurricanes can afford to sign Guentzel to an extension. However, they have 13 roster players under contract. They must re-sign or replace pending UFAs such as Teuvo Teravainen, Brady Skjei, and Brett Pesce. Meanwhile, restricted free agents Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis are in line for raises.
1. Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers
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Since being acquired by the Florida Panthers in July 2021, Sam Reinhart has become one of their best scorers. He tallied 33 goals and 82 points in 2021-22 followed by 31 goals and 67 points last season, along with eight goals and 13 points in 21 games during the 2023 playoffs as the Panthers marched to the Stanley Cup Final.
Reinhart is in the final season of a three-year contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. He couldn't have picked a better time to have a career-best performance. He's third among NHL scorers this season with 51 goals and leads the Panthers with 86 points. That output makes him the top player in this year's UFA class.
On March 26, TSN's Darren Dreger observed the more Reinhart scores the more expensive he'll become for the Panthers to re-sign. He reported contract negotiations haven't started yet but there remains good dialogue between the two sides. The Panthers have a projected cap space of $21.5 million with 12 active roster players under contract.
Dreger pointed out how much William Nylander got from the Toronto Maple Leafs (eight years, $92 million) and Elias Pettersson received from the Vancouver Canucks (eight years, $92.8 million). There's no indication of how much the Reinhart camp will seek. If it's comparable to Nylander and Pettersson, he could price himself out of Florida.
Stats (as of March 30, 2024) via NHL.com. Salary info via Cap Friendly. Additional information via Hockey-Reference.com.
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.jpg?w=600 "Coached Stunned by Lawrence Trade")
