Complete 2026 NHL Offseason Guide For Every Team

The NHL offseason is officially here.

Trades are already starting. Head coaching vacancies are being filed. The draft is less than two weeks away, and free agency arrives shortly after.

To help get you ready for the offseason, let's take a look at all 32 teams and offer a quick offseason guide for what every team is working with in terms of salary-cap space, free agents and needs.

Anaheim Ducks

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Jackson LaCombe

Salary cap space: $38.7 million

Restricted free agents: Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Ian Moore, Tyson Hinds, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov

Unrestricted free agents: John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas, Ross Johnston, Jansen Harkins, Jeffrey Viel, Petr Mrazek

Biggest questions

1. How do they fix the defense? The Ducks have one of the best collections of young forward talent in the NHL and played a wildly entertaining brand of hockey to not only end their playoff drought, but also advance to the second round. The thing that held them back, and the big concern going into the summer, is their defensive metrics were among the worst in the NHL among all teams, not just playoff teams. With Carlson, Trouba and Gudas all set to reach the unrestricted free agent market they are not only going to need to make upgrades, they are also going to have to simply add more bodies to fill out the roster. It would be a good way to spend some of that salary cap space.
2. What will the contracts for Gauthier and Carlsson look like? Given the amount of salary cap space the Ducks have to work with, they would be in a position to match pretty much any potential offer sheet that would come Gauthier and Carlsson's way. But they are two of the most important long-term pieces the Ducks have, and both are going to command major dollars. The Ducks have had some issues getting young players signed in a timely manner in recent years and it would probably be a good idea to avoid that this summer.
3. What is Mason McTavish's future? McTavish has rapidly gone from being a potential building block to a player whose future with the team is in doubt. His skating does not seem to be up to the level of a top-line player, and he found himself as a healthy scratch at times this season. His salary cap number is $7 million per year through 2031, so any team trading for him would have to be very confident a fresh start helps.

Boston Bruins

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Charlie McAvoy

Salary cap space: $15.4 million

Restricted free agents: Jordan Harris

Unrestricted free agents: Viktor Arvidsson

Biggest questions

1. Do they realize how bad the defense is? Not just in terms of the players that actually play defense, but the team defense in general? The Bruins defensive metrics during 5-on-5 play were among the worst in the NHL during the 2025-26 season entirely across the board. The only thing that saved them was Jeremy Swayman playing at a Vezina and MVP level. Management will either recognize those flaws and try to fix them, or let Swayman's play fool them into thinking everything is fine (it is not fine).
2. Pavel Zacha's future. Zacha is coming off a career-year that saw him top the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career. His $4.75 million salary cap number is extremely favorable, especially in a rising cap environment. But he is also entering the final year of his contract and going to be 30 years old when his new deal kicks in. He could be a strong trade asset, especially since his value might be at its absolute peak right now. That could be a good way to help fix some of the defensive shortcomings.
3. Will Mason Lohrei get traded? The 25-year-old Lohrei is on the final year of his contract and still has a year of restricted free agency and team control beyond that. After being a healthy scratch for the team's final three playoff games his name has surfaced in trade rumors and could not only be an intriguing trade chip, he could also probably use a fresh start somewhere else.

Buffalo Sabres

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Rasmus Dahlin

Salary cap space: $11.9 million

Restricted free agents: Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs

Unrestricted free agents: Alex Tuch, Tanner Pearson, Beck Malenstyn, Joshua Dunne, Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn

Biggest questions

1. Will they re-sign Alex Tuch? Perhaps the question here should be more along the lines of "should they re-sign Alex Tuch?" Tuch is set to be the top forward on the unrestricted free agent, and he has been an extremely valuable player in Buffalo the past couple of years. He came over in the Jack Eichel trade and helped bring some pride to the lineup, while also playing a big role in the team's return to the playoffs. He is a good player. He is not a great player. He is 30 years old. He is probably going to cost over $10 million per season (at a minimum) in this free agent market and under this cap. That's a spicy price tag that might cause some regret for whatever team signs it.
2. What is Bowen Byram's future? Byram seems to be mentioned in a new trade rumor every few weeks, and this offseason is no different. He has one year remaining on his contract with a $6.25 million salary cap number and will then be eligible for unrestricted free agency. Is he a player Buffalo wants to re-sign? Is a player it can re-sign? There is also the lingering question of "how good is Bowen Byram?"
3. Are the Sabres happy with their goalies? It was a tale of two different seasons for the Sabres netminders. On one hand, a strong goaltending performance from all three players that manned the crease this season played a large role in Buffalo's mid-season turnaround. On the other hand, they had no consistency in the playoffs and none of the goalies on the roster are proven, top-tier goalies. This feels like a position that could go any number of ways next season if they stick with the status quo.

Calgary Flames

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Blake Coleman

Salary cap space: $22.7 million

Restricted free agents: John Beecher

Unrestricted free agents: Victor Olofsson, Ryan Lomberg, Jake Bean

Biggest questions

1. Are they just stuck with Jonathan Huberdeau? Probably. While no contract is unmovable, and while the rising salary cap does make it easy to deal with big contracts, this situation just seems like it is not going to get any better. Huberdeau's offense disappeared the moment he arrived in Calgary and has shown no signs of ever returning to an elite level. He underwent hip resurfacing surgery this past season, but he is also going to be 33 years old on opening night.
2. Who is the next veteran to go? The Flames have been jettisoning veterans for a couple of years now to stockpile draft picks, and with Ryan Strome, Blake Coleman and Morgan Frost all entering the final year of their deals they would also seem logical candidates to be on the move over the next 10 months.
3. What are you going to do with all of those draft picks? All of those trades have given the Flames 14 picks in the first two rounds over the next three years. That includes six picks in the first two rounds of the 2026 class. That presents some big opportunities to potentially move up, or perhaps flip some picks for players that can help at the NHL level right now.

Carolina Hurricanes

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Jordan Staal

Salary cap space: $11.9 million

Restricted free agents: Alexander Nikishin

Unrestricted free agents: Frederik Andersen, Mike Reilly, Nicolas Deslauriers

Biggest questions

1. What will Nikishin's contract look like? The Hurricanes have done a fabulous job getting their core players locked in to long-term, team-friendly contracts that have not only made them a Stanley Cup championship team, but also given them serious salary cap flexibility to keep adding to the roster. Can they get Nikishin signed to another team-friendly deal that joins that core group?
2. Do they have another blockbuster move? This team doesn't really need anything major this offseason, but given the salary cap space, as well as the fact that they have four first-round picks over the next three years, you have to imagine they will be active in trade discussions. It is an aggressive front office that has not been afraid to swing big deals, and they have a chance to do it again this summer and make an already great team even better.

Chicago Blackhawks

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Connor Bedard

Salary cap space: $40.1 million

Restricted free agents: Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro

Unrestricted free agents: Matt Grzelcyk, Sam Lafferty, Ilya Mikheyev

Biggest questions

1. How much will Connor Bedard get? This is one of the biggest items on general manager Kyle Davidson's offseason to-do list. Bedard is a restricted free agent and figures to cash in on his first major contract. While there are still some shortcomings to his game away from the puck, he is already one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league. It's going to be a big number, probably over the maximum number of years. It's just a matter of how high that number goes.
2. Will they trade the No. 4 pick? Every year we get into hypotheticals surrounding top-10 picks, and top-10 picks never move. But if there were a team that might be open to it, this Blackhawks team might be the one. They are not in the Gavin McKenna/Ivar Stenberg range, and they already have a lot of high-end young players in the prospect pool. Despite that, they are still seemingly light years away from serious contention and need to start surrounding Bedard with NHL talent that can start progressing this rebuild. That No. 4 pick could be a big chip to land a serious NHL player.
3. Will they show any urgency elsewhere? You can't just simply wait for all of your young players to develop. Not all of them will. Not all of them will be as good as you think. And even if some of them do pan out, it will often times take several years. The Blackhawks are going into Year 4 of the Bedard era and have won 23, 25 and 29 games in his first three years. They won 26 games in the year they tanked to get him. Be aggressive.

Colorado Avalanche

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Nathan MacKinnon

Salary cap space: $6.9 million

Restricted free agents: Jack Drury, Zakhar Bardakov

Unrestricted free agents: Joel Kiviranta, Brent Burns, Brett Kulak, Jack Ahcan, Nick Blankenburg

Biggest questions

1. Will they get Cale Makar's contract taken care of? The Avalanche do not have many key free agents to worry about this summer, but they do have some prominent players entering the final year of their current deals that will be eligible for new contracts this offseason. Makar is the most significant of those players. It's hard to imagine him not eventually re-signing with Colorado, but getting it done this offseason without having to worry about it throughout the regular season would probably be something ownership wants.
2. Can they find some more draft capital? The Avalanche draft pick cupboard has been decimated through trades in recent years, which is simply the cost of doing business as an "all-in, win-now" team. But they would probably like to have a few more picks, not just for adding to their farm system, but to also use for trade chips. They already got a couple back in the Ross Colton trade with Nashville.
3. How can they address the defense depth? Aside from worrying about Makar's extension, they also need to make some minor tweaks to their defensive depth with Burns and Kulak headed to unrestricted free agency. Given the lack of trade assets in the prospect pool and draft capital, they might need to seek out some bargains in free agency.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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Zach Werenski

Salary cap space: $32.2 million

Restricted free agents: Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, Mikael Pyythia, Yegor Zemula, Jet Greaves

Unrestricted free agents: Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, Danton Heinen, Erik Gudbranson, Brendan Smith

Biggest questions

1. How can Rick Bowness change the culture? Following their late season collapse that turned what looked to be a sure playoff spot into another bitterly disappointing finish, Bowness, who was then still working under the interim title, absolutely shredded his team's attitude and mindset and said that if he returns he would be absolutely changing the culture. Well, he is back, and now he has to back up his words and try to help fix an organization that has known mostly losing throughout its existence. But a coach can only do so much. He needs better players.
2. Will management be more aggressive? Columbus seemed to miss a prime opportunity to add to its roster a year ago with a massive amount of salary cap space and multiple first-round picks to trade from. Their biggest addition was trading for Charlie Coyle. It did not really move the needle. They have more than $32 million to work with this offseason and a lot of needs offensively. Will they try to swing a big deal?
3. What sort of contracts for Fantilli and Greaves? The two biggest RFA situations for Columbus are going to be with two of its best young players in Fantilli and Greaves. Greaves ended up taking over the starting goalie job and playing a big role in their ability to stay in the playoff race, while Fantilli is still waiting for his big breakout offensively. Do they spend big and hope both players keep developing? Or are bridge deals on the horizon?

Dallas Stars

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Jason Robertson

Salary cap space: $10.1 million

Restricted free agents: Jason Robertson, Mavrik Bourque, Arttu Hyry

Unrestricted free agents: Jamie Benn, Adam Erne, Michael Bunting, Nathan Bastian, Alexander Petrovic, Kyle Capobianco

Biggest questions

1. What happens with Jason Robertson? This is the question for the Stars this offseason. He is a restricted free agent, he is one of the best players in hockey, he is in the prime of his career, and you would think they would be doing everything in their power to keep him. But will they pay him what he wants, and especially if it is more than Mikko Rantanen? Will they trade him? It is a decision that will have a profound impact on both their long-term outlook and perhaps the outlook of another NHL team if they can not get him signed.
2. Is Mavrik Bourque an offer sheet target? They key to actually making an offer sheet work is a team needs to target a player that is good enough to want, but not quite on a level where the team that has them will automatically match any offer. It also has to be a team with some salary cap constraints. Check, check and check. Given the Stars' cap situation, the fact Bourque is a good but not quite top-line player, and the fact Dallas still has to figure out what to do with Robertson this might be a perfect player for somebody to swoop in and try to poach.
3. What will Jamie Benn do? Benn is an unrestricted free agent, and while the Stars would like him to return there are going to be some decisions for their long-time captain to make. Retirement is also a potential option here.

Detroit Red Wings

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Moritz Seider

Salary cap space: $29.0 million

Restricted free agents: Carter Mazur, Simon Edvinsson

Unrestricted free agents: Patrick Kane, David Perron, James van Riemsdyk, Travis Hamonic, Cam Talbot

Biggest questions

1. What happens with Dylan Larkin? This is the story of the offseason for Detroit as Larkin, their captain, has requested a trade and wants out after another late season collapse. Will Steve Yzerman play hardball, especially when it comes to Larkin's no-trade list? And will Yzerman be able to make a deal that works for the Red Wings and helps them get a strong and fair return for one of their best players?
2. Is this a make-or-break offseason for Yzerman? It almost has to be, right? The playoff drought is at 10 years, with seven of them under Yzerman's watch. Larkin asking for a trade out seems to be a devastating blow to whatever is left of the Yzer-plan, and he not only has to navigate that situation, but also find a way to improve a defense and forward group that is severely lacking in quality depth.
3. A new contract for Alex DeBrincat? DeBrincat has been one of the few bright spots in Detroit the past couple of years, but he is entering the final year of his contract and is starting to get closer to his 30th birthday. Will the Red Wings pay big to keep him? Is he a potential trade option? Another big decision for Yzerman to make.

Edmonton Oilers

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Connor McDavid

Salary cap space: $14.5 million

Restricted free agents: Colton Dach, Spencer Stastney

Unrestricted free agents: Adam Henrique, Curtis Lazar, Jason Dickinson, Kasperi Kapanen, Jack Roslovic, Max Jones, Connor Murphy, Connor Ingram

Biggest questions

1. Why? Simply put: Why? Why Mike Babcock? Why consider a toxic, disgraced coach who hasn't won anything of relevance in nearly a decade-and-a-half? Are you that desperate? Do you have no other ideas? Are there no other options? If you want a Stanley Cup-winning tough guy, Craig Berube and John Tortorella are sitting right there. Why not go for a new voice that has not already failed multiple times in the NHL? Just ... why?
2. Will Edmonton find a goalie solution? A yearly question, and one that typically ends with a bad answer for the Oilers. Stan Bowman screwed up this situation even worse than it already was when he took on Tristan Jarry's contract, and now he is still looking for somebody that can make a big save in a big moment. Or any moment.
3. Where does Darnell Nurse go, and what does that trade look like? Nurse is another big-name player that has requested a trade this offseason, and the Oilers are probably happy to oblige that request. But will they have to throw in a sweetener to get a team to take his contract? Will they have to retain salary? Will they have to do both? Or is there a hockey trade to be made where the Oilers can at least recoup some sort of value back?

Florida Panthers

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Sam Reinhart

Salary cap space: $15.2 million

Restricted free agents: Mackie Samoskevich, Cole Schwindt, Donovan Sebrango

Unrestricted free agents: Sergei Bobrovsky, Daniil Tarasov, Vinnie Hinostroza, Tomas Nosek, A.J. Greer, Luke Kunin, Noah Gregor

Biggest questions

1. Who is the goalie? While the injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk (among others) derailed a lot of the Panthers' 2025-26 season, they were not the only issues. Goaltending was also a massive problem, and now both goalies are unrestricted free agents. The free agent market is awful for potential starting goalies (and that includes Bobrovsky and Tarasov) so they may need to try and swing a trade. Bobrovsky did great things for the Panthers, but give his age and declining play it would be a tough sell to bring him back.
2. Do the Panthers have some sort of a blockbuster up their sleeve? The Panthers always seem to have something cooking, and there is no way they are not looking at this season as an all-in type of year. They always find a way to do something bold, and this offseason should be no different. Could they swing a deal for a goalie? If Connor Hellebuyck turns up the pressure on Winnipeg that would be a seemingly perfect match here.

Los Angeles Kings

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Adrian Kempe

Salary cap space: $18.3 million

Restricted free agents: Brandt Clarke

Unrestricted free agents: Scott Laughton, Mathieu Joseph, Jeff Malott, Andrei Kuzmenko, Jacob Moverare

Biggest questions

1. Can they make a big move for a center? With Anze Kopitar retired, there is a need for another center that can drive some offense and score. Quinton Byfield is a really good player, but he has not yet taken a huge step forward offensively, and even if he does the Kings could still use another playmaker down the middle.
2. Where will the offense come from? The Kings finished the 2025-26 season ranked 29th in goals scored, and that is simply not going to be good enough. Can Peter Laviolette help bring some juice to this roster? Maybe. But it is still a player-driven league, and the Kings need more impact players if they are going to break through that first-round ceiling they keep ramming into. A full season of Artemi Panarin might help, but the defense is badly lacking in puck-movers and players that can generate offense.

Minnesota Wild

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Kirill Kaprizov

Salary cap space: $9.4 million

Restricted free agents: Bobby Brink, Daemon Hunt

Unrestricted free agents: Nick Foligno, Marcus Johansson, Vladimir Tarasenko, Mats Zuccarello, Robby Fabbri, Zach Bogosian, Jeff Petry

Biggest questions

1. Can Bill Guerin add a center upgrade? If there was an Achilles heel on this roster in 2025-26 it was the lack of quality depth at center. Joel Eriksson Ek is an outstanding two-way player, but there is a substantial drop off at the position after him. Dylan Larkin reportedly listed Minnesota as one of the teams he will accept a trade to, and there is an obvious history between Larkin, Guerin and several players on the roster from their Team USA experience at the Olympics. The same is true with New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck. It would not be a surprise if one of them ends up in Minnesota this season.
2. Will a goalie get traded? Specifically, Jesper Wallstedt. It's entirely possible that Wallstedt could be moved for a center, or perhaps for more assets that can be used to acquire a center. But there is also a ton of value in having two quality goalies, and Minnesota could give itself a huge advantage by taking another run with Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson.
3. Any progress on a Quinn Hughes contract? Everybody seems to think it is a foregone conclusion that Hughes will leave in free agency to join his brothers in New Jersey, but everybody has a price. Could Minnesota reach whatever price Hughes would need to re-sign with the Wild? He is entering the final year of his contract and will be eligible for a new contract extension on starting on July 1.

Montreal Canadiens

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Cole Caufield

Salary cap space: $10.9 million

Restricted free agents: Joseph Veleno, Kirby Dach, Zack Bolduc, Arber Xhekaj

Unrestricted free agents: Patrik Laine

Biggest questions

1. Will they make a move for a No. 2 center? The Canadiens have an MVP-level top-line center in Nick Suzuki and one of the best young cores in the league. But if they are going to take the step from good, young playoff team to bonafide Stanley Cup contender, they might need one more big piece down the middle to really bring the top-six together.
2. Will they use Jakub Dobes as trade bait? That seems like an outrageous thought given how great he was in the playoffs and this season, but Jacob Fowler might be the future of the position, and that could open the door for Dobes to be a trade chip, perhaps as a means of acquiring the aforementioned missing piece in the top-six. If they don't use Dobes as a trade chip, having a young 1-2 punch of Dobes and Fowler would also be an outstanding situation.
3. Will Brendan Gallagher be traded? Gallagher has been a heart-and-soul player for the Canadiens for years, but with the team dealing with a salary cap crunch and his play beginning to decline, it looks like they have reached the end of the line with one another.

Nashville Predators

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Filip Forsberg

Salary cap space: $23.2 million

Restricted free agents: Justin Barron

Unrestricted free agents: Erik Haula, Tyson Jost, Kevin Gravel

Biggest questions

1. What direction is this offseason going to take? Let's just make a general question here. The Predators have not been a particularly good team the past couple of years, have an older core and a new general manager in Chris McFarland. He has already made one move this offseason in acquiring Ross Colton from his previous team (the Colorado Avalanche) and dipped into his deep cupboard of draft pick assets. Does that indicate the Predators are trying to make another run with this core and not ready to re-tool? It might.
2. Will any veterans get traded? The answer to question one will help dictate the answer to this question, but players like Ryan O'Reilly, Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault have been mentioned in trade speculation going back to the middle of last season. O'Reilly would especially have some big value this offseason given how cheap his contract is and the fact he is still an outstanding two-way center. A lot of teams need a No. 2 (or third-line) center, and O'Reilly could still help a lot of contenders.

New Jersey Devils

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Jack Hughes

Salary cap space: $10.9 million

Restricted free agents: Paul Cotter, Arseny Gritsuk, Simon Nemec

Unrestricted free agents: Evgenii Dadonov, Zack MacEwen, Dennis Cholowski

Biggest questions

1. Will Nico Hischier get a contract extension? That is a huge pressing question for the Devils and new general manager Sunny Mehta. Hischier is not only the Devils' captain, he is one of the best two-way centers in hockey and is a massive part of the roster. He is entering the final year of his contract, and if the Devils can not get a deal done with him, or have any doubt about their ability to do so, it could put him on the trade block. But there does seem to be some momentum toward a new contract, and that would only be good news for the Devils and their long-term outlook.
2. What happens with the goalies? Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen are 36 and 35 years old respectively, and neither is really anything special at this point in their careers. Is there an upgrade to be had here?
3. Will Simon Nemec get traded? Nemec's time with the Devils has been a bit of a roller coaster, and now that he is a restricted free agent and in need of a new contract he is a potential trade option. Especially if the Devils do not like his price tag. His offensive numbers (11 goals, 15 assists and 26 total points in 68 games) are solid, but his overall impact is still inconsistent when it comes to defending and driving possession.

New York Islanders

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Matthew Schaefer

Salary cap space: $10.6 million

Restricted free agents: Marc Gatcomb

Unrestricted free agents: Anders Lee, Carson Soucy, Tony DeAngelo, Adam Boqvist, David Rittich

Biggest questions

1. Will Anders Lee return? Lee has been an Islander for the past 14 years and is the team's long-time captain. He is also an unrestricted free agent, 35 years old, and coming off a 19-goal season. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche has said he would love for Lee to return and play his 1,000th game in an Islanders uniform, but also acknowledged it has to be at a number that makes sense for both Lee and the Islanders. He also pointed out that Lee has earned the opportunity to shop his services in free agency. That sounds like a very gentle way of trying to soften the blow for Islanders fans if/when Lee ends up leaving.
2. Can they find more scoring help? The Islanders simply do not have enough offense to be a serious playoff contender, and at some point that is going to have to change. Mathew Barzal is still a strong playmaker. Bo Horvat is a solid finisher and two-way player. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer looks like he is going to be a superstar and cornerstone player. But there is very little proven offensive depth beyond that, and another season of being 25th in the league in goals scored is not going to get the job done.

New York Rangers

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Mika Zibanejad

Salary cap space: $26.5 million

Restricted free agents: Braden Schneider, Vincent Iorio, Dylan Garand

Unrestricted free agents: Johnny Brodzinski, Conor Sheary, Jonathan Quick

Biggest questions

1. Do they actually retool? The Rangers sent out a letter to their fans during the season that it was time for another re-tooling. But that re-tooling at the deadline only saw them trade a couple of pending free agents. Does it end there? Do they still think they have something they can win with here? That would take some serious delusion on the part of the front office, but it would also be the sort of thing they would do. Realistically speaking, players like Vincent Trocheck, J.T. Miller and even Mika Zibanejad should be aggressively shopped in the hope there is value in them. There almost certainly is in Trocheck, and it might be wise to move him this offseason before his value potentially tanks during the season.
2. Can they add some much-needed mobility to their defense? Whether they are trying to win this season or looking to re-tool things with a more longer-term outlook in mind, one of the top priorities needs to be finding more defensemen that can move the puck and help in the transition game. That is a major issue on this group beyond Adam Fox, and it is really difficult to build a winning team without that element on your backend.
3. Will they move on from Braden Schneider? Schneider is another young player that just never really panned out here as expected, but he is still a good player with some value. The Rangers already saw K'Andre Miller go into a better situation and blossom, and there should be some fear of that happening again as it relates to Schneider.

Ottawa Senators

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Jake Sanderson

Salary cap space: $16.9 million

Restricted free agents: Arthur Kaliyev, Jordan Spence

Unrestricted free agents: Claude Giroux, Lars Eller, Nick Cousins, Nick Jensen, Dennis Gilbert, James Reimer

Biggest questions

1. Will the Brady Tkachuk trade speculation go away? Tkachuk has control over where he goes, and if he goes, and his public comments have made it sound like he wants to remain a Senator. At least for now. But the reality is that he has two years remaining on his contract, there is plenty of smoke surrounding his future, and the Senators might be at a point where his perceived value is greater than his on-ice value. He's a good player. There might still be another level he can reach. But he's not Matthew Tkachuk, and he's not really the player you build a roster around. Until he either gets traded, or eventually signs a new long-term contract extension to stay in Ottawa, that smoke seems like it is still going to linger.
2. Will Jordan Spence get traded? Spence, a restricted free agent, was a really solid addition prior to the 2025-26 season and played extremely well in a third-pairing role. He's a good player that shouldn't break the bank that the Senators should want to keep. But his name has been floating on the rumor mill this offseason and it's possible he could be on the move as he needs a new contract. It's especially bizarre given that a right-shot defenseman (which Spence is) is one of their offseason needs. Why not give him a chance at an expanded role?

Philadelphia Flyers

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Travis Sanheim

Salary cap space: $32.4 million

Restricted free agents: Trevor Zegras, Nikita Grebenkin, Jamie Drysdale

Unrestricted free agents: Garrett Wilson, Luke Glendening, Carl Grundstrom, Rodrigo Abois, Noah Juulsen

Biggest questions

1. What is Matvei Michkov's future? It is amazing how quickly things can change in a year. During the 2024-25 season the Michkov hype was off the charts in Philadelphia as he looked like the superstar scorer the Flyers needed. But after not really progressing much in 2025-26, and then finding himself as a healthy scratch at times in the playoffs, there is some question as to what his future looks like with the Flyers. It's a little over the top given his age, talent, potential and the reality that he didn't even have a bad season. Unless it's a move for an established, in-their-prime star, the Flyers shouldn't even think of moving Michkov this offseason.
2. What do the contracts for Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale look like? The former Ducks teammates are both restricted free agents this offseason, and figure to be big part of the Flyers' immediate future. Zegras turned out to be a great addition by the Flyers prior to the 2025-26 season, as he brought a ton of talent, some really good production and a lot of excitement to a roster that badly needed all of those things. He still has some flaws and things to work on away from the puck, but his playmaking ability and shootout skills were big difference-makers this season.
3. Can they take a big swing for a star scorer? The Flyers defensive play is where it needs to be for them to compete. And while they have some really good young talent in Michkov and Porter Martone on the roster, as well as strong veterans like Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett, they really need another big-time scorer. Especially at center. If the St. Louis Blues were to listen to offers for Robert Thomas, he would be an ideal fit here.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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Sidney Crosby

Salary cap space: $37.8 million

Restricted free agents: Egor Chinakhov, Arturs Silovs

Unrestricted free agents: Anthony Mantha, Kevin Hayes, Noel Accairi, Connor Clifton, Ryan Shea, Stuart Skinner

Biggest questions

1. Which veterans get traded, and for what? After making the playoffs during the 2025-26 season, and with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin officially back together for another season, the Penguins are still going to have their eyes on being competitive, while also trying to orchestrate an on-the-fly re-tool. That doesn't mean all of their veterans are off the table, and that they still will not make a deal. Could Bryan Rust or Rickard Rakell get moved? Will they move Erik Karlsson as he enters the final year of his contract, or will they look to extend him given how well he played under Dan Muse? General manager Kyle Dubas has repeatedly said he is looking for players in their early-to-mid-20s or in the prime of their careers. He wants to get younger, he wants to re-tool things, but it is not going to be a full-scale rebuild.
2. What does Egor Chinakhov's contract look like? Dubas pushed a lot of the right buttons for the Penguins a year ago, and the early-December trade for Chinakhov to get him away from the Columbus Blue Jackets was one of his best. Chinakhov arrived in Pittsburgh and immediately started to realize his potential, becoming one of the Penguins' best offensive players and also showing a better-than-advertised all-around game. He is a restricted free agent, but for as good as he was with the Penguins there is still a bit of an unknown surrounding him as a player.
3. How do they fix the defense? Whether they keep Karlsson or not, fixing the team's defense is a significant priority. The Penguins are loaded with salary cap space and have a ton of draft picks to trade over the next few years, so they should have some options and flexibility in the trade market. Darnell Nurse has been speculated to have Pittsburgh on his list of approved trade destinations, and the Penguins certainly have the salary cap space to take his contract, but would something like that be enough to give them what they need and improve a defense that had below average metrics across the board?

San Jose Sharks

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Macklin Celebrini

Salary cap space: $40.5 million

Restricted free agents: Philipp Kurashev, Zack Ostapchuk, Collin Graf, Michael Kesselring, Shakir Mukhamadulin

Unrestricted free agents: Ryan Reaves, Nick Leddy, John Klingberg, Vincent Desharnais, Mario Ferraro

Biggest questions

1. Will they extend Macklin Celebrini as soon as they are able? Celebrini is entering the final year of his entry-level contract and will be eligible for a new contract extension on July 1. The Sharks should act quickly and just get it done. He is already one of the best players in hockey and is only going to get better.
2. What will they do with their first-round draft picks? The Sharks had some incredible lottery luck when they moved up to the No. 2 overall pick, putting them in a position to potentially land either Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg. They already have an impressive collection of young talent and previous lottery picks, and they can definitely add to it with the No. 2 pick. Will they just take whichever forward Toronto does not take? Will they look to move back and potentially add a defenseman? Will they trade the pick outright for an impact NHL player? The first two options seem like the most likely outcome, and given how few trades there are involving lottery picks it is likely they stay at No. 2. But they also have the No. 27 pick (after moving back from No. 20 this past week) and could dangle that as a potential trade pick.
3. What other big moves can they make for their defense? Fixing the defense and their 5-on-5 play in general has to be a priority. While the young forward talent at the top of the roster is impressive, Celebrini is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here and there isn't much positive happening when he is off the ice. In moving down from No. 20 to No. 27 they added defenseman Michael Kesselring from Buffalo, which is a solid start to fixing the defense. They are still loaded with salary cap space could realistically be in the market for any major player that becomes available.

Seattle Kraken

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Shane Wright

Salary cap space: $28.3 million

Restricted free agents: Jacob Melanson

Unrestricted free agents: Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen, Bobby McMann, Jamie Oleksiak, Matt Murray

Biggest questions

1. Do they give up on Shane Wright? Wright was a popular name in trade rumors at the deadline but never ended up moving. He has not really become an impact player for the Kraken, even if he has shown some occasional flashes. He is still young and has some upside, but he might be becoming more of a suspect than a prospect at this point. A fresh start could do him well, but it would also be a big risk for a Seattle team that needs players like him to develop.
2. Can they avoid the big free agent mistake? The Kraken are desperate for more offense, but that has a tendency to get them into trouble when it comes to the free agent market. If you were to put money on the team that is going to overpay for Anthony Mantha this would probably be the favorite for that bet. The same thing applies to re-signing somebody like McMann. The last thing they need is a repeat of the Chandler Stephenson contract. That is the sort of thing that comes from desperation and a delusion that your team is better than it actually is.

St. Louis Blues

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Jordan Kyrou

Salary cap space: $14.7 million

Restricted free agents: Jonatan Berggren, Matthew Kessel

Unrestricted free agents: Oskar Sundqvist, Justin Holl

Biggest questions

1. Do they trade Robert Thomas or Jordan Kyrou? Such a move would probably signal some sort of a rebuild, and they would also be really difficult moves to make. In the case of Thomas, he is one of the best playmaking centers in the league and would require a major price to even make it worth it. In the case of Kyrou, he is coming off a down year and his value may be at a low-point. Given the young talent starting to emerge on the roster it might be worth it for the Blues to keep trying to build around their two cornerstone veterans.
2. What do they do with those first-round picks? The Blues have three of them. That could be nice trade fodder to either move up in the draft, move back with one of them to add more picks, or package a couple of them to add more immediate NHL help.
3. Do they keep believing in Jordan Binnington? The hold Binnington has on NHL people remains a baffling mystery. The Blues and Hockey Canada love his big-game reputation, but he was one of the worst goalies in the NHL during the 2025-26 season and one of the single biggest reasons the Blues missed the playoffs. Is there a taker for him? And even if there is, would the Blues have interest in actually moving him?

Tampa Bay Lightning

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Victor Hedman

Salary cap space: $13.1 million

Restricted free agents: None

Unrestricted free agents: Corey Perry, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Mitchell Chaffee, Darren Raddysh

Biggest questions

1. What do they do about their defensive depth? Injuries caused havoc on the Lightning blue line this season, and they are looking very likely to lose Darren Raddysh to unrestricted free agency. Another top-four defender would be a great add, but there are not many options available in free agency and the Lightning do not have a lot of great trade assets to add one. None of this, however, has ever stopped general manager Julien Brisebois from getting the player he needs and wants.
2. Where will they create salary cap space from? If the Lightning do want to make a major move this offseason, creating salary cap space and collecting more assets is going to need to be a necessity. Nick Paul would seem to be a potential trade candidate to both open up some salary cap space and potentially get some assets back in return.

Toronto Maple Leafs

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Auston Matthews

Salary cap space: $27.2 million

Restricted free agents: Nicholas Robertson, Matias Maccelli, Jacob Quillan, Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson

Unrestricted free agents: Calle Jarnkork, Troy Stecher

Biggest questions

1. What do they do with the No. 1 overall pick? What they shouldn't do is overthink this. Gavin McKenna is likely the best player with the highest upside in the draft. Just take him. Playing at the NCAA level may not have allowed him to put up the video game numbers he would have had he played in the CHL, but the NCAA may have made him even more NHL ready.
2. Will they trade Matthew Knies? The better question is why would they? Knies is a talented, productive, young forward and signed to a largely team-friendly contract. It would (and should) require a massive trade package to move him, and the Maple Leafs shouldn't do so unless they get a major haul of draft picks or a top-pairing defenseman back in return.

Utah Mammoth

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Clayton Keller

Salary cap space: $13.3 million

Restricted free agents: Barrett Hayton

Unrestricted free agents: Alexander Kerfoot, Kevin Stenlund, Kevin Rooney, Kailer Yamamoto, Ian Cole, Nick DeSimone

Biggest questions

1. Do they have another blockbuster brewing? Since relocating to Utah, the Mammoth have made major moves each offseason. Two years ago it was for defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino. A year ago it was for JJ Peterka. What can they do this offseason? Utah could really use another top-six scorer and finisher, and perhaps another top-four defenseman. They have a lot of ingredients to make them a contender, but they still need another piece to bring everything together.
2. Do they need a goalie? Probably. The duo of Karel Vejmelka and Vitek Vanecek was not overly impressive a year ago, and Vanecek is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Given the free agent market it would almost certainly need to be a trade, but it is another position that could really help elevate them in the Western Conference.

Vancouver Canucks

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Elias Pettersson

Salary cap space: $21.2 million

Restricted free agents: Pierre-Olivier Joseph

Unrestricted free agents: Evander Kane, Teddy Blueger, Derek Forbort

Biggest questions

1. Will this be the year they move on from Elias Pettersson? Given the state of the organization, how bad the 2025-26 season was, and the fact they are about to enter what is an overdue rebuild it does seem possible that they could step up their efforts to trade Pettersson. But should they? His value remains at an all-time low given that he had another down year offensively, and it might make more sense for the Canucks to hold on to him and see if he can rebuild some value to improve his trade stock for later in the season or a future offseason.
2. How extensive will the rebuild be? This could be an opportunity for a total firesale this offseason. Pettersson? Brock Boeser? Jake DeBrusk? Filip Hronek? Marcus Pettersson? Why keep anybody on this list. It is going to be a long way back, so try to get as much as you can now. It does not need to be for draft picks. It does not need to be for prospects or players that are years away. But you can still hit a reset button this offseason.

Vegas Golden Knights

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Jack Eichel

Salary cap space: $4.6 million

Restricted free agents: Pavel Dorofeyev, Akira Schmid

Unrestricted free agents: Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad, Colton Sissons, Cole Smith, Ben Hutton, Jeremy Lauzon, Rasmus Andersson, Dylan Coghlan

Biggest questions

1. Are they vulnerable to a Pavel Dorofeyev offer sheet? It is one of the rare situations where it is a legit concern for a top-level RFA. Dorofeyev is the best home-grown player the Golden Knights have, he is coming off a monster season offensively, is due for a major raise, and they simply do not have the salary cap space at the moment to handle that and fill out the remainder of their roster. If not an offer sheet, a potential trade could be an option depending on Dorofeyev's ask in terms of money.
2. Can they find a way to keep Rasmus Andersson? Andersson was Vegas' big in-season trade addition, and they have a lot of pending free agents on defense and have a big need to fill out their blue line. Andersson struggled in the playoffs, but is still a solid veteran and there are not many better options available on the open market. Vegas also has almost no intriguing trade chips in terms of prospects or draft picks, especially after John Tortorella cost them a second-round pick for skipping out on a playoff press conference.
3. How do they create salary cap space and recoup some assets? You have to figure at some point this offseason a trade is going to be made. Tomas Hertl? William Karlsson? Maybe Ivan Barbashev? They have to trim some salary somewhere, and they do not have a pick in the first two rounds of the next two NHL Draft classes. They need some picks, even if just to flip as future trade assets.

Washington Capitals

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Alex Ovechkin

Salary cap space: $31.3 million

Restricted free agents: Connor McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre

Unrestricted free agents: Alex Ovechkin, Brandon Duhaime, David Kampf, Trevor van Riemsdyk

Biggest questions

1. Does Alex Ovechkin return? Ovechkin is no longer the player he was at his peak, nor is he a focal point of the roster any longer, but he is still the NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer (and the greatest goal-scorer of all time) and he is still capable of scoring 30 goals in a season. He has yet to make a decision, but it is going to be Capitals or retirement. We just need to know which one he chooses.
2. Is a John Carlson reunion on the horizon? The Capitals traded Carlson prior to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline and got a first-round pick back in return. It rarely ever works out that a player trades a pending unrestricted free agent and then signs them back, but this is one of the rare instances where it might make some sense. There is an obvious connection between the two sides, and the Capitals are going to need another defenseman this offseason.
3. Will the Capitals take a big swing at a blockbuster trade. They should. They absolutely should. The bones of a good team are still in place here, but they really need a star at the top of the lineup to help complete things. They have two first-round picks, a good prospect pool and salary cap space to spend. If somebody like a Jason Robertson or Robert Thomas actually becomes available the Capitals need to be one of the first teams picking up the phone and calling.

Winnipeg Jets

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Josh Morrissey

Salary cap space: $21.0 million

Restricted free agents: Cole Perfetti, Isak Rosen

Unrestricted free agents: Jonathan Toews, Gustav Nyquist, Colin Miller, Jacob Bryson, Eric Comrie

Biggest questions

1. Is Connor Hellebuyck happy? Based on his end-of-season press conference? No. Not at all. Not even a little bit. He has carried this franchise for years and has not really received the type of support that is deserving of his level of play. Winnipeg's management has spent too many years passively building its roster and relying on the fact it has an elite goalie that can mask the many flaws that have existed on the roster, and after another failed year without getting close to a championship that all seems to be wearing on Hellebuyck. If he gets to a point where he asks out, it would pretty much end whatever hope Winnipeg would have of competing with this current core. They need him to be great. They need him to be happy.
2. Is Kevin Cheveldayoff the person to fix all of this? Not just managing the Hellebuyck situation, but simply making the moves Winnipeg needs to make in order to be a contender again? Based on his track record over the past decade, the answer to that question seems to be a resounding no. He needs a No. 2 center. He needs more scoring depth. He needs more depth on the blue line. He needed all of these things a year ago, and his biggest move was to bring Jonathan Toews out of retirement and hope he still had enough left in the tank to be a second-line center, all while losing a star in Nikolaj Ehlers. It was all a mess. He can not be patient and sit back this offseason. He needs to step out of his comfort zone and do something bold. Multiple bold things would be even better. If he can not do that, or does not do it, it might be long past time to start trying to find a general manager that can and will do those things.