5 NHL Free Agents Who Will Be Overvalued This Offseason

The NHL's annual free-agent market opens on July 1 at noon ET. A frenzy of signings usually occurs within the opening hours as teams try to snap up the best available unrestricted free agents.

With the salary cap jumping from $95.5 million to $104 million for 2025-26, there are currently 15 teams with over $20 million in projected cap space. That number could drop as July 1 approaches and teams re-sign players or add others via trades, but some could have sufficient cap dollars to invest in free agency.

However, those teams will find the pickings slim for quality free-agent talent. The rising cap resulted in superstars such as Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild, and Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights re-signing with their current clubs.

That could result in teams desperate to address their roster needs paying top dollar for the top unrestricted free agents, even if they're not worthy of those expensive contracts. Follow along as we look at five UFA-eligible players who we expect will be overvalued this offseason.

Boone Jenner, Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets could be parting ways with Boone Jenner.

The versatile 32-year-old forward has spent his entire 13-season NHL career with the Jackets and has been their captain since 2021. He is completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $3.8 million.

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported on May 19 that this is Jenner's last chance to sign a multiyear contract as a free agent. He noted the Blue Jackets received plenty of calls for the hardworking 6'2", 207-pound forward at the March trade deadline.

On May 27, Sportsnet's Luke Fox speculated that Jenner could be leaving the Blue Jackets, citing their need to re-sign younger centers Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger. He could seek a four-year contract worth an average annual value between $5.5 million and $6 million.

Jenner's physical two-way style and leadership have earned him respect around the league. However, he dropped down the Blue Jackets' depth chart this season, and he hasn't played at least 70 games since 2019-20. His playing style could be catching up with him, making a lucrative long-term deal a risky investment.

Anthony Mantha, Pittsburgh Penguins

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Entering last summer's free-agent period, Anthony Mantha was coming off four difficult, injury-hampered seasons with the Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, and Calgary Flames.

His stock dropped so much that the Pittsburgh Penguins were able to sign him to a one-year, $2.5 million contract.

That deal paid off for both sides. Mantha made the most of the opportunity with his career-best performance, tallying 33 goals and 31 assists for 64 points in 81 games. He finished fourth among the Penguins' scorers, helping them reach the playoffs for the first time in three years.

Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported on May 12 that it's unlikely the Penguins will re-sign Mantha, who intends to seek a lucrative multi-year deal. Coming off a career year, the 31-year-old winger is entering a talent-thin free-agent market with teams flush with cap space willing to invest in his services.

Mantha could get a four-year deal worth around $6.5 million annually. However, his injury history suggests it's unlikely he'll have any more 81-game seasons ahead of him. There's also no certainty he'll end up with a team carrying veteran forwards of the same skill set he had in Pittsburgh.

Bobby McMann, Seattle Kraken

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This season was hectic for Bobby McMann.

He was already on pace for a career-best performance with 19 goals and 32 points when the Toronto Maple Leafs shipped the 29-year-old winger to the Seattle Kraken at the trade deadline. He played well with his new club, finishing with another 10 goals and 14 points.

Until two years ago, few NHL fans knew who McMann was. A late-blooming middle-six winger, he joined the Maple Leafs at age 26 in 2022-23 as a depth forward. Last season, he set what were then career highs with 19 goals and 32 points in 60 games.

His 29 goals and 46 points in 78 games split between the Maple Leafs and Kraken have made him one of the notable names in this summer's shallow free-agent pool. He's completing a two-year deal with an annual cap hit of $1.35 million and could seek a five-year contract worth around $5.5 million annually.

The looming question is whether McMann's production is a sign of things to come or merely a one-off performance. He thrived on the goal-starved Kraken's top line, but there's no guarantee he's capable of maintaining that production, especially if he ends up signing with another team.

Darren Raddysh, Tampa Bay Lightning

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A puck-moving defenseman with a booming shot, Darren Raddysh spent the past four of his five NHL seasons as a depth player for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He put up back-to-back 30-plus point campaigns while playing second and third-pairing minutes in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

However, an injury to Lightning captain Victor Hedman earlier this season earned the 30-year-old Raddysh more playing time, especially on the top power-play unit with superstar winger Nikita Kucherov. The result was a career-best season with 22 goals, 48 assists, and 70 points, finishing fourth among Lightning scorers.

That offensive outburst couldn't have come at a better time for Raddysh. He's completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $975,000, putting him in line for a substantial raise on a long-term deal. His value is further bolstered by being the best defenseman in a talent-thin free-agent market.

A reasonable raise could be between $4 million and $5 million annually over a three-year deal. However, he could land a deal between five and seven years, worth an AAV of between $7 million and $8 million on the open market, which could prove regrettable if he reverts to his 30-point form.

Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres

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The Buffalo Sabres ended a league-record 14-year playoff drought this season. They also won their first postseason series since 2007. Alex Tuch played a crucial role in their success, finishing second among their regular-season scorers with 33 goals and third in points with 66.

Tuch is finishing a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $4.8 million. Since being acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in November 2021, the 30-year-old winger has exceeded 30 goals and 60 points in three of the last four seasons.

A skillful power forward with an accurate shot, Tuch should draw plenty of interest on the open market. Being the top player in a shallow free-agent pool should land him a lucrative long-term contract. His camp reportedly seeks an average annual value of at least $10 million, while the Sabres countered with $8 million.

A long-term deal with an AAV over $10 million could become a salary-cap headache for whoever signs Tuch. His production has leveled out at 66-to-67 points over the last two seasons, and it could decline within the next two or three seasons. The longer the deal, the less likely it'll age well.

Stats via NHL.com. Salary cap and contract info via PuckPedia.