Just minutes before the Free Agency deadline, Buffalo has announced that they have extended 23-year-old defenseman Ryan Johnson to a three-year, $2.325 million contract extension ($775,000 AAV). Johnson only appeared in three games for the Sabres in 2024-25 but will provide some much-needed defensive depth heading into the 2025-26 season as he is expected to compete for a roster spot in training camp.

New Jersey has locked up their backup netminder for the next five seasons after signing Jake Allen to a five-year, $9 million contract ($1,800,000 AAV) just hours before the free agency deadline. The 34-year-old netminder is entering his third season in New Jersey after posting a 13-16-1 record with a .908 SV% and 2.66 GAA while backing up Jacob Markstrom in 2024-25.

Carolina acquired Stankoven at last year's trade deadline in the blockbuster that sent Mikko Rantanen to Dallas and will remain a Hurricane for at least eight more seasons after signing a team-friendly 8-year deal worth $6.0M AAV ($48.0M total). The 22-year-old is coming off his first full NHL season, where he put up 14 goals, 38 points and 194 SOG in 78 games played.

Florida has secured their new backup netminder for the 2025-26 season after the Panthers signed Daniil Tarasov to a one-year, $1.05 million contract. The 26-year-old was acquired from Columbus last week for a 5th-round pick and will provide a backup option for Sergei Bobrovsky after Florida let Vitek Vanecek head to free agency. Tarasov struggled in 2024-25, with a 7-10-2 record, 3.54 GAA and ,881 SV%.

After posting a career high in points (9) in his 10th NHL season in 2024-25, Joel Hanley has earned himself a two-year, $3.5 million contract extension ($1,750,000 AVV) to remain with Calgary. The 34-year-old will provide Calgary with some much-needed defensive depth next season after collecting two goals, nine points and 21 PIMs in 53 games played last season.

After a successful return from the KHL mid-season in 2024-25, Tony DeAngelo has earned himself a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the Islanders ahead of the 2025-26 season. The 29-year-old will likely take on a bigger role this season after Noah Dobson was moved out of town last week and is expected to occupy the top powerplay in his absence. Across 35 games in 2024-25, he had four goals, 19 points and a -11 plus/minus.

Despite a horrific 2024-25 campaign, Thatcher Demko will remain a Canuck for at least three more seasons after signing a three-year deal worth $8.5M AAV ($25.5M total). The 29-year-old is entering his ninth NHL season and will hope for a bounce-back season after battling knee injuries throughout the last two seasons. In 23 appearances in 2024-25, he was 10-8-3 with a 2.90 GAA and .889 SV%.

Garland has been the definition of consistency since joining the Canucks in 2021-22, finishing each of his four seasons with the team between the 46 to 52 points. The 29-year-old forward finished tied for second on the team with 50 points (19G / 31A) in 81 games last season.

Nosek became an integral part of Florida's bottom-six forward group in his first season with the team, especially in the playoffs, and has earned a one-year extension worth $775K AAV. The 32-year-old Czech forward had nine points (1G / 8A) in 59 games with Florida, in addition to three points (0G / 3A) in 16 postseason games.

Fehervary has become a reliable defenseman for the Capitals and has signed a massive seven-year contract worth $6 million AAV to remain with the team. The 25-year-old Slovak defenseman played a career-high 81 games last season, tallying a career-high 25 points (5G / 20A) despite recording a career-low 139 hits.

Malinski is an undrafted defenseman who became an NHL regular last season. The 26-year-old played 76 games with the Avalanche in the 2024-25 season, averaging 15:57 time-on-ice and scoring 15 points (5G / 10A) in 76 games.

Kane returns to the Red Wings on a one-year deal that carries a $3.0M cap-hit in salary and $2.5M in potential bonuses. Kane has spent the last two seasons with the Red Wings, averaging 28 goals and 44 assists (71 points) per 82 games.

After winning the Stanley Cup in the 2023-24 season with the Florida Panthers, Cousins spent the 2024-25 season with the Ottawa Senators and will return for a second season with the club in 2025-26. The agitating 31-year-old forward had 15 points (6G / 9A), 41 penalty minutes, and 85 hits in 50 games with the Senators.

By acquiring Marner's rights, the Golden Knights were able to secure an eight-year contract worth $12M AAV before free agency opened on July 1st. Marner entered the league as a 19-year-old in the 2016-17 season and played the entirety of his nine-year career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, being amongst the league leaders over that time with 741 points (221G / 520A) in 657 games. The 28-year-old Marner will be motivated to continue his point-per-game production with a new team, likely playing alongside Jack Eichel.

After spending the entirety of his 16-year career with the Boston Bruins, Marchand was dealt to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline last season and has found a new home with the team, securing a six-year contract extension worth $5.25M AAV. The 37-year-old Marchand became a fan favourite with the Panthers, finishing as the runner-up for the Conn Smythe trophy and scoring 20 points (10G / 10A) in 23 postseason games.

Bishop made his Flames debut last season, scoring one point (1G / 0A) in six games, but spent most of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, tallying 38 points (19G / 19A) in 66 games. The 29-year-old Bishop's career-high was 20 NHL games in the 2018-19 season, a feat that will likely be surpassed in the 2025-26 season after signing a one-way contract.

With the selection of free-agent defensemen dwindling, the Blue Jackets acted quickly and signed Provorov to a massive seven-year extension worth $8.5 million AAV. The 28-year-old Provorov was excellent in 2024-25, his second season with the Blue Jackets, averaging 23:21 of time on ice, scoring 33 points (7G, 26A) in 82 games. He ranked in the top 30 amongst all defensemen last season with 30 even-strength points.

Lorentz matched a career-high 19 points (8G / 11A) playing 80 games in his first season with the Maple Leafs and has signed a three-year contract extension worth $1.35M AAV. The 29-year-old was a seventh-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and averaged 10:33 time-on-ice last season.

After struggling in stints with the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers last season, Kuzmenko found success in his third stop in the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 17 points (5G / 12A) in 22 games with the Los Angeles Kings. The 29-year-old Kuzemnko ended the season with 17 points (5G / 12A) in his last 15 games while playing on the Kings' top line alongside Anze Kopitar and Andrian Kempe.

Washington acquired the rights to Chisholm last week from the Minnesota Wild and promptly signed him to a two-year deal worth $1.6 million AAV. The 25-year-old Chisholm was a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He averaged 17:00 time-on-ice last season with Minnesota, tallying 12 points (2G / 10A) in 66 games.