Blais had a breakout 2022-23 season, scoring 20 points (9G / 11A) in 31 games with the St. Louis Blues, but only scored seven points (1G / 6A) in 53 games in 2023-24 and ultimately spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season in the AHL. After losing Joel Armia and Michael Pezzetta, the Canadiens will look to Blais to compete for a bottom-six role in the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Kahkonen had a one-game stint with the Colorado Avalanche early in the 2024-25 season when they were experimenting with goalies, but failed to impress and spent the remainder of the season in the AHL. The 28-year-old goalie had a 2.30 GAA and .906 SV% in 12 games (8-4-0) with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) last season. His last campaign as a full-time goalie on an NHL roster was in 2022-23 with the San Jose Sharks when he posted a 3.81 GAA and .895 SV% in 31 games (6-20-3). He will likely be third on Montreal's depth chart behind Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes.
Bear will join his fourth organization in five seasons after signing a one-year deal worth $775,000 with the Islanders on Tuesday. The 28-year-old defenceman last appeared in the NHL in 2023-24 after spending last season in Hershey (AHL) where he had 10 goals and 46 points in 62 games played. He is expected to compete for one of the Islanders' final roster spots in training camp.
Perunovich will join his third organization in two seasons after signing a one-year, two-way minimum deal with Utah on Tuesday. The 26-year-old joined the Islanders midseason in 2024-25 after three seasons with St. Louis and ended his campaign with two goals and nine points in 35 total games played between the two organizations. He will provide depth for Utah's defence this season and is expected to compete for one of the final roster spots in training camp for the upcoming season.
Pittsburgh added to its defensive depth on Tuesday by signing three-year veteran Parker Wotherspoon to a two-year, $2 million contract ($1,000,000 AAV). The 27-year-old appeared in a career high 55 games with Boston in 2024-25, picking up a goal, seven points and a -10 plus/minus. He is expected to play an everyday role for the Penguins in 2025-26.
After two successful seasons backing up in Los Angeles, David Rittich will join his sixth NHL team after signing a one-year contract with the Islanders on Tuesday. The 32-year-old appeared in his most games (34) since 2019-20 last season, but struggled mightily as shown by his .886 SV% and 2.84 GAA. He is expected to provide goaltending depth if Semyon Varlamov is unable to go to start the season.
Bjugstad will join his sixth team in six seasons after signing a two-year deal worth $1.75M AAV ($3.5M total) with St. Louis on Tuesday. The 32-year-old is entering his 14th NHL season after a down year in Utah in 2024-25, which saw him put up only eight points, 19 points and 16 PIMs while playing a bottom-six role.
Philadelphia continued to add to its defensive depth on Tuesday after signing Dennis Gilbert to a one-year, $875,000 contract. The 28-year-old defenseman appeared in 29 games combined between Buffalo and Ottawa last season, picking up six assists, 50 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus. He is expected to compete for Philadelphia's final defensive spot in training camp ahead of the upcoming season.
After a successful first stint in Utah, Kailer Yamamoto will remain a member of the Mammoth after signing a one-year, two-way contract on Tuesday worth $775,000. The 26-year-old former 1st-round pick only appeared in 12 games with Utah in 2024-25, but had two goals, three points and 13 SOG. He is expected to battle for one of Utah's final roster spots for the upcoming season.
After spending his first six NHL seasons with the New York Rangers, Lindgren joined the Colorado Avalanche before the 2024-25 trade deadline. The 27-year-old defenseman will join his third team in the last several months, signing a four-year deal worth $4.5 million AAV. He scored 22 points (4G / 18A) and averaged 19:42 time-on-ice in 72 games combined between Colorado and New York last season.
Perry has built a reputation in the latter portion of his career, making the Stanley Cup Finals in five of his previous six seasons, and will join the Los Angeles Kings on a bonus-heavy one-year deal. The 40-year-old Perry scored 30 points (19G / 11A) in 81 games with the Oilers last season and was an integral part in their postseason run, scoring 14 points (10G / 4A) in 22 games. The Kings have not won a playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014 and will hope that Perry can help them change that trend.
After spending the previous seven seasons in Montreal, Armia has signed a two-year contract worth $2.5 million AAV, sending him to the Los Angeles Kings. Joining Corey Perry as another July 1st acquisition, Armia adds some grit to the Kings' bottom-six forward group. The 31-year-old Armia finished the 2024-25 season with 29 points (11G / 18A) in 81 games while averaging 14:18 time-on-ice.
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Montreal Canadiens, Pezzetta joins a division rival in the Toronto Maple Leafs on a two-year deal worth $787.5K. The 27-year-old Pezzetta was limited to only 25 games last season and was unable to score a single point. He has 38 points (15G / 23A) in 200 career games and will likely be fighting for a fourth-line role on the Maple Leafs in 2025-26.
Tanner Jeannot will join his fourth NHL team in five seasons after signing a five-year deal worth $3.4M AAV ($17.0M total) with Boston on Tuesday. The 28-year-old bruising forward had a down year in 2024-25, picking up only seven goals, 13 points and 89 PIMs in 67 games played. He is expected to play a complementary role, likely in Boston's bottom-six, for the upcoming season.
After two up-and-down seasons in Edmonton, Connor Brown will leave the Oilers after signing a four-year deal worth $3.0M AAV ($12.0M total) with New Jersey on Tuesday. The 31-year-old is entering his 11th NHL season after putting up 13 goals, 30 points and a +9 plus/minus in 82 games played in 2024-25.
Colorado continued to add to its minor league depth on Tuesday after signing Jack Ahcan to a one-year contract extension. The 28-year-old undrafted defenseman was called up for two games with the Avalanche last season but failed to make much of an impact. In 69 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) last season, he had an impressive five goals and 41 points.
After appearing in nine games for Colorado in 2024-25, T.J. Tynan has signed a one-year contract extension to remain with the Avalanche and provide some depth at forward. The 33-year-old picked up just one assist during his short stint with the Avalanche last season but impressed with the Colorado Eagles (AHL), picking up eight goals and 49 points in 52 games played.
One of the biggest free agency targets is off the board after New York announced Tuesday that they have signed Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year deal worth $7.0M AAV ($49.0M total). The 29-year-old stay-at-home defenseman finished 22nd in the NHL in plus/minus (+26) in 2024-25 while averaging 23:05 TOI and putting up five goals and 30 points.
Fresh off a successful eight-goal, 20-point rookie campaign, Tampa Bay has signed Gage Goncalves to a two-year, $2.4 million contract extension ($1,200,000 AAV). The 24-year-old forward was Tampa Bay's 2020 2nd Round Pick (62nd overall) and is expected to take a bottom-six role to start the 2025-26 season.
After five seasons in Calgary, Dan Vladar will head to Philadelphia to share a crease with Samuel Ersson after signing a two-year deal worth $3.35M AAV ($6.7M total). The 27-year-old Czech netminder appeared in a career high 30 games in 2024-25, posting a 12-11-6 record alongside his .898 SV% and 2.80 GAA.
