With NHL free agency opening Wednesday and plenty to digest from the last week, theScore's Kyle Cushman, Sean O'Leary, and Josh Wegman share their insights on the league's offseason madness.
Which team needs a big July 1 the most?
Oilers: Edmonton is low-hanging fruit, but that doesn't change the fact that general manager Stan Bowman is under immense pressure to make improvements coming off a first-round elimination. The firestorm of hiring Mike Babcock as head coach is largely extinguished (until the Oilers take the ice in October, that is) and Bowman is now on the clock. Although Edmonton could use help up front, on the back end, and in goal, the team only has approximately $7.4 million in cap space. Winning a potential Darnell Nurse trade is essential to free up some money, but the Oilers have much more work to do in order to return to contending status in the Western Conference. - O'Leary
Blackhawks: Chicago enters July 1 with $36 million in cap space, third most in the league. Connor Bedard is a pending restricted free agent. Not only do the Blackhawks need to hammer out a long-term deal for their franchise player, but they need to get him some help up front. Maybe that's why Bedard hasn't signed yet? Prized offseason acquisition Bowen Byram also becomes eligible for an extension beginning Wednesday. GM Kyle Davidson's job could be in jeopardy if the Blackhawks don't show progress this season, and that all starts with a big July 1. - Wegman
Ducks: Anaheim seemed to announce its arrival last season by eliminating the Oilers in the first round, but the Ducks' defensive depth is sparse: They traded John Carlson's rights and Olen Zellweger, and both Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas are about to hit free agency. Anaheim could also use a third-line upgrade. Not to mention Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier are set for massive raises. GM Pat Verbeek has a lot to accomplish in the coming days. - Cushman
Which under-the-radar free agent will outperform his next deal?
Jordan Spence: The restricted free-agent defenseman's four-year, $20-million deal with the Ottawa Senators could prove to be a steal sooner than later. Although he mostly played sheltered minutes last season, he shined in an elevated role when Jake Sanderson was injured for most of the stretch run. Spence, 25, set career highs in points (31) and average ice time (18:44) last season, and he led all NHL defensemen who logged at least 1,000 minutes at five-on-five with an expected goals rate of 61.73%. Spence has to prove that campaign wasn't an anomaly, but his stats suggest a $5-million cap hit as he enters his prime years will be quite a bargain. - O'Leary
Patrik Laine: Maybe I'm cheating by saying a former second overall pick and three-time 30-goal scorer is under the radar, but Laine doesn't seem to be garnering much attention. That's probably because he played 75 games over the last three seasons. But given how much time he missed in 2025-26, he's eligible to sign a cheap, bonus-laden, one-year deal that should give him as much motivation as possible. If Laine can stay healthy next season - and that's a big if - he could still pot 25-plus goals. - Wegman
Nick Blankenburg: The Carolina Hurricanes showed that teams can win with small defensemen. Blankenburg has consistently been overlooked because he's 5-foot-9. He put up 24 points in 61 games with the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche and had a 55% expected goals share. While other teams overpay for big depth defensemen, someone is going to sign Blankenburg for cheap as a shifty, fearless puck-mover who will win his minutes on a third pairing. - Cushman
Which freshly inked contract will age like milk?
Alex Tuch: He was the top UFA forward available this summer, and the Washington Capitals jumped the gun by pulling off a sign-and-trade with the Buffalo Sabres and inking the winger to an eight-year, $84-million contract. A $10.5-million cap hit isn't the burden it once was as the cap continues to rise, but that's a serious commitment to a 30-year-old who has only hit 70 points once. Tuch is a solid player in all three zones and a consistent 30-goal threat. However, the Capitals already had Tom Wilson and Ryan Leonard on the right side of their forward corps, and they also landed Jordan Kyrou in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. It's not inconceivable that Tuch quickly gets outplayed by Kyrou and Leonard, leaving the Capitals with a $10.5-million middle-six winger who's past his prime. - O'Leary
Brett Kulak: Five years with a $4.5-million AAV for a career third-pairing defenseman coming off a down year is a very risky re-signing for the Avalanche. Kulak also gets a full no-trade clause for the first three years of the deal. What part of this negotiation did Colorado win? Cap space is precious for the Avalanche, and they needed a left-shot defenseman, but this feels like an unnecessary overpay in both salary and term. - Wegman
Pavel Dorofeyev: The New York Rangers desperately need goal-scoring, and they addressed that by acquiring Dorofeyev. The seven-year commitment at an $11-million cap hit is risky, though. He's a superb finisher who requires his linemates to drive play and get him the puck in scoring areas. Do the Rangers have the pieces to maximize Dorofeyev's one-touch shot so he can maintain 35-goal form? At least it's better to make this bet on a 25-year-old than an older unrestricted free agent. - Cushman
