2024 NHL Free Agent Signing Tracker – With Instant Analysis

Well, free agency is technically supposed to open for all NHL teams at 10 AM MST, but apparently it started a few days ago, because contracts have started to trickle in well before the market officially opens.

The salary cap has gone up to $88 million and teams are ready to start throwing cash around. Judging by some of these early contracts, that’s exactly what they’re going to be doing.

Since the signings have already started, we’re going to be updating this page with all the moves around the NHL and including some instant analysis. If the Colorado Avalanche sign anyone, we’ll have separate articles on them. I think it could be a pretty quiet day for them, at least in terms of big-time signings.

Signings

• Jake Guentzel signs an 7 year, $9 million deal with Tampa Bay

Everyone assumed that with Guentzel going to a Florida team, he’d take less due to state taxes, but that didn’t really happen here. This is going to be the richest contract we see today on an annual basis. Guentzel has been a very consistent scorer for years now, and that should continue in Tampa Bay, at least to start the contract.

• Sam Reinhart re-signs at 8 years, $8.625 million per-year deal with Florida

Okay, if Guentzel’s deal didn’t seem to take advantage of no state taxes, this one does. I assumed we’d be looking at around $10 million for a guy coming off a 57 goal season, so good work by Florida to get it at a lower AAV. I don’t expect Reinhart to score 50 goals again, but I could be wrong.

• Tyler Bertuzzi signs 4 year, $5.5 million per-year deal with Chicago

Connor Bedard needs actual NHL players around him to succeed, so it seems like Chicago is at least trying to do that. This seems like overpayment but that’s an organization that probably needs to overpay to get guys to play there. Bertuzzi really hasn’t come close to repeating his 62 point year in 2021-22.

• Dmitry Kulikov re-signs in Florida for 4 years, $1.15 million per-year

This is someone we talked about with the Avalanche, but he got some real term to hang around in Florida, and that kept the AAV down. He turns 34 later this year, so good for him getting a long-term deal like this.

• Chris Tanev signs a 6 year, $4.5 million deal with Toronto

This one feels like it’s going to age poorly. Tanev is a very good defender, but he’s about as injury prone as it gets. He’s going to turn 35 this year and I can’t imagine the end of this deal will be fun for the Maple Leafs.

• Patrick Kane re-signs with Detroit for 1 year, $4 million with $2.5 million in bonuses

We touched on this earlier today, but I’m not sure what Yzerman is trying to build there. At least he didn’t give Kane the term he was looking for. Kane was much better than I thought last season, but this team seems like they’ll continue to be just okay.

• Sam Carrick signs a 3 year, $1 million per-year deal with the Rangers

Good for a fourth line player to get three years of term. I wouldn’t have loved three years, but that AAV for the Avalanche would have been great. They need a 4C.

• Joseph Woll extends with the Maple Leafs at 3 years, $3.66 million per season

This is the standard “we believe you can become a starter” contract from around the NHL. There’s plenty of risk involved, especially since Woll seems to get hurt every time he gets the net. His numbers when he actually plays are pretty solid. I don’t hate the Leafs taking this risk.

• Brett Pesce to sign a 6 year, $5.5 million per-year deal with New Jersey

The Devils aren’t messing around. Pesce is a really good defenseman but he isn’t going to provide a ton of offense, so $5.5 per year seems like a lot for someone coming off a 13 point season. He also is not known for his durability, but he chose a good summer to hit free agency, as NHL teams are really throwing around the cash already.

• Erik Johnson re-signs in Philadelphia, 1 year, $1 million

Good for EJ. He’s slowed down in a big way, but barring a massive injury, he should hit 1,000 NHL games next season. Just needs 13 to get there.

• Yakov Trenin to sign in Minnesota, 4 years, $3.5 million per-year

So the projected contract somehow turned out to be low. That’s a ton of money for a guy who scored just 17 points this past season. I like Trenin’s game a lot, but wow. Kind of stunned by this one. This is a dream NHL contract for Trenin, I just wouldn’t want to be the one paying it.

• Brandon Montour signs a 7 year, $7.14 million per-year deal with the Kraken

He had his career year one season too early, but following it up with a Stanley Cup win isn’t bad either. That’s a lot of dough for a guy who has consistently been more of a 30-40 point guy, but I really like his game. He’s got speed, tenacity, and he’s always driving play and putting shots at the net.

• Tuevo Teravainen signs a 3 year, $5.4 million per-year deal with the Blackhawks

I guess you can go home again. Teravainen returns to the team that drafted him into the NHL. I like this move a lot for the Blackhawks. He’s been a consistently good player in the NHL for a while and he’s a great playmaker. Solid add.

• Tyler Toffoli signs in San Jose for 4 years, $6 million per-year

I guess he really just wanted to go back to California. He’s won a few Stanley Cups, is still a solid player, and can now play with a really good young center who can do a lot of the work for him. This makes sense. Good get for San Jose.

• Jordan Martinook re-signs in Carolina for 3 years, $3.05 million per-year

Every time it seems like he’s going to leave for another NHL team, he ends up back in Carolina. The Hurricanes are losing players by the hour, so getting a veteran back is a smart move.

• Jonathan Marchessault signs in Nashville for 4 years, $5.5 million per-year

The Preds are really going for it, but is adding aging players the way to go about it? They’ll have more announced soon, but either way, the Central will be a heck of a lot more competitive next year.

• Steven Stamkos to Nashville for 4 years, $8 million per-year

This is the big one. Stamkos can still score goals, but he’s kind of become a powerplay merchant in recent years. I’ll be interested to see how he does without Nikita Kucherov.

• Brady Skjei to Nashville for 7 years, $7 million per-year

I am not a Brady Skjei fan, so don’t like this deal, but Barry Trotz is not messing around.

• Ian Cole to Utah for 1 year, $3.1 million

Way more than I would have paid Ian Cole, who looked like he was a secret agent for the Oilers in the second round.

• Matt Roy to Washington for 6 years, $5.75 million per-year

The analytics would say Roy might have been the best defenseman on the market. Washington also traded for Chychrun today so they’re trying to stay relevant during Ovechkin’s final years in the NHL.

• Oliver Ekman-Larsson to Toronto for 4 years, $3.5 million per year

Going to a good team does wonders for your market value. OEL was bought out just last summer but bounced back in Florida. Toronto’s defense suddenly looks really old.

• Nikita Zadorov to Boston for 6 years, $5 million per-year

These are coming fast and furious so I’m trying to keep up. I’m really happy for Zadorov, though. He’s been playing on 1-2 year contracts his entire career and finally gets a place where he can settle down. I’m not sure he’ll be able to go by Big Z in Boston, though.

• Elias Lindholm to Boston for 7 years, $7.75 million per-year

The Bruins are desperate for centers, but this is a guy coming off a 44 point season who looked to be regressing. There is a ton of risk to this deal. David Pastrnak might make it look good for a few years, though.

• Brandon Duhaime to Washington for 2 years, $1.85 million per-year

Again, too rich for my blood for a guy who is a pure fourth liner. I liked him a lot in the regular season, but he faded in a big way in the playoffs.

• Jason Zucker to Buffalo for 1 year, $5 million

Zucker has perfected the late career contact. Take a one year, big money deal and get moved to a playoff team at the deadline.

• Brenden Dillon to New Jersey for 3 years, $4 million per season

I severely underestimated the market here. Players are getting what they want and for however long they want.

• Sean Monahan to Columbus for 5 years, $5.5 million per season

We are just a few summers away from the Flames having to PAY a first round pick just to get rid of Sean Monahan, and now he has one healthy season and gets five years. I don’t get it. The guy was a complete ghost against the Avalanche in the NHL playoffs.

• Jake Debrusk to Vancouver for 7 years, $5.5 million per season

I like Debrusk. He plays hard, goes to the net, and can score goals. He also is coming off a 40 point season and managed to get seven years.

• William Carrier to Carolina for 6 years, $2 million per season

A slightly cheaper Miles Wood contract. Carrier cannot stay healthy at all but is a fantastic fourth liner. Rod Brind’Amour is going to love this guy.

• Kevin Stenlund to Utah for 2 years, $2 million per season

Would have been a perfect fit for the Avalanche, but I don’t know if they can pay a 4C that much per season.

• Viktor Arvidsson to Edmonton for 2 years, $4 million per season

Possibly the best deal of the day. Shorter term for a proven scorer.

• Michale Amadio to Ottawa for 3 years, $2.6 million per season

If the Avalanche had any money, this would have been the deal to go after. Decent term and decent money for a solid bottom six forward.

• Matt Grzelcyk to Pittsburgh for 1 year, $2.75 million

Another I would have loved for the Avalanche if they had any money, although he’s undersized and has started to regress. A solid NHL defenseman. Not sure I would have enjoyed typing out that last name, though.

• Stefan Noesen to the Devils for 3 years, $2.75 million per-season

He seems to have only worked in Carolina and New Jersey, so he had to choose one of them.

• Alex Martinez to the Blackhawks for 1 year, $4 million

I was under the impression that Martinez was going to retire, but it’s hard to turn down money like that. His body is aging but the Blackhawks could use a veteran on the blueline.

• Matt Duchene to the Stars for 1 year, $3 million

When your division rival is paying the guy, you can continue to get him on a steal of a deal. I know Avalanche fans don’t like him, but this is fantastic value.

• Ryan Lomberg to Calgary for 2 years, $2 million

$2 million a year for a guy with 7 points? Great work by his agent.

• Matt Dumba to Dallas for 2 years, $3.75 million

I think what we’ve learned today is that if you are an NHL defenseman and are still living, you will get paid. Dumba has fallen off hard. I thought he’d be forced to take a one-year deal.

• Chandler Stephenson to Seattle for 7 years, $6.25 million

Stephenson went from one of the best value contracts in the NHL to what looks like it might be one of the worst. Seattle is just full of mid players.

• Anthony Duclair to the Islanders for 4 years, $3.5 million per-season

I wondered if the Avalanche might try to snag Duclair on a one-year prove-it deal, but when you get an offer like this, hard to do that.

• Joel Kiviranta back to the Avalanche for one year

Probably league minimum. The team likes him, he can be an extra, and is trusted.

• Ilya Lyubushkin to the Stars for 3 years, $3.25 million

What are the Stars doing? Probably would have been better off just giving Tanev the money he wanted.

• Calvin de Haan to the Avalanche for 1 year, $800k

Still not official, but it appears the Avalanche have found a depth defenseman.

• Joel Edmundson to the Kings for 4 years, $3.85 million per-season

I wish them luck with this one.

• Kaapo Kahkonen to the Jets for 1 year, $1 million

Jets probably have the best goaltending setup in the league…again.

• Jani Hakanpaa to the Leafs for 2 years, $1.5 million per season

This isn’t a bad deal. Hakanpaa isn’t special, but at least they didn’t go overboard on this one.

• Sean Walker to the Hurricanes for 5 years, $3.6 million per season

On a day of crazy signings, this one comes across as somewhat reasonable. I think Walker fits in really well with what the Hurricanes want to do.