While most of the top unrestricted free agents have signed for the 2024-25 season, there are always a few stragglers who hang around past July 1. This year is no different, as there are still some UFAs left who could interest teams moving forward. Let’s look at the best remaining free agents for the 2024 offseason.

Top Remaining NHL Free Agents for 2024 Offseason

I wrote earlier this month that Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes would take an aggressive approach to free agency and that’s exactly what happened. Unfortunately for him, however, the players approached were not buying what he was selling. Failing doesn’t mean you didn’t try and the man in charge was candid about it too. Whenever he can be, the GM is honest with the media and the fans, which goes a long way in increasing his popularity. Here’s my opinion on his first day of free agency and what he said about it.

Canadiens’ Kent Hughes Tried to Sign Impact Players but Was Denied

It was a busy day to kick off free agency for the NHL on July 1. More than $1.2 billion in contracts were handed out to players across the league with the most noteworthy signings involving the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning — Steven Stamkos and Jake Guentzel, respectively.

5 Depth Forwards Maple Leafs Can Still Add in Free Agency

Nashville, TN

Tampa, FL

This day will live in infamy in Tampa Sports history, July 1, 2024. One of the saddest and darkest days in Tampa sports history. The day that Julien BriseBois let Steven Stamkos walk after 16 years as a member of the Lightning organization. Earlier Monday, Stamkos signed a four-year deal...

Steven Stamkos Ends 16 Year Run in Tampa, Signs With Nashville

The Stanley Cup Final just wrapped up last week, and the NHL offseason is already in full swing. The 2024 NHL Draft is already in the books and was highlighted by the San Jose Sharks selecting Boston University star Macklin Celebrini with the No. 1 pick. With the draft in...

NHL free agency tracker: Sam Reinhart inks extension with Panthers; Steven Stamkos among top players available

Welcome back to another edition of NHL Rumours from the crew at Last Word On Hockey. The offseason is now in full swing with the NHL Entry Draft completed and free agency underway. The Montreal Canadiens were able to grab one of the top offensive players in the draft in Ivan Demidov. However, the Habs have been quiet to start the free-agent period. This shouldn’t come as a surprise though. It was expected that if the Habs were to make moves, it would be via trade. This brings us to today’s rumour which is that the Habs are targeting the Winnipeg Jets‘ top prospect, Rutger McGroarty.

NHL Rumours: Montreal Canadiens Targetting Top Prospect

Buffalo, NY

FanSided

When the Tampa Bay Lightning signed Jake Guentzel to a lucrative deal as June faded into July, they became the second team to land a blow to the Sabres. Earlier in June, the Ottawa Senators acquired Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins, which didn’t help matters for Buffalo. Ullmark is an outstanding goaltender whose presence will keep the Sens from allowing 281-plus goals for the second year in a row and he makes them a much better team overall.

Buffalo Sabres showed zero sense of urgency in free agency

Detroit, MI

In desperate need of scoring, the Detroit Red Wings found an answer to help them keep producing numbers in the red-light district. The club and UFA Vladimir Tarasenko are in agreement on a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.75 million. The Russian right-winger was a 23-goal scorer the past...

Seeking Scoring, Red Wings Sign UFA Tarasenko

With the 2024 NHL Entry Draft wrapping up in Las Vegas on June 29, all 32 teams added plenty of hopeful future NHLers to their organizations. Some teams made surprising moves, while others found themselves getting possible steals. Grading drafts almost immediately after the conclusion of it (especially an NHL Draft) is tough and can certainly prove to be wrong down the road, but with that said, let’s take a shot at it and see what they all look like in a few seasons.

Grading Each Team’s 2024 Draft Class

The summer's top unrestricted free agent isn't going anywhere. The Florida Panthers re-signed star forward Sam Reinhart to a maximum-term eight-year extension, the team announced Monday. The contract carries an $8.625-million AAV, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. Reinhart's new deal slots him as Florida's third-highest-paid player behind captain Aleksander Barkov...

Panthers sign top UFA Reinhart to 8-year extension

Ottawa, KS

It was no secret the Ottawa Senators were seeking to shore up their roster in several areas during this offseason. General Manager Steve Staios started the ball rolling one week ago, acquiring 2023 Vezina Trophy-winning netminder Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins. At season’s end, the Senators GM made it...

Ottawa Senators Roster Takes Shape On An Extremely Busy July 1

Day two of free agency and the Toronto Maple Leafs sign a pair of defencemen to one-year deals. The contracts include former Minnesota Wild Dakota Mermis and former Tampa Bay Lightning Philippe Myers. Mermis and Myers both signed two-way contracts worth $775,000. Maple Leafs Boost Blue Line. 30-year-old Mermis has...

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Defencemen

It was D-Day today for NHL general managers, they had to decide which pending restricted free agents (RFA) they wanted to keep by issuing them a qualifying offer (QO) and those they wished to cut ties with by simply not issuing a QO. It was a busy day around the NHL and the Montreal Canadiens were no exception. Let’s look at GM Kent Hughes’ day and see what his actions could potentially hint at.

Canadiens Create Contract Space; What Will Kent Hughes Do with It?

Denver, CO

The Colorado Avalanche have forward Valeri Nichushkin under contract for the next six years. Let’s hope that isn’t the case in the next six weeks. As free agency opened in the NHL on Monday, there was some good news and then a bunch of small moves from Colorado. The team re-signed Jonathan Drouin at just $2.5 million, a great job negotiating by Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland. That was a win for the club, but then a bunch of underwhelming signings happened.

Avs should continue to try to trade Valeri Nichushkin this summer

The Buffalo Sabres needed to add a goaltender for potential organizational depth, but instead, they got James Reimer, a netminder who was part of an ill-fated trio last season in Detroit that also included Ville Husso and Alex Lyon. Of course, Lyon actually had a good year, and Husso proved to be a bust - technically, the Red Wings acquired his signing rights - and Reimer was just about as up and down as one could get.

The Sabres made another questionable signing on Day 2 of free agency

Las Vegas, NV

The Vegas Golden Knights will face competition to sign forward Jonathan Marchessault as he will become a free agent on July 1. According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Golden Knights and Marchessault couldn’t agree to a deal before midnight on June 30. Consequently, one of the members of the “Original Misfits” group of players could leave Vegas ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Golden Knights Risk Losing $30 Million Forward in Free Agency

ESPN

Jonathan Drouin took a team-friendly one-year deal to remain with the Avalanche, with whom he tallied a career-high 56 points in 79 games last season.

Avalanche bring back free agent Jonathan Drouin on 1-year deal

Colorado State

After a modest day of spending in free agency, Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland spoke to the media for a little bit on Monday night, discussing various topics. Obviously, the Jonathan Drouin extension was a big topic, but so were the rest of the signings the Avalanche made on...

Free Agency, Drouin, Injuries, And More: What We Learned From MacFarland

The Detroit Red Wings have announced their 2024 Development Camp roster with the camp starting Monday, July 1. The camp will run from Monday, July 1 through Friday, July 5 at the BELFOR Tranining Center inside Little Caesers Arena. The camp roster consists of 29 forwards, 14 defensemen, and seven goaltenders.

Red Wings Announce 2024 Development Camp Roster

Newark, NJ

The New Jersey Devils have agreed to terms with unrestricted free-agent forward Tomas Tatar on a one-year contract worth $1,800,000. The announcement was made by New Jersey Devils President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. Tatar, 33, split last season with Colorado (1g-8a in 27 games) and Seattle (8g-7a in 43 games). He...

Devils Agree to Terms with Forward Tomas Tatar | RELEASE

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Canadiens Take Right Minimalistic Approach to Free Agency in 2024

The most significant Montreal Canadiens signing on the first day of free agency wasn’t even of a free agent at all. That’s obviously in reference to...

Canadiens Take Right Minimalistic Approach to Free Agency in 2024

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