NHL Offseason Sees Star Players Traded, Teams Focus on Re-Signing Key Talent

The NHL offseason saw significant player movement, with general managers actively working before and after the free agency period began. The market, however, offered a limited selection of top-tier players compared to previous years.

The most notable transaction involved star winger Mitch Marner, who signed an eight-year, $96-million contract with the Maple Leafs. He was then immediately traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade deal, ending his tenure in Toronto. The Maple Leafs acquired depth forward Nicolas Roy in return. They also secured winger Matthew Knies on a six-year, $46.5-million deal.

The Vancouver Canucks re-signed goaltender Thatcher Demko to a three-year, $25.5-million contract extension. In a surprising turn, scoring winger Brock Boeser remained with the team, signing a seven-year, $50.75-million deal. The Canucks also retained forward Conor Garland on a six-year contract worth $36 million.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers retained their key unrestricted free agents, including center Sam Bennett, forward Brad Marchand, and defenseman Aaron Ekblad. The Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Logan Stankoven to an eight-year, $48-million contract extension, starting in the 2026-27 season. The New York Rangers signed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year deal worth a reported $49 million.

The Hurricanes and Rangers also completed a significant trade, with Carolina acquiring defenseman K’Andre Miller from the Rangers. The Hurricanes then signed Miller to an eight-year, $60-million contract. The Edmonton Oilers traded winger Viktor Arvidsson to the Boston Bruins.

Other notable signings included Christian Dvorak with the Philadelphia Flyers, Mikael Granlund with the Anaheim Ducks, Cody Ceci and Anton Forsberg with the Los Angeles Kings, and Corey Perry with the Los Angeles Kings. The Montreal Canadiens traded defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues. The Calgary Flames signed Joel Hanley to a two-year extension. The Senators re-signed Nick Cousins and added Lars Eller. The Utah Mammoth signed Brandon Tanev. The Boston Bruins signed Tanner Jeannot, while the New Jersey Devils added Connor Brown and retained Jake Allen.

The increased salary cap provided teams with more flexibility to retain their own players. This led to many players re-signing with their current teams.