NHL free agency in 2026 was supposed to be one of the most dull of all time. All the big names had already re-signed with their existing teams, leaving nothing more than depth players for July 1.
It ended up being the opposite.
As always, the biggest trades and signings commanded the bulk of the attention, leaving a handful of deals to fly under the radar. To minimize your confusion in October, take a gander at these deals — you may have missed some of them.
Boone Jenner, Washington Capitals
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 4 years x $5.75 million AAV
After spending the last 15 seasons in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, including the last five as the captain, Boone Jenner is now a Washington Capital.
He was one of many established the Capitals brought in this summer as they look to get back to the playoffs after missing out by three points last season. Compared to the likes of Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou, though, Jenner didn’t get as much of the spotlight as he might have otherwise.
Mason Marchment, San Jose Sharks
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 5 years x $6.75 million AAV
Mason Marchment’s father, Bryan Marchment, began playing with the San Jose Sharks when Mason was a toddler. They remained there for six years, meaning some of Mason’s earliest memories are likely tinted in teal.
Shortly after retiring as a player, Bryan Marchment took a job as a scout and later a player development coach. He was still working for the Sharks when he died of a sudden stroke in 2022.
Mason Marchment has big shoes to fill, but he’s ready for the challenge.
“Where I really remember my dad playing the most is San Jose,” he said in his introductory interview with the San Jose media. “There’s just so many good memories at the rink. It’s special for me and my family.”
Mats Zuccarello, Los Angeles Kings
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 1 year x $1 million + $5.5 million in potential performance bonuses
For the better part of the 21st century, the Los Angeles Kings have had the only Slovenian in the NHL. Now that Anže Kopitar is officially retired, they bring in another long-tenured NHLer from a non-traditional hockey country: Norway’s Mats Zuccarello.
PuckPedia reports that Zuccarello will receive a $5 million bonus when he plays his 10th game of the season, a $250,000 bonus if the Kings win a round in the playoffs and another $250,000 if they win a second round.
It seems almost a given that he will reach the 10-game plateau. That’s by design.
In most cases, teams are allowed to count performance bonuses against the following year’s salary cap, meaning they can go all-in this year and not worry about the money until later. The player is still almost guaranteed that money in a case like this, so it’s a way that he can help his team without sacrificing his paycheck.
Blake Coleman, Minnesota Wild
- Acquired via: Trade
- Full deal: Blake Coleman and Olli Määttä to the Minnesota Wild for Jake Middleton, a 2026 2nd-round pick, a 2027 3rd-round pick and a 2028 4th-round pick
Ahead of the 2026 trade deadline, Blake Coleman was one of the hottest names on the market. For whatever reason, though, the Calgary Flames seemed to trade everyone but him.
Coleman finished out the year in Southern Alberta, after which the Flames finally shipped him off to the Minnesota Wild. Like Olli Määttä, who joins him in the voyage, he’ll have a real shot at earning his third Stanley Cup ring.
Connor McMichael, St. Louis Blues
- Acquired via: Trade
- Full deal: Connor McMichael, Milton Gastrin and a 2026 1st-round pick to the St. Louis Blues for Jordan Kyrou
Less than a month after acquiring Connor McMichael, the St. Louis Blues gave him his first major NHL payday: a six-year contract worth $6.75 million annually.
The 25-year-old had a big 2024-25 season but took a step back in 2025-26. With a change of scenery and a bigger role, McMichael could be a good breakout candidate for 2026-27.
Andrei Kuzmenko, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 1 year x $5 million
Andrei Kuzmenko exploded onto the NHL scene in 2022-23 with a 39-goal, 74-point season. Since then, he has played for one team after another but has failed to put the pieces together.
After watching Anthony Mantha, Yegor Chinakhov and Justin Brazeau get their respective careers back on track with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, Kuzmenko undoubtedly hopes he can do the same this year.
Jack Roslovic, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 2 years x $4 million AAV
Last year, Jack Roslovic held out until the day of the Edmonton Oilers’ season opener to sign with them as a free agent. This year, he inked a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs as soon as he was eligible.
“It’s definitely a lot easier, logistically, on my end, to be able to get this done right on July 1,” he told the Toronto media after signing. “It’s definitely a breath that I can take, now, to let the excitement build and be ready for a strong training camp.”
Stuart Skinner, Winnipeg Jets
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 2 years x $3.75 million AAV
It’s long been said that Stuart Skinner would be an excellent backup goalie — even a 1B in the right situation. He was the Oilers’ No. 1 guy during their two runs to the Stanley Cup Final, but he just wasn’t consistent enough.
Now, he’ll play behind one of the best goalies in the world: Connor Hellebuyck.
The Winnipeg Jets are looking to get back to the playoffs after missing last season. They won the Presidents’ Trophy as the best team in the NHL in 2024-25, so they have the pieces to compete at a high level.
Keegan Kolesar, Detroit Red Wings
- Acquired via: Trade
- Full deal: Keegan Kolesar to the Detroit Red Wings for a 2029 3rd-round pick and a 2027 7th-round pick
It’s no longer surprising when the Vegas Golden Knights trade a long-standing fan favorite for little more than cap space. Nobody without trade protection is safe.
This year’s casualties included Pavel Dorofeyev and Keegan Kolesar.
Kolesar is the type of player you want on your playoff roster, though he was a healthy scratch for Game 6 of this year’s Stanley Cup Final. He’ll hope to get back to his former self in Detroit.
Ilya Mikheyev, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 4 years x $3.85 million AAV
By average age, the Tampa Bay Lightning are one of the most advanced rosters in the NHL. Ilya Mikheyev, 31, doesn’t bring the average down, but he does give them the speed they otherwise might have lacked.
According to NHL Edge, which publishes much of the league’s player tracking data, Mikheyev’s top speed last season was 23.54 miles per hour, putting him in the 95th percentile in the league. He was also in the 94th percentile in speed bursts over 20 miles per hour with 194.
Jaden Schwartz, Colorado Avalanche
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 3 years x $3.25 million
A decade and a half ago, Jaden Schwartz and his brother, Rylan, led Colorado College in scoring. Now, Jaden returns to Colorado — this time to play professionally.
It’s a common opinion that the Seattle Kraken have everyone playing one line higher than they should be. Schwartz, who signed with the Kraken ahead of their inaugural season, was in that boat.
With the Colorado Avalanche, he’ll get the chance to play more of a depth role, with the option to fill in on special teams when needed.
Devon Levi, Edmonton Oilers
- Acquired via: Trade
- Full deal: Devon Levi and a 2028 7th-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2028 3rd-round pick
Goaltending has been a weak spot for the Oilers for the bulk of the Connor Mcdavid era. This summer, they added two goalies: 2026 Stanley Cup champion Frederik Andersen and prospect Devon Levi.
Levi was stuck behind an array of good goalies as a Buffalo Sabre, so he and the Oilers hope he can push for a full-time NHL job this season.
Lars Eller, Florida Panthers
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 1 x $850,000
Good teams often round out their bottom six with aging veterans. They bring plenty of experience, they’re available for cheap and they usually don’t expect too much playing time.
That’s what 37-year-old Lars Eller will be with the Florida Panthers. He’s just shy of 1,200 career NHL games and his name is already on the Stanley Cup. He and the team hope to get it engraved a second time.
Nick Jensen, Anaheim Ducks
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 2 years x $2.25 million AAV
Two years ago, Nick Jensen was the centerpiece in the trade that made Jakob Chychrun, one of the league’s better offensive defensemen, a Washington Capital. The Ottawa Senators must have seen something special in him, but it didn’t necessarily actualize.
Jensen now heads to the Ducks, an up-and-coming team that could use his veteran leadership, especially with the departure of captain Radko Gudas.
Jamie Oleksiak, Vancouver Canucks
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 2 years x $5 million AAV
From an outside perspective, the Vancouver Canucks have seemed to lack leadership in recent seasons, leading to profound chaos.
Veteran defensemen Jamie Oleksiak and Luke Schenn come in to try to stabilize things.
Ryan Lomberg, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Acquired via: Free agency
- Contract: 2 years x $1.3 million AAV
Ryan Lomberg alone won’t make a team a Stanley Cup contender, but adding him to an already-solid group can increase its chances.
He’s a high-energy, physical player who can chip in the occasional goal. He played that role with the Cup-winning Florida Panthers in 2023-24, and although the Columbus Blue Jackets aren’t necessarily a front-runner for the trophy this year, they’re better off with him on the team.
