Every NHL Team’s Best Move This Offseason

It’s been a fun NHL offseason. There have been plenty of moves across the league, but things have quieted down significantly as we enter the dog days of summer. With that, let’s pick our favorite offseason move for every NHL team.

Anaheim Ducks: Matching Leo Carlsson’s Offer Sheet

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek put himself in a precarious situation by allowing the Philadelphia Flyers to tender an offer sheet to Leo Carlsson. But at the very least, he made the right decision to match the five-year, $18 million AAV offer sheet.

Sure, Carlsson probably won’t ever be worth an $18 million AAV. But he’s a budding young star and the 1C that the Ducks need to build around since they’ve exited their rebuild. Had they taken the draft compensation, which would have been four first-round picks, they likely would have never found another Carlsson with those picks.

Boston Bruins: Acquiring JJ Peterka

The Bruins were among the biggest surprises in the NHL last season. They’re looking to build on that success and prove that it wasn’t a one-year fluke. That’s why they went out and acquired winger JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth. It is a bit of a red flag that the Mammoth pulled the plug on Peterka after just one season, but I like the fit for the Bruins.

For starters, Peterka is German, and he’ll be playing for a German head coach in Marco Sturm. Aside from that connection, the Bruins need more scoring pop in their top six. I’d argue that it’s down the middle where they need it most, but adding a 20-25 goal-scorer in Peterka should help. We’ll see if Sturm can get the best out of him.

Buffalo Sabres: Acquiring Olen Zellweger

Much like the Bruins, the Sabres are looking to prove their trip to the postseason wasn’t a fluke. They look like they’re in a better position to repeat their 2025-26 success than the Bruins. They have plenty of young talent still on the rise, and they’ll have a bit more after GM Jarmo Kekalainen acquired Olen Zellweger from the Ducks.

Rather than pay Bowen Byram an eight-figure cap hit, the Sabres traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks and replaced him with Zellweger. They then signed Zellweger to a three-year bridge deal just north of $3 million per year. He has breakout potential in 2026-27, and since head coach Lindy Ruff’s system caters to mobile defensemen with offensive ability, Zellweger should have no problem replacing Byram.

Calgary Flames: Acquiring Šimon Nemec

It has been a relatively quiet offseason for the Flames to this point, but they did make one notable addition. That was the acquisition of defenseman Šimon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils. Nemec, who was an RFA this offseason, ended up signing a five-year, $7.25 million AAV extension with the Flames.

Nemec has struggled mightily on defense in his young NHL career, but the offensive upside is there. I’m not sure he ever becomes a true No. 1 defenseman because of the defensive flaws, but he could still be a strong second-pair offensive blueliner. For where the Flames are as an organization, this is a bet worth making. If it doesn’t work out, they can always cut bait in a few years.

Carolina Hurricanes: Drafting William Håkansson

The Hurricanes have had the quietest offseason in the NHL. That’s probably not a surprise since they’re coming off a Stanley Cup championship, but they’ve not made one notable external addition as we approach the end of July.

As such, drafting defenseman William Håkansson in the second round of the 2026 draft has probably been their best move. The 6-foot-4 blueliner played mostly pro hockey in Sweden last season, spending time between the SHL and HockeyAllsvenskan. He looks like another savvy pick by the Hurricanes’ amateur scouting staff.

Chicago Blackhawks: Drafting Xavier Villeneuve

Blackhawks fans may be wondering why Byram isn’t the selection here. Giving up the fourth overall pick, then signing him to a six-year extension north of $12 million per year, is just not good business. Maybe it works out, but he hasn’t done anything in his NHL career to justify that cost.

Instead, drafting Xavier Villeneuve in the second round was probably GM Kyle Davidson’s best move. Most public scouting services had Villeneuve as a first-round prospect. He’s not without his flaws, but getting a defenseman projected to go in the middle of the first round early in the second is good value.

Colorado Avalanche: Signing Jaden Schwartz

It’s been a tough offseason for the Colorado Avalanche. GM Chris MacFarland left the organization to take a promotion with the Nashville Predators, and they lost a few key players due to their cap crunch. Jaden Schwartz won’t replace all of what they’ll miss in Valeri Nichushkin, Ross Colton, and Jack Drury, but I like the fit.  

Schwartz has long been one of the better middle-six wingers in the NHL. Even as he approaches his mid-30s, he still has some good hockey left in him. He’s posted some decent five-on-five results over the last couple of seasons, despite the Seattle Kraken having one of the worst offensive environments. The Avalanche signed Schwartz to a three-year, $3.25 million AAV deal, which could prove to be great value if he maintains his 45-50 point pace.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Acquiring Valeri Nichushkin

Speaking of Nichushkin, he ended up with the Blue Jackets as a result of the Avalanche’s cap crunch. He’s coming off a decent season that saw him total 17 goals and 49 points in 72 games, and should be a solid replacement for a Blue Jackets team that lost Mason Marchment in free agency.

Nichushkin may not be what he was a couple of years ago, but he’s still an excellent five-on-five player. He was among the Avalanche’s top skaters in expected goals (xG%) over the last three seasons, and while he might not put up those same numbers in Columbus, he should make the Blue Jackets a better five-on-five team.

Dallas Stars: Re-Signing Jamie Benn

The Dallas Stars have had a quiet offseason, although that’s mostly due to the ongoing contract negotiation with Jason Robertson, who remains unsigned. He has an arbitration date set for July 25, so there should be clarity on his situation this week.

Because Robertson remains unsigned, the Stars have had to keep cap space available to sign him. Their main transaction so far was re-signing captain Jamie Benn to a one-year contract worth less than $1 million. He produced at a 21-goal, 49-point pace last season and is still a useful middle-six winger. With the Stars trading Mavrik Bourque to the Nashville Predators, keeping Benn was crucial for their forward depth.

Detroit Red Wings: Signing Viktor Arvidsson

It has been a tumultuous offseason in Hockey Town. From Dylan Larkin’s trade request to Red Wings ownership deciding to move on from GM Steve Yzerman, plenty has happened in Detroit. Yzerman had a so-so offseason before getting fired, but it’s hard to argue with the deal he gave to Viktor Arvidsson in free agency.

Arvidsson, who’s coming off a 25-goal, 54-point season with the Bruins, signed a two-year, $5 million AAV deal with the Red Wings. They need more scoring in their top six, so Arvidsson will help. But it won’t matter if Larkin remains insistent on a trade, even with a new front office. It feels like there’s more to come for the Red Wings.

Edmonton Oilers: Trading Darnell Nurse & Signing Ryan Shea

Darnell Nurse had some productive years with the Oilers, but it was just time for a change. After requesting a trade himself, the Oilers dealt the veteran defenseman to the San Jose Sharks. They did not retain any salary, freeing up $9.25 million in cap space.

In a somewhat corresponding move, the Oilers signed Ryan Shea to a five-year, $4 million AAV deal in free agency. Shea had a solid season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, mostly playing a top-four role. He should fill the void left by Nurse and then some, and for half the price. The Oilers did well to get out of Nurse’s contract and find someone who should be a suitable replacement.

Florida Panthers: Acquiring Brady Tkachuk

The Panthers sure aren’t afraid to take their big swings. After all the hoopla around Brady Tkachuk, the Ottawa Senators traded him to the Panthers just ahead of the NHL Draft. The Panthers gave up three first-round picks, including the ninth overall pick in the 2026 draft, but Tkachuk is worth the price.

While Brady is not the player that his brother Matthew is, he will give the Panthers another pest in their top nine. He’s a high-end, play-driving winger and should be better suited in a second-line role with the Panthers rather than being “the guy” in Ottawa. If anything, the Panthers should be one of the most annoying teams to play against next season.

Los Angeles Kings: Signing Mats Zuccarello

Another offseason, another year of the Kings getting older. However, it’s hard to argue with their signing of Mats Zuccarello in free agency. Zuccarello inked a one-year, $1 million contract that’s incentive-laden. He’s coming off another productive year, having totaled 54 points in 59 games for the Minnesota Wild.

While Zuccarello is 38, there’s next to no risk in this contract. If it doesn’t work out, the Kings can get out of it easily. But given Zuccarello’s five-on-five metrics, odds are that he still has plenty of good hockey left. The Kings need more scoring pop in their top six, and Zuccarello should provide it.

Minnesota Wild: Acquiring Blake Coleman

It has not been the best offseason for the Wild. They’ve lost three 45- to 55-point scorers in Marcus Johansson, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Zuccarello, and the replacements have been few and far between. At the very least, GM Bill Guerin acquired Blake Coleman to make up for some of the losses.

Despite his age (34), Coleman is still a productive, play-driving middle-six winger. His five-on-five metrics are solid, and he remains capable of producing 15-20 goals and 35-40 points. He has just one year left on his contract at a cap hit of $4.9 million, so there’s no long-term commitment. The Wild still need to add more scoring, especially down the middle, but Coleman is a perfectly fine addition.

Montreal Canadiens: Re-Signing Ivan Demidov

It’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the Canadiens after making the Eastern Conference Final. That’s not a bad thing, though. They have a good core in place, and there’s more talent on the way. Their key bit of business was getting a long-term extension done with Ivan Demidov.

Demidov has one year left on his ELC, so his eight-year, $9.25 million AAV extension won’t kick in until July 1, 2027, but it should prove to be excellent value over its duration. He’s just scratching the surface at the NHL level, and his extension should be one of the best contracts in the NHL in a couple of years. Canadiens fans should be thrilled with this deal.

Nashville Predators: Acquiring Mavrik Bourque

It’s a new era in Nashville, with MacFarland taking over as GM and president of hockey operations. He had an active first offseason at the helm in Nashville, with his most notable acquisition being Mavrik Bourque, whom he snagged from the Stars for a couple of second-round picks.

Bourque had a solid season for the Stars, totaling 20 goals and 41 points in 81 games. His five-on-five metrics were excellent, and he can play center or right wing. He’s still only 24 and helps make the Predators younger, which they needed to do this offseason. He has breakout potential next season and should get an opportunity in the Predators’ top six.

New Jersey Devils: Signing Anthony Mantha

The Devils ranked 31st in five-on-five goals last season, so adding scoring has been a priority for new GM Sunny Mehta. Anthony Mantha is coming off a career-best season, having totaled 33 goals and 64 points in 81 games for the Penguins. He may not repeat those numbers, but he should give the Devils a finisher.

Even though Mantha shot 21.7 percent last season, above his career shooting percentage of 13.8, he has a solid resumé as a finisher over the last three seasons. The Devils signed him to just a two-year, $4.75 million AAV deal. They can get out of it easily if it doesn’t work out, but the fit makes sense, and he’ll be in a position to succeed with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt.

New York Islanders: Signing Matias Maccelli

I am a bit confused by the direction the New York Islanders are taking, but signing Matias Maccelli, who inked a one-year, $2 million deal, was one of the more underrated pickups of the offseason. He’s coming off a rebound season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, having totaled 14 goals and 39 points in 71 games.

Maccelli is not a high-volume shooter, but he has some finishing ability. The strength of his game is his playmaking, though, and he should help make up for some of what the Islanders are losing from Anders Lee, who signed a three-year deal with the Mammoth.

New York Rangers: Acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev

The Rangers were in desperate need of some scoring prowess in their top six, and that’s what they’ll get with Pavel Dorofeyev. He totaled 49 goals between the regular season and playoffs in 2025-26, emerging as one of the best snipers in the NHL.

There are some causes for concern with Dorofeyev, though. He’s not a play driver, but the Rangers are paying him as such ($11 million AAV for seven years). He needs playmakers around him, but the Rangers don’t have much in the way of playmaking forwards in their lineup. It’ll be interesting to see how it works out, but it’d be a surprise if he weren’t at least a modest upgrade.

Ottawa Senators: Acquiring William Eklund

Losing Tkachuk is a blow for the Senators in the short term, but they did make up for some of the loss by acquiring William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks. Eklund had a solid season, totaling 15 goals and 53 points in 75 games. He needs to improve his finishing ability, but he is a high-end playmaker who has a positive impact at five-on-five.

The Senators still need another scorer after losing Tkachuk. I don’t think Andre Burakovsky is the answer, but Eklund still could reach another gear. He’s under contract through the 2028-29 season at a cap hit of $5.6 million, so the Senators won’t have to worry about losing him for the foreseeable future.

Philadelphia Flyers: Acquiring Joseph Woll

The Flyers have their 1A goaltender in Dan Vladar, but they lacked a capable backup this past season. Joseph Woll should help improve the Flyers between the pipes…if he can stay healthy. He totaled an .899 save percentage and was worth a wins above replacement (WAR) of 1.3 in 2025-26.

Woll should be a significant upgrade over Sam Ersson, who has been one of the weaker backups in the NHL over the last couple of seasons. GM Danny Briere still has work to do, like finding an upgrade at center, but Woll and Vladar should give the Flyers a competent tandem.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Acquiring Kaedan Korczak

It hasn’t been the best offseason for the Penguins. They’ve lost plenty of talent from last season’s roster, but Kaedan Korczak is an intriguing get by GM Kyle Dubas. He finished last season with three goals and 16 points in 73 games, but his underlying metrics suggest breakout potential:

If Korczak finds another level to his game, the Penguins may have a top-four defender on their hands. My guess is Dubas and head coach Dan Muse see a bigger role for him in Pittsburgh than he had with the Vegas Golden Knights. He’s under contract through the 2029-30 season at a cap hit of $3.25 million. For that price, he’s worth the gamble.

San Jose Sharks: Signing Mason Marchment

The Sharks are going for it next season, as they should since the Pacific Division is so weak. I have my fair share of concerns about what they did on defense this offseason, but Marchment seems like the perfect addition for their forward group.

Marchment thrived with the Blue Jackets after they acquired him in a midseason trade. He totaled 15 goals and 32 points in 39 games with the Blue Jackets, a 32-goal, 69-point pace over 84 games. He signed a five-year, $6.75 million AAV deal with the Sharks, which seems like fair value if he can provide 25-30 goals and 55-60 points.

Seattle Kraken: Acquiring Mackie Samoskevich

The Kraken need more young scoring talent in their lineup, and that’s what they’re hoping Mackie Samoskevich will provide after they acquired him from the Panthers. He finished last season with 12 goals and 32 points in 77 games, but his underlying metrics suggest breakout potential as well. He just never got the opportunity with the Panthers.

Fortunately for Samoskevich, the Kraken have openings in their top six. He’ll likely get an opportunity to play alongside Matty Beniers, where there should be more scoring opportunities.

St. Louis Blues: Acquiring Connor McMichael

Connor McMichael was part of the return the Blues received for trading Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals, but he’s still a solid addition. He’s coming off a down season as a finisher, totaling just 14 goals on 9.9 percent shooting. Despite a dip in goal-scoring, he still finished with 46 points, and his finishing should rebound next season.

McMichael is under contract through the 2031-32 season at a cap hit of $6.75 million. Even if he remains a 40-50-point scorer over the duration of his deal, he should be a valuable player for the Blues with the salary cap rising the way it is. I don’t think he’s an upgrade over Kyrou. He’s not the play driver Kyrou is, but he’s a fine replacement.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Signing John Carlson

Rather than sign Darren Raddysh for eight years, the Lightning turned to free agency and signed John Carlson to a two-year, $8.5 million AAV deal. He had an excellent season between the Capitals and Ducks, totaling 14 goals and 60 points in 71 games.

Despite his age (36), Carlson remains one of the most gifted offensive defensemen in the NHL. He can drive play from the back end, and he’s one of the best passing blueliners in the NHL. Florida being a no-tax state probably helped the Lightning get Carlson at an $8.5 million AAV, too. He should be plenty worth the contract over the next two years, and it was a smarter investment than giving Raddysh an eight-year deal for the same AAV.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Drafting Gavin McKenna

There wasn’t any question as to who the Maple Leafs would take with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, but Gavin McKenna could have an immediate impact next season. He had an impressive freshman season with Penn State, totaling 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games. Barring something unforeseen, he will be an NHLer next season.

Fans should temper their expectations for McKenna out of the gate, but the long-term implications are significant. He gives the Maple Leafs a young building block as Auston Matthews and William Nylander approach their 30s. The Maple Leafs needed to get younger this offseason, and McKenna should help.

Utah Mammoth: Acquiring Vincent Trocheck

The Mammoth have two legit top-six centers in Nick Schmaltz and Logan Cooley, but their depth was lacking. That’s where Vincent Trocheck should help. Acquired in a trade with the Rangers, he should give the Mammoth one of the best cores of centers in the West, especially after they matched the offer sheet tendered to Barrett Hayton.

Trocheck was one of the Rangers’ better players last season, totaling 53 points in 67 games and a WAR of 1.2. The Mammoth gave up a top prospect in Cole Beaudoin and defenseman Sean Durzi to acquire Trocheck, but it was worth the price. The Mammoth could be real players in the Central Division and Western Conference next season.

Vancouver Canucks: Drafting Caleb Malhotra

The Canucks are the only team openly entering a rebuild ahead of next season. That’s why they’ve had a relatively quiet offseason to this point. Drafting Caleb Malhotra with the third overall pick has been their best move to date.

Malhotra, whose dad, Manny, will take over as the Canucks’ head coach next season, gives the organization a building block as they begin their rebuild. He was a consensus top-five prospect in this year’s draft, so they didn’t reach just because his dad is their head coach. He could be a top-line player somewhere down the road.

Vegas Golden Knights: Signing Victor Olofsson

The Golden Knights have not had a particularly good offseason. They overpaid to keep Rasmus Andersson, and there haven’t been many external additions. Their most notable move was signing Victor Olofsson to a one-year, $1.63 million deal.

Olofsson is not much of a needle-mover, but his best season in the NHL came with the Golden Knights in 2024-25. When on his game, he can pot 15-20 goals and around 40 points. He’s not the fastest skater, but he’s a plus finisher. For the price they signed him to, he should provide some value in a middle-six/third-line role.

Washington Capitals: Acquiring Jordan Kyrou

Kyrou did not have the best season with the Blues. He totaled just 18 goals and 46 points in 72 games, but he was an elite play driver at five-on-five. He’s one of the better skaters in the NHL, and he has plenty of bounce-back potential. The Capitals should provide a better environment for him to succeed than the Blues, too.

Between Kyrou, Aliaksei Protas, Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, and Alex Tuch, there’s plenty of firepower on the wing in Washington. Kyrou will give the Capitals a different look compared to power forwards such as Wilson or Protas, but that gives the team different ways to attack their opponents. This should go down as another really savvy move by their front office.

Winnipeg Jets: Signing Stuart Skinner

Last but not least, there’s the Winnipeg Jets. I was tempted to list drafting Viggo Bjorck as their best move of the offseason, but signing Stuart Skinner wasn’t too shabby, either. Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room. There’s a lot of noise around Connor Hellebuyck these days. If he’s not on the roster to start next season, having Skinner will help.

Skinner played quite well for the Penguins after a midseason trade, saving just over eight goals above expected in Pittsburgh. He’s probably better than what he showed with the Oilers over the last two seasons, and there’ll be less pressure on him in Winnipeg. It’s just a two-year commitment at an AAV of $3.75 million as well. The Jets could have done much worse, and if Hellebuyck stays put, they should have one of the best goaltending tandems in the NHL.

It’s been a fun offseason in the NHL, and just about every team has made a notable addition. It’ll be interesting to see how it changes the landscape next season.

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Advanced stats from Evolving Hockey