Top 7 NHL Offer Sheet Candidates This Offseason

Offer sheets are a rarity in the NHL, but maybe not this year. Elliotte Friedman suggested on the June 22 episode of 32 Thoughts that we may see some offer sheets this offseason. I’ll believe it when I see it, but given the UFA class, it wouldn’t shock me if we see a couple. Let’s look at seven RFAs who may be offer-sheet candidates.

Pavel Dorofeyev

Pavel Dorofeyev had a breakout year during the 2024-25 season and solidified himself as one of the NHL’s best young shooting threats this season. He finished with 37 goals and 64 points during the regular season and added another 12 goals in the Vegas Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final.

A payday is coming for Dorofeyev. Shooting talent is among the hardest things to come by in the NHL, and with the cap rising as it is, his next contract could come with a cap hit of eight figures. Even if it doesn’t, it will come close; Evolving Hockey has Dorofeyev projected for an eight-year deal at a cap hit of $9.135 million.

The Golden Knights are a great fit for Dorofeyev because they have the talent to optimize his skill set. He’s not a play driver, but is rather a complementary piece who needs playmaking and skill around him.

The question for the Golden Knights is, can they afford to pay him? They have just $11.725 million in cap space with a roster of 17. GM Kelly McCrimmon has shown an uncanny ability to free up cap space over the years, but could this be the year it finally bites the Golden Knights? That’s what makes Dorofeyev so susceptible to an offer sheet, assuming he’d be willing to sign one.

Mavrik Bourque

Another team in cap trouble is the Dallas Stars. They have to re-sign Jason Robertson, who is also eligible to sign an offer sheet, although that seems less likely. They only have $11,060,500 in cap space, and Robertson’s cap hit will likely come in the $12-14 million range.

That could make Mavrik Bourque susceptible to an offer sheet, too. He’s coming off a solid season that saw him total 20 goals and 41 points in 81 games. He was one of the Stars’ best five-on-five players, finishing with an expected goals share (xG%) of 54.74 percent, ranked third among Stars skaters.

Evolving Hockey has Bourque projected for a two-year bridge deal at a cap hit of $3.556 million. That’s far from an expensive extension, but with Robertson heading for the payday he is, money will get tight quickly. The Stars’ best path to freeing up cap space would be clearing Tyler Seguin’s contract, but that will be easier said than done. Until then, they should be mildly worried about an offer sheet to Bourque.

Zachary Bolduc

The Montreal Canadiens will likely clear the final year of Brendan Gallagher’s contract in the coming weeks. That will make them less prone to an offer sheet to one of their RFAs, but Zachary Bolduc is a potential offer sheet target.

Bolduc had a solid first season in Montreal, totaling 12 goals and 30 points in 78 games while playing a middle-six role. He was one of the Canadiens’ better five-on-five players, finishing with an xG% of 51.16 percent. He also averaged 1.5 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five.

The Canadiens have $10,983,324 million in cap space, but as mentioned, they will gain more by trading Gallagher. Still, Kirby Dach is also a pending RFA and in need of a new contract, and all the talk is that the Canadiens are looking to make another top-six addition, specifically at center. Money will get tight quickly, and with the center market being what it is in free agency, some team may be tempted to sign Bolduc to an offer sheet.

Peyton Krebs

The Buffalo Sabres are in a good spot as an organization, but they have some decisions to make with the salary cap. Zach Benson is heading for a big payday as an RFA this summer, and they could be among the teams looking to make a big addition to their roster.

Peyton Krebs had a solid season with the Sabres, totaling 12 goals and 39 points in 80 games. He’s not a high-volume shooter, but he has scoring upside as a middle-six forward who can play center or on the wing. He has some playmaking ability and skates well, and is just entering the prime of his career.

Krebs is in line for a three-year contract worth $3.757 million per year, according to Evolving Hockey. Again, because there are no quality centers in free agency, a team could be tempted to sign him to an offer sheet. If the Sabres don’t deem him worth paying, they could move on and take the draft pick compensation.

Cole Sillinger

The Columbus Blue Jackets have a lot of cap space on paper, but that could dry up quickly. Adam Fantilli and Jet Greaves are RFAs and will need paydays. They’re not likely offer-sheet targets, but could Cole Sillinger be? He totaled just eight goals and 33 points this season, but could he break out with a different team?

Sillinger has struggled to produce offensively, but he’s a good defensive forward who is decent in transition and an underrated forechecker. He’s not afraid to throw his body around and is a good skater. If a team thinks he has another level he can reach offensively, he might be worth an offer sheet.

Looking at the Blue Jackets’ cap situation, Fantilli could be in for a payday that touches a cap hit worth nearly $8-9 million, and GM Don Waddell likely wants to make a couple of external additions to help improve the team. There will probably be money left over for Sillinger, but he may command a new cap hit worth nearly $5 million per year. Again, this all comes down to the UFA center market being one of the worst I can remember. If some team comes to him with an offer sheet, he could accept.

Brandt Clarke

Brandt Clarke has posted terrific underlying numbers in a sheltered role for the Los Angeles Kings. At some point, the Kings will have to see if he can handle bigger minutes. But let’s say that’s not something they’re willing to do. Could he sign an offer sheet with a team that sees him as a top-four defender?

Clarke was terrific this season. He’s a highly skilled defenseman with an expansive offensive toolkit. He’s a high-end shooter and creates plenty of chances for his teammates. Clarke is also a tremendous passer, and he defends the rush quite well. He’s ready for the expanded role that the Kings have yet to give him.

Evolving Hockey has Clarke projected for a six-year deal at a cap hit of $7.379 million. The Kings certainly don’t seem to think he’s worth that kind of money, so it wouldn’t shock me if he’s open to signing an offer sheet if someone offers him, say, around $8 million per year or more.

Olen Zellweger

The Anaheim Ducks have plenty of cap space, but a significant portion of that will go to Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson, who will likely command paydays north of $10 million per year as RFAs this summer. That could make Olen Zellweger and the Ducks susceptible to an offer sheet.

Zellweger fell out of favor with head coach Joel Quenneville toward the end of the regular season, but he still had a solid campaign. He’s a good shooter who can create for himself and his teammates, and he’s an excellent passer. He also skates well and is quite mobile in transition, whether through his skating or passing.

Zellweger hasn’t broken out yet, but the signs are there. Will the Ducks be willing to bet on that with a long-term deal, or will they hold the line and bridge him? If it’s the latter, he may be willing to sign an offer sheet with a team looking for someone with the potential to be a top-four defender. He may be undersized for a defenseman, but he’s the ideal offer sheet candidate since the Ducks have other big paydays to worry about.

We’ll see what free agency brings when the market opens on July 1. Offer sheets are far from a guarantee, but with the UFA class being what it is, maybe we see a couple from teams looking to improve their rosters.

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