NHL free agency 2026 recap: Frederik Andersen, Sergei Bobrovsky move on Day 1 – USA Today

The 2026 NHL free agency class wasn’t strong, but there was plenty of action as the signing period opened on Wednesday, July 1.
Stanley Cup-winning goalies Frederik Andersen (Edmonton Oilers) and Sergei Bobrovsky (Toronto Maple Leafs) moved to new teams. Stanley Cup finalist defenseman Rasmus Andersson stayed with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Chicago Blackhawks’ Bowen Byram signed an extension that, for the moment, has made him the top-paid defenseman. Free agent defenseman John Carlson is reportedly joining the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The San Jose Sharks added size to their defense with Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse. The Utah Mammoth added skill to their forward group with Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee.
Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski and the Columbus Blue Jackets cleared things up and he will stay in Columbus.
There even was an offer sheet as the New Jersey Devils made one to Utah’s Barrett Hayton.
Here are the moves that were made on the opening day of NHL free agency:
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Carlson is joining the Lightning on a two-year deal with an $8.5 million cap hit. He will replace Darren Raddysh, who joined the Maple Leafs for the same cap hit on an eight-year deal.
John Carlson, Claude Giroux, Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting and others.
He gets a one-year deal. He had 15 goals in 56 games during the 2024-25 season with Vegas. He had three 20-goal season with the Sabres. The Golden Knights need scoring after trading Pavel Dorofeyev to the Rangers at the draft.
The Oilers signed the goalie for one year at $2.8 million. Puckpedia.com said it’s a $1 million salary, with another $1.8 million in performance bonuses. Andersen was brilliant in leading the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final before he was injured and Brandon Bussi won the final three games.
The Oilers have been looking for goaltending seemingly forever. Their tandem would be Andersen and Tristan Jarry, with just-acquired Devon Levi also in the mix.
The defenseman will get $4 million. He averaged more than 21 minutes a game in San Jose, killed penalties and led the Sharks with 150 blocked shots.
He’ll average $5 million a year in the deal with the rebuilding team.
The former Wild player gets a one-year, $1 million contract with the Kings, but he can earn up to $5.5 million in bonuses.
Other Kings signings: Corey Perry (one year, $1 million with $500,000 in bonuses), Scott Laughton (re-signed for three years, $3.5 million average), Erik Haula (two years, $3.6 million average), Erik Gustafsson (one year, $1 million) and Scott Perunovich (one year, $850,000).
GM Jim Nill had no update on contract negotiations with Robertson, the team’s leading scorer.
“This is July 1,” he said. “The games don’t start until September and this is part of contract negotiations.”
He said it was too early to determine if arbitration would the way to go. Robertson is a restricted free agent and is one season away from unrestricted free agency.
He led the Golden Knights with 270 hits last season and was second with 55 penalty minutes. Vegas receives a 2027 seventh-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.
It’s for one year at $4.775 million and Utah has seven days to match. It would get a second-round pick if it doesn’t. He had 25 points last season but has hit 40 points twice. He has one year left before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
He’ll average $5.4 million in the deal. The longtime Islanders player has 308 career goals and had been captain since 2018. The Mammoth also traded for center Vincent Trocheck on July 1.
The Rangers send a 2030 protected first-round pick to the Canucks for defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who had played for coach Mike Sullivan in Pittsburgh. The Rangers traded defenseman Will Borgen to the Bruins for a second-round and a conditional third-round pick. That continues the Rangers’ remake of their blue line. They earlier acquired Sean Durzi in the Vincent Trocheck trade.
Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski, who had been mentioned in trade rumors, released a statement that he wants to stay in Columbus. General manager Don Waddell also released a statement.
“Ideally, this wouldn’t have become such a public thing but that is the world we live in now and everything got blown out of proportion in my opinion,” he said. “I want to win and I want to do that in Columbus. As I’ve thought about things and discussed everything with my wife and family, we want to be in Columbus. It has been my home for the past 10 years and I have always been proud to be a Blue Jacket. We have the best fans in the NHL. I love my teammates and coaches and I’m looking forward to doing everything I can to get us back in the playoffs to compete for a Stanley Cup.”
Said Waddell: “The past two seasons have been very challenging ones, but also ones of growth for our team. Our goals from ownership on down and Zach’s goals are the same… to win now, return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and win a Stanley Cup. Our city and fans deserve nothing less and we are all on the same page working towards that end. Zach has been a very important part of this organization and our community for a long time, and we couldn’t be happier that he will continue to be moving forward.”
The Oilers used some of their cap savings on the Darnell Nurse trade to sign defenseman Ryan Shea to a five-year, $20 million contract. He had a breakout season with 35 points and a plus-22 rating with Pittsburgh.
Dube, who had signed an American Hockey League tryout contract in December after his acquittal in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, gets a one-year, one-way $850,000 contract. New Blues GM Alexander Steen said he appreciated Dube’s “humility” and “sincerity” about the case.
“I obviously respect that not everybody’s going to agree with (the decision to sign Dube),” Steen told reporters. “We’ve gotten to know Dillon over the course of the last nine months … and since I’ve been here, the organization has been a second-chance organization and in our opinion, we’re confident in giving him this opportunity.”
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Rangers will get defenseman Sean Durzi, prospect Cole Beaudoin and a third-round pick in the deal.
The Sharks make their second move on the blue line by trading for Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. Defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp head back to Edmonton, which didn’t retain any of Nurse’s $9.25 million cap hit. The Sharks add big defensemen Jacob Trouba (6-foot-3) and Nurse (6-foot-4) to a team that finished third to last in goals-against average. The Oilers have cap room to make a move.
The Blue Jackets captain will average $5.75 million with his new team. Another solid addition for the Capitals, who earlier traded for Alex Tuck and Jordan Kyrou and signed defenseman Vincent Desharnais. Washington will be a force in the Metropolitan Division, especially if Alex Ovechkin comes back.
After the Bobrovsky signing, the Maple Leafs traded goaltender Dennis Hildeby to the Lightning for forward Nick Paul. The Lightning also get third- and fourth-round picks in the deal. The Paul acquisition continued the Maple Leafs’ beefing up for their bottom six. They also added Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger and Zach McEwen.
He’ll average $6.75 million in the five-year deal. He averaged $4.5 million in his last deal. Marchment joins an organization where his father, the late Bryan Marchment, played for six seasons with the Sharks and was a longtime scout. Marchment is a secondary scorer who also plays an agitator role.
He’ll average $3.85 million in the deal. Mikheyev provides speed and penalty killing. He has hit the 20-goal mark twice. The Lightning also signed rugged forward Jeffrey Viel (five years, $2.5 million average).
The Sharks signed Eric Comrie to a two-year, $2.3 million contract. The Wild signed Calvin Pickard for one year, $1 million, the Red Wings signed Daniil Tarasov for one year, $2 million and the Devils re-signed Nico Daws (two years, $2.2 million).
The contract is worth $5 million. The Penguins are hoping he has a bounce-back season like Anthony Mantha did last year. Kuzmenko scored 39 goals with the Canucks in his first NHL season but has bounced and had 13 goals last season with the Kings.
Vincent Desharnais joins the Capitals for four years ($4.2 million average). Ian Cole heads to the Blackhawks for one year, $4 million. Nick Jensen signed with the Ducks for two years. The Avalanche signed Noah Juulsen for two years and Declan Carlile signed with the Penguins for two years ($1.5 million average).
The Blackhawks signed defenseman Bowen Byram to a six-year extension that, for now, will make him the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history.
The July 1 deal will average $12.5 million and kick in during the 2027-28 season. The top cap hit next season among defensemen is Erik Karlsson at $11.5 million, followed by Rasmus Dahlin and Drew Doughty at $11 million.
Byram, 25, has been in a second-pairing role in his career because Colorado’s Cale Makar and Buffalo’s Dahlin were ahead of him, but he will be the Blackhawks’ top defenseman. His top season was 42 points in 2025-26.
Chicago gave up its fourth-overall pick at the draft to land Byram and Jordan Greenway.
He’ll average $2.8 million in the contract. The depth forward played the last three seasons with the rival Penguins.
He’ll average a reported $7 million in a three-year deal. Bobrovsky, 37, has won two Stanley Cups and two Vezina Trophies, but he’s coming off his worst season. Still, he’s an established goalie who can help the Maple Leafs as they try to come back from the end of their nine-year playoff run. He’ll be reunited with Anthony Stolarz, his former backup in Florida.
The goalie hasn’t been able to break through with the Sabres and will get a chance with the Oilers.
From TSN”s Darren Dreger:
He’ll average $8.25 million in the deal, up from $8 million in his last contract. He adds a physical presence to the Sharks and he scored 10 goals last season with the Ducks.
He gets a one-year, $2 25 million contract. This is his third stint with the team and he’ll add a veteran presence.
The rugged winger will average $2 million in the deal. He topped 100 penalty minutes in two of the last three seasons and had 192 hits last season.
He’ll get two years with a $5 million cap hit. He bounced back from two subpar seasons to score 25 goals and 54 points with the Bruins last season.
He’ll average $3.75 million over two years. The question is whether he’s a backup or is the No. 1. The Jets are listening to offers on Connor Hellebuyck. By signing Skinner, who has been a No. 1 goalie (albeit up and down), the Jets don’t need to get back a goalie if they trade the former Vezina Trophy winner and U.S. Olympian. Skinner went to the Stanley Cup Final with Edmonton twice and was traded to Pittsburgh last season.
He’ll average $8.5 million in the seven-year deal, per reports. Andersson was acquired from the Flames during the season and reached the Stanley Cup Final.
He’ll average $5 million in the deal, per reports. He played a key role in the Panthers’ two Stanley Cups and also played for Finland at the 2026 Olympics, winning bronze.
The forward will average $7.1 million in the deal.
He will average $2.2 million in the two-year deal. Ersson struggled in Philadelphia last season and was traded to Toronto and then Ottawa. He’ll back up fellow Swedish goalie Linus Ullmark in Ottawa.
Korpisalo will take over the backup goalie role from retired Jonathan Quick. The Bruins receive minor league forward Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth-round pick. Korpisalo has one year left on his contract.
He could get five years with a $7 million average, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Marchment’s late father, Bryan, played six seasons with the Sharks.
Zuccarello is getting a one-year deal with bonuses, according to multiple reports. Haula’s deal is two years at $3.6 million a season. per reports. Haula adds to the Kings’ center depth after Anze Kopitar’s retirement. Zuccarello will help the Kings’ power play. NHL insider Frank Seravalli also said the Kings are signing Corey Perry, who started last season in Los Angeles.
The Kraken, who acquired Samoskevich from the Panthers, signed the restricted free agent to a three-year deal with a $3.85 million cap hit.
He’ll average $3.1 million, the team said. The Sabres acquired him from the Ducks last week.
The Devils captain will average $11,700,000 in the deal, making the team’s highest-paid player when it kicks in during the 2027-28 season.
Vladar, who helped the Flyers get back to the playoffs and won a round, will average $5.5 million in the extension.
He’ll average $9.125 million in the extension, which kicks in during 2027-28, according to his agent, Dan Milstein. He finished second in Calder Trophy voting with 62 points in 82 games.
NHL free agency officially opened at noon ET on Wednesday, July 1.
He’ll average $1.5 million in his six-year deal, per reports, to help with the Panthers’ cap hit. Gudas’ rights were acquired this week. He had won the Stanley Cup in 2024 before leaving for the Ducks.
The Maple Leafs will get a 2028 fourth-round pick. Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas had drafted Robertson when he was in Toronto.
Bourque, a forward, and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin are headed to Nashville for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick. Bourque had 20 goals and 41 points last season. The Predators continue to load up on scoring depth after earlier adding Jack Drury, Ross Colton and Nils Hoglander. The Stars gain cap room with restricted free agent Jason Robertson still to sign.
Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, reports that GM Steve Yzerman would like a top-six center and a winger in return for Larkin, who has five years left on his deal. Yzerman said after the draft that he would act in the best interest of the Red Wings and “I cannot make any guarantees or did not make any guarantees that that request could or would be met.”
His deal will average $1.5875 million a year. He had 23 points and a career-best 92 penalty minutes in his second season in Ottawa.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Blue Jackets had a verbal agreement on a trade with the Stars, but Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski vetoed it. Stars defenseman Thomas Harley would have been part of the return package, Friedman said.
Two-time Stanley Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky is heading to free agency after the Panthers couldn’t reach a deal and the team acquired two goalies. Here are the top NHL free agents:

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