Ranking the 7 Best NHL Free Agents Still Available

The 2025 NHL free agency period was overall rather lackluster. The pool of free agents didn't have much star power, and the anticipated top prize, Mitch Marner, was dealt to the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade before the market opened.

Despite that, there's still some quality free agents who remain unsigned. The 2025-26 NHL season doesn't begin for more than a month, so there's still a good deal of time for the remaining free agents to find themselves a new NHL home.

So, who all remains available in free agency? We'll take a look at the 10 best players still unsigned.

Jack Roslovic, RW

NHL — Free agent center Jack Roslovic played the 2024-25 season with the Hurricanes. | David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Roslovic is 28 years old and coming off one of his best seasons. Last year in Carolina, he matched his career high with 22 goals, 21 of which came at even strength. He'd be a solid bottom six forward for any contending team, and likely wouldn't cost much more than $4 million annually.

Victor Olofsson, RW

NHL — Victor Olofsson is one of the top free agents remaining. | Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Another strong option for teams looking to fortify the wing this late into the offseason is Victor Olofsson, who spent last season with the Golden Knights. At 29, he's likely looking for a deal of three or so years, and although he's not been too productive over the last two seasons, he scored a career-high 28 goals just three years ago.

Matt Grzelcyk, LD

Grzelcyk set career highs offensively in his first year with the Penguins, recording 40 points on the season. Prior to 2024-25, he'd never eclipsed even 30 points in a single season. Grzelcyk was a valuable asset on the power play for Pittsburgh, where he recorded 15 assists. At 31, Grzelcyk would be a great pickup for a team looking for some two-way depth on defense.

Max Pacioretty, LW

Pacioretty is of the NHL's most senior players, but he's still a capable contributor, something he showed during the playoffs with the Maple Leafs. The 36-year-old had eight points in 11 postseason games, and was dominant on the boards with 61 hits. He's approaching the end of his career, but he could be a game-changer for a contending team late into the campaign.

Ilya Samsonov, G

NHL — Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov is still a free agent. | Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Samsonov had a smaller role in 2024-25 than he did in any previous season of his career. Last year in Vegas, Samsonov played in 29 games, logging a .891 save percentage with a 2.82 goals against average. Teams looking for a starting goalie will need to do so on the trade market, but Samsonov is a quality backup heading into his age-28 season.

James Reimer, G

Reimer didn't have a great season in 2024-25, but he's arguably the most experienced goalie still available on the market. The 37-year-old is entering what would be his 16th NHL season, and he could still be a serviceable backup for a team looking for a No. 2 goalie. Reimer played in 24 games last year, spending time with the Ducks and Sabres, and had a .896 save percentage.

Evgeny Kuznetsov, C

Former Carolina Hurricanes center Evgeny Kuznetsov may return to the NHL in 2025. | James Guillory-Imagn Images

Evgeny Kuznetsov is reportedly attempting to return to NHL after his contract with his KHL club was terminated. The former Stanley Cup winner parted ways unceremoniously with the Hurricanes during the 2023-24 season, but is now set to return to the league. He's had some great seasons, including his career year in 2021-22 in which he had a 78 points in 79 games with the Capitals. Over 11 years in the NHL, Kuznetsov has 575 points in 743 games.