July 1 wasn’t as active as it typically is. Was it due to the fear of getting caught tampering or the lack of quality players available? It’s fair to say a bit of both.
Nevertheless, moves were eventually made. We won’t know how things play out until the puck is dropped in October. However, that shouldn’t stop us from judging everyone today! Let’s take a look at how the Pacific Division is shaping up after a few days of free agency.
Anaheim Ducks – A
Additions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Chris Kreider | Acquired from the New York Rangers |
Mikael Granlund | $7 million × 3 years |
Ryan Poehling | Acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers |
Petr Mrazek | Acquired from the Detroit Red Wings |
Subtractions
Player | Details |
---|---|
John Gibson | Traded to Detroit Red Wings |
Trevor Zegras | Traded to Philadelphia Flyers |
Robby Fabbri | Remains a UFA |
Brett Leason | Remains a UFA |
Isac Lundeström | Remains a UFA |
Anaheim took steps last season, improving on the 2024 season by 20 points, and you can expect them to push for a playoff spot in 2026. Pat Verbeek has done a great job adding veterans while also not blocking the way for the young talent they have. Leo Carlsson, 20, still centres the top line alongside Cutter Gauthier, 21, both of whom had 20-goal campaigns. Mason McTavish, 22, still needs a contract as he is an RFA, but with close to $29 million still to spend, that won’t be a problem. The blue line is similar, with Jackson LaCombe, 24, Pavel Mintyukov, 21, Olen Zellweger, 21, and Drew Helleson, 24, all expected to play prominent roles next season. Of course, there is their potential star goaltender in Lukas Dostal, who will get the full crease with John Gibson now gone.
What did they add to their group? Veteran forwards Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund. Two players are coming to the end of their careers, but also guys that are going to be key to whatever success the Ducks have. Only 13 players have more goals than Kreider in the past five seasons—169—and they’re all younger than him, besides Alex Ovechkin. Anaheim got him for a third-round pick and a prospect that wouldn’t have played for them—Carey Terrance. Granlund signed a big three-year deal worth $7 million per year, which is a large price. With how much money the Ducks have to spend, he’s worth the cost.
Anaheim is going to be a fun team to watch. They’ll have a shot to make the playoffs and have a better roster than at least four teams in the Pacific Division.
Calgary Flames – C+
Additions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Ivan Prosvetov | $950K × 1 year |
Nick Cicek | $775K × 1 year |
Re-signed
Player | Details |
---|---|
Matt Coronato | $6.5 million × 7 years |
Kevin Bahl | $5.35 million × 6 years |
Morgan Frost | $4.35 million × 3 years |
Joel Hanley | $1.75 million × 2 years |
Adam Klapka | $1.25 million × 2 years |
Justin Kirkland | $1 million × 1 year |
Subtractions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Anthony Mantha | $2.25 million with the Pittsburgh Penguins |
Dan Vladar | $3.35 million × 2 years with the Flyers |
Kevin Rooney | Remains a UFA |
The Flames didn’t sign anyone good and still have Rasmus Andersson on the roster because he only wants to play for the Vegas Golden Knights. Not an easy time to be a Calgary Flames fan, but if they’re in the running for Gavin McKenna next season, then it’ll be worth it.
Calgary already has too many older players on long-term contracts that they don’t want to keep. Therefore, why would they overspend more on free agency? Craig Conroy reinvested in what he already had in Matt Coronato, 22, Kevin Bahl, 25, and Morgan Frost, 26, and called it a day, which was a brilliant idea. Bahl is a gamble with a six-year deal, but the only other left-shot defencemen Calgary has are Jake Bean and Joel Hanley. The cap is going up so much that $5.35 million won’t feel like an impactful cap hit when Calgary becomes relevant again.
The move that might come back to haunt Conroy is not adding a veteran backup for Dustin Wolf. There’s still time to find that, but right now, heading into the season with Devin Cooley won’t be ideal. He’s 28 and a career minor-league player. Wolf is going to be relied upon heavily next season—maybe even more than last season’s 53-game campaign.
Edmonton Oilers – C+
Additions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Andrew Mangiapane | $3.6 million × 2 years |
Curtis Lazar | $775K × 1 year |
Re-signed
Player | Details |
---|---|
Evan Bouchard | $10.5 million × 4 years |
Noah Philp | $775K × 1 year |
Trent Frederic | $3.85 million × 8 years |
Kasperi Kapanen | $1.3 million × 1 year |
Subtractions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Evander Kane | Traded to Vancouver |
Connor Brown | $3 million × 4 years with New Jersey |
Corey Perry | $2 million × 1 year with Los Angeles |
John Klingberg | $4 million × 1 year with San Jose |
Viktor Arvidsson | Traded to Boston |
Jeff Skinner | Remains a UFA |
July 1 was a disappointment for some Oilers fans after seeing many fan favourites walk out the door. With Evander Kane already traded to Vancouver, Connor Brown, Corey Perry, and John Klingberg all found new teams in free agency on deals the Oilers couldn’t afford. Viktor Arvidsson left via trade as well, becoming a Boston Bruin.
Stan Bowman made one deal bringing in Andrew Mangiapane, the former Calgary Flame, from the Washington Capitals. The hope is that he can fill the void left by Brown on the penalty kill and contribute at 5-on-5. He’ll slide up and down the top nine on the left side. Curtis Lazar was the other signing they made for only $775K on a one-year deal.
Instead of searching around, Bowman opted to sign a few of his free agents. Trent Frederic, Kasperi Kapanen, and Noah Philp all signed new deals with the team, along with Evan Bouchard, who cemented his future in Edmonton for the next four years.
Did the Oilers miss out on a goaltender? Maybe in John Gibson, but the free-agent market was slim, and the team didn’t value the players out there. I don’t believe the goalie conversation is over yet, as the Oilers still look to improve in the crease.
For now, a C+ is a fair grade for Bowman and the Oilers, as they didn’t overspend on nonsense.
Jun 14, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers right wing Corey Perry (90) during the warmup period against the Florida Panthers in game five of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
LA Kings – D
Additions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Cody Ceci | $4.5 million × 4 years |
Brian Dumoulin | $4 million × 3 years |
Joel Armia | $2.5 million × 2 years |
Anton Forsberg | $2.25 million × 2 years |
Corey Perry | $2 million × 1 year + bonus |
Re-signed
Player | Details |
---|---|
Andrei Kuzmenko | $4.3 million × 1 year |
Subtractions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Tanner Jeannot | $3.4 million × 5 years with the Boston Bruins |
Vladislav Gavrikov | $7 million × 7 years with the New York Rangers |
David Rittich | $1 million × 1 year with the New York Islanders |
Jordan Spence | Traded to Ottawa Senators |
Trevor Lewis | Remains a UFA |
You thought the LA Kings had a bad July 1? Imagine if they’d also signed Tanner Jeannot to a five-year deal like the Boston Bruins. Kings fans should be counting their chickens, considering Cody Ceci is only locked in for four years.
It was a masterclass on Canada Day, courtesy of Ken Holland. He moved out young talent, like Jordan Spence, to bring in veteran players for the reason of “experience.” Perhaps if Jim Hiller had played Spence or anyone on the Kings’ fourth line in Round 1, then they’d have that experience. Instead, they replace a $1.5-million cap hit from a 24-year-old with a $4.5-million hit on a 31-year-old in Ceci, or a $4-million hit on a 33-year-old in Brian Dumoulin.
The additions they made up front were good. Joel Armia and Corey Perry will have a positive impact on the roster. They round out the forward group well, providing an extra layer of security and depth. Re-signing Andrei Kuzmenko for $4.3 million was a good move, too. He played well for the Kings after arriving from Philadelphia.
LA still has a good roster, so I fully expect them to make the playoffs in a weak Pacific Division.
San Jose Sharks – B-
Additions
Player | Details |
---|---|
John Klingberg | $4 million × 1 year |
Adam Gaudette | $2 million × 2 years |
Philipp Kurashev | $1.2 million × 1 year |
Alex Nedeljkovic | Acquired from Pittsburgh Penguins |
Re-signed
Player | Details |
---|---|
William Eklund | $5.6 million × 3 years |
Subtractions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Marc-Edouard Vlasic | Bought out |
Noah Gregor | Remains a UFA |
Klim Kostin | Remains a UFA |
Jan Rutta | Remains a UFA |
Alexander Georgiev | Remains a UFA |
The San Jose Sharks announced yesterday that they fully intend to be in the running for Gavin McKenna. They took a chance on a few players for one or two years that will help them get a few extra wins next season. They’ll also be players who are easily movable at the trade deadline.
They also invested in their future, re-signing William Eklund to a three-year deal with a $5.3-million AAV. Eklund is 22, with 17 goals and 58 points in 77 games last season.
John Klingberg is the most notable addition for one year at $4 million. He should run their top-unit power play next season, with few other options currently on the roster—a good move for Klingberg after a positive end to his time in Edmonton.
They took a chance with Philipp Kurashev, who had promising moments alongside Connor Bedard in Chicago, and Adam Gaudette, who scored 19 goals with Ottawa last season. Neither player is going to get in the way of any of the young Sharks forwards’ development paths.
The same goes for Alex Nedeljkovic in goal. Mike Grier acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a draft pick. He’ll be an instant upgrade over Alexander Georgiev, who remains a free agent.
The blue line remains problematic in San Jose, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Again, they’ll allow the youth to get reps and make mistakes. They’ll live with the difficulties and be better for it in the future.
Seattle Kraken – D
Additions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Ryan Lindgren | $4.5 million × 4 years |
Matt Murray | $1 million × 1 year |
Mason Marchment | Acquired from Dallas Stars (via trade) |
Frederick Gaudreau | Acquired from Minnesota Wild (via trade) |
Subtractions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Andre Burakovsky | Traded to Chicago Blackhawks |
Michael Eyssimont | $1.45 million × 2 years with Boston Bruins |
When I first wrote this, I completely forgot about the Seattle Kraken, which highlights their relative irrelevance to the NHL. The most exciting part about the Kraken is the players that are pending UFAs. Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Mason Marchment, and Jamie Oleksiak could all be available at the trade deadline if Seattle has another disappointing season.
All signs point to another middling team, so expect to see those players moved. They missed the playoffs by 20 points last season, and their most notable signing this summer is Ryan Lindgren. Honestly, they have an outside shot of getting Gavin McKenna, and maybe that’s what they want.
If you’re a new team coming into the NHL—paging future Atlanta and Austin owners—and you want to know how not to run an expansion team, look no further than the Seattle Kraken.
Oct 14, 2023; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane (91) shows a hit on Vancouver Canucks defensemen Filipe Hornek (17) during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
Vancouver Canucks – C+
Additions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Evander Kane | Acquired from Edmonton Oilers |
Re-signed
Player | Details |
---|---|
Thatcher Demko | $8.5 million × 3 years |
Brock Boeser | $7.25 million × 7 years |
Conor Garland | $6 million × 6 years |
Subtractions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Pius Suter | $4 million × 2 years with St. Louis Blues |
Noah Juulsen | Remains a UFA |
Vancouver was busier re-signing players rather than adding new ones, which was probably a good idea. It’s hard to deny that Thatcher Demko, Brock Boeser, and Conor Garland aren’t good players. They all provide different factors that can help the Canucks win games.
Health is obviously a factor with Demko, but when he’s available, he’s an elite goaltender. Boeser is only a year removed from scoring 40 goals, but you know you’re getting 23 goals at a minimum. Garland, while good, the term and dollars might’ve been too much. He’ll need to become a consistent 50-point-or-more player.
Evander Kane was brought in via trade to add physicality and offensive ability to the Canucks’ top six. He fills a need in their top six and, in a contract year, has much to prove.
Their bottom six remains a flaw. It’s weak and lacks significant offensive upside. They’ll struggle to find much impact down there, unless they can make another addition.
If Vancouver’s stars can stay healthy, then they can push for the playoffs. However, health is always a struggle in that city, so it could be another underwhelming season.
Vegas Golden Knights – B+
Additions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Mitch Marner | $12 million × 8 years (sign-and-trade) |
Colton Sissons | Via trade from Nashville |
Jeremy Lauzon | Via trade from Nashville |
Re-signed
Player | Details |
---|---|
Brandon Saad | $2 million × 1 year |
Reilly Smith | $2 million × 1 year |
Subtractions
Player | Details |
---|---|
Nicolas Hague | Traded to Nashville |
Nicolas Roy | Traded to Toronto |
Tanner Pearson | $1 million × 1 year with Winnipeg Jets |
Alex Pietrangelo | Career-ending LTIR |
Victor Olofsson | Remains a UFA |
Ilya Samsonov | Remains a UFA |
An interesting few days for the Vegas Golden Knights. They signed the top player available in Mitch Marner, but lost Alex Pietrangelo to a career-ending injury in the process. So, a good day and a bad day?
They still lack a legit goal-scorer, so they’ll have to rely on depth to stay consistent. Fortunately, their forward group is capable of performing throughout the regular season. Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith re-signed. They’re on the backend of their careers but could contribute 20 to 25 goals combined. Colton Sissons was the other notable forward addition, but don’t expect much offence from him.
Even with the addition of Marner, the forward group still lacks. The top six is legit, and their first line might be the best in the NHL. However, they lack an extra layer in their bottom six. They’ll hope Brett Howden can build off his 23-goal season and that Brandon Saad can get more comfortable to contribute more. They’ll still be a contender for first in the Pacific Division; however, they’ll need to find another goal-scorer.