NHL Free Agency Frenzy Roundup: The Metropolitan Division

Carolina Hurricanes: N/A

Signings: Nobody

The Carolina Hurricanes made zero NHL signings.

Their only loss was goaltender Frederik Andersen. Still pending is RFA defenceman Alexander Nikishin. Besides Nikishin and Andersen, the entire team is signed through next season.

After winning the Stanley Cup with goaltender Brandon Bussi, Carolina proved they don’t need an elite starter to win.

While having over $11 million in cap space, the Hurricanes are weary of paying Nikishin and fielding offers. Out of the Hurricanes six starting defencemen, Nikishin averaged the least average time on ice. His role as 6D is easily replaceable if left unsigned and traded.

There’s nothing to fix. The entire skating core besides the 6D is signed, there's no need for any signings.

Columbus Blue Jackets: F

Signings: Ryan Lomberg (F), Erik Gudbranson* (D)

The Columbus Blue Jackets weren't big spenders, but the money was spent on bad assets.

For a team that lost Mason Marchment and Boone Jenner, Ryan Lomberg being the only forward signing is bad. $1.3 million for two seasons is an overpay by $2.6 million. He's being paid to be a bad checking forward.

Columbus re-signed their worst player, defenceman Erik Gudbranson, for $1.75 million. This is only a one-year deal, but he’s one of the worst players in the NHL.

There are enforcers available for league minimum, you don't have to pay nearly $3 million along with the expense of good hockey to get them.

New Jersey Devils: C+

Signings: Nico Hischier* (F), Nico Daws* (G), David Rittich (G)

After extending Nico Hischier, goaltending was New Jersey's biggest priority after Markstrom's departure.

You can count on "NY Rangers Watcher" to be unbiased towards Hischier's five-year $11.7 million extension. While paying your 2C nearly twelve million is a lot, Hischier will slot in as 1C eventually with Jack Hughes' injury problems. It also helps that Jack Hughes makes high-end 2C money at $8 million.

Focusing on Hischier instead of his role, he’s not worth all that money. His peak season was just below point-per-game, he always scores below expected and his PR overrates his defensive ability. Not to take away from Hischier, at his best he's still a 40-goal, 80-point two-way centre with excellent puck skills, but that's not worth $11.7 million.

If you're Devils GM Sunny Mehta, it wouldn't make sense to let him walk. It's only an overpay of around $3 million while you're underpaying Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. New Jersey will have an extra $17 million to work with after some overpaid depth pieces expire next year.

David Rittich was a good backup for the New York Islanders. Even though his save percentage was mediocre, his GSAx (goals saved above expected) was a 14.34. His defence gave him little help last season. $1 million for one-year is great if he's deployed as a backup. Rittich can have a solid season if Jake Allen can be the Devils' 1A.

Daws earning $1.1 million for two years is meh. Besides a six-game NHL stint in 2025, his play has always been mediocre. He came off a .892 save percentage as the Utica Comets starter this season. Chances are he's outperformed by Rittich and is paid seven figures to be an AHLer for the next two seasons.

The flexibility of two backup options is nice, but $2.2 million total is a lot of money for a goalie unproven at any professional level.

New York Islanders: D+

Signings: Mattias Maccelli (F), Vitek Vanecek (G)

The New York Islanders used the little cap space they had on mediocre assets.

Mattias Maccelli is an alright player, but he’s an underwhelming replacement for Anders Lee. His peak seasons were a result of him over-achieving on the power play. Since 2024, he's been an awful power-play asset. For the Islander’s struggling power play, Maccelli won't solve any problems.

Focusing on the contract, one year of $2.25 million for a third-line RFA isn't bad at all. He's still an alright 5-on-5 producer, and the Islanders have contract leverage following this season.

Vitek Vanecek at $1 million for one year is not good. Their regular backup, Semyon Varlamov, is 38 years old coming off two knee replacement surgeries. The Islanders needed flexibility for the backup role, but Vanecek isn’t good. If they weren't cap strapped it's not a big deal, but they barely have $2 million left.

If Varlamov can't come back, Vanecek isn’t a good plan B. That $1 million would've been better unspent.

New York Rangers: D-

Signings: Joseph Veleno (F), Oliver Bjorkstrand (F)

The New York Rangers signed even more slow forwards to their core.

Joe Veleno is an excellent defender, but a black hole offensively. There are centres in the AHL capable of playing defence on an NHL fourth line. They earn less than seven figures and will score more than five points in 61 games. One year, $1.2 million for Joe Veleno is a waste.

Oliver Bjorkstrand was given a one-year $4.5 million contract. Bjorkstrand is coming off the worst season of his career with only 32 points in 80 games. Fourteen of those points were on the power play, he was detrimental to Tampa's 5-on-5 offence. He’s solid PP2 depth, but that's all. For $4.5 million, it's an overpay.

For a slow team that struggled to score at 5-on-5, the Rangers spent nearly $6 million on slow forwards that can't score at 5-on-5.

Philadelphia Flyers: B

Signings: Dan Vladar* (G), Tyson Foerster* (F), Noel Acciari (F)

The Philadelphia Flyers signed key extensions, prioritizing their cap for unsigned RFAs.

Dan Vladar broke out into a great starting goalie. He signed a four-year $5.5 million extension for 2027-28. Paired with Joseph Woll, all Vladar has to do is be a great 1A to make the contract worth it. Some teams pay eight figures for one good goaltender, the Flyers will spend a little over $9 million on a great tandem.

The term going into Vladar's thirties is questionable, but if you're Flyers GM Danny Briere it was good to sign him now rather than later. $5.5 million is cheap for a starter. If he had an even better season he'd want more money. Gambling on there being a better goaltending option because Vladar wants term is a bad idea, especially when the salary is a bargain.

Tyson Foerster signed a four-year extension worth $7.1 million per year. He started last season with a 40-goal pace, but 29 games in had season-ending shoulder surgery. He was shooting a career-high rate with his powerful and accurate wrist-shot. He also had only four assists in those 29 games, he's one-dimensional offensively.

If he rehabs well, $7.1 million for a good defensive 35-40-goal scorer is a nice deal. He was Philly's main goal scorer before the injury, and he's extended through the heart of his prime. There's no other reason he'd slow down.

Noel Acciari was a productive forward for the first time since 2019. Also being an excellent defender, he was given $2.8 million for two years. He most likely falls back into being the regular fourth-line checking forward he normally is. $2.8 million and term is a pretty big price for a 34-year-old fourth-liner. He'd have to continue this random peak of play to make the contract fair.

With $29.5 million left in cap, look for the Flyers to eventually work out contracts for RFA forward Trevor Zegras and RFA defenceman Jamie Drysdale.

Pittsburgh Penguins: C

Signings: Declan Carlile (D), Trevor van Riemsdyk (D), Andrei Kuzmenko (F), Hendrix Lapierre (F), Egor Chinakhov* (F), Arturs Silovs* (G)

The Pittsburgh Penguins spent a total of $20.85 million this free agency.

The entire team has short-term contracts, and their highest-paid player is making $10 million. They needed to prioritize hitting the cap floor. The expectations for Pittsburgh are low even after making the playoffs.

Their most important contract was extending Egor Chinakhov for three years at $6.25 million per year. After scoring six points in 29 games for Columbus, he scored 36 points in 43 games for Pittsburgh. He blossomed into a top-six player with better ice time and linemates. $6.25 million till he's 28 years old is a good price.

Pittsburgh's next-biggest signing was Andrei Kuzmenko at $5 million for one year. He's one of the NHL's most polarizing players. He will start a season nearly point-per-game, go cold and eventually benched. It’s happened across all of his four teams since his 39-goal season.

This is a low-risk, high-reward investment. If Kuzmenko plays to a middle-six ability, GM Kyle Dubas can flip him for assets. If Kuzmenko disappoints he's gone next season.

Hendrix Lapierre is another investment by Dubas. After scoring 16 points and four goals in 74 games with the Capitals, Pittsburgh traded for his RFA rights. They signed him for two years at $1.3 million per year. If Lapierre breaks out they have a valuable RFA, if not it's only $1.3 million to expire in two years. While unproven, his underlying numbers show a little promise.

After losing Stuart Skinner, the Penguins re-signed Arturs Silovs for one year at $2.8 million. He had a mediocre season, but a promising three games in the playoffs. His workload is to be determined once he and Sergei Murashov start the season. If Silovs underperforms, the contract expires and they still carry his RFA rights.

Defencemen Trevor van Riemsdyk and Declan Carlile were given two-year deals to fill Pittsburgh's sixth and seventh defence slots. Van Riemsdyk was given $4 million per year, and Carlile was given $1.5 million per year. Van Riemsdyk's contract is pricey, but again, they needed to hit the cap floor. Both players are decent depth defencemen.

The Penguins spent the most, but there’s little risk and major possible reward.

Washington Capitals: C+

Signings: Vincent Desharnais (D), Boone Jenner (F), Alex Ovechkin (F)*

The Washington Capitals signed old assets to long terms.

The Capitals won the offseason. They have one of the best forward cores in the NHL after acquiring Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch. To add on, they signed Boone Jenner for four years at $5.75 million per year.

It's an excellent addition for depth scoring, but he’s signed till he's 37 years old. If this contract was a year or two it'd be solid, but for someone who'll play in the bottom six it's not worth the term. They have an elite forward core without him, signing him to a bad contract was unnecessary.

Vincent Desharnais was also given long term except it was necessary. Not only is the Capitals' right side weak, Rasmus Sandin is missing the start of the season with an ACL tear. $4.2 million is a bargain for a defensive defenceman like Desharnais. Four years is a little long, but this is a player the core needed.

In what could Ovechkin’s his final season, he was given the remaining $4.25 million cap. Even with how much he's slowed down, he's still a lock to score 30 goals. $4.25 million is a good deal for the face of the franchise who can still produce at a top-six level.