Key Takeaways
- 125 players in total were signed on the first day of NHL free agency on Tuesday.
- Brock Boeser, K'Andre Miller, and Corey Perry are a few of the notable players who put pen to paper on new deals.
- Below, we'll highlight the biggest deals so far.
K'Andre Miller #79 of the New York Rangers (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Day 1 of NHL free agency has wrapped up, and it was an eventful one. In total, 125 players signed deals across the league, with $683 million in contract value. While some of the big names were off the board on Monday, in the likes of Mitch Marner, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad, there was no shortage of star power who put pen to paper on Tuesday as well.
We’ll break down the biggest deals so far below.
Brock Boeser Returns to Canucks
In one of the bigger surprises of Day 1, Brock Boeser returned to the Vancouver Canucks after they took trade calls for the veteran earlier this year. Boeser has long voiced how much he loves the city and their fanbase, but there was serious doubt he’d ink a long-term deal, especially after JT Miller was traded last season.
Boeser secured a seven-year deal worth $7.25 million annually. He’s around for the long haul, and Canucks fans will be happy to see it. Lots of teams had interest in the American, including the Boston Bruins, according to sources close to RG's James Murphy.
Boeser put up career numbers in 2023-24, scoring 40 goals and tallying 73 points. He had another respectable campaign in 2024-25 despite Vancouver missing the playoffs, registering 25 goals and 25 helpers in 75 games played.
Canucks GM Patrick Allvin is thrilled to keep Boeser for the foreseeable future:
"Brock has been a huge part of our organization, and we are extremely happy to have him back in the fold," Allvin said.
"He has scored some big goals for our hockey club and has established himself as a very dangerous offensive player.
Brock is a leader and culture setter in our locker room, and we’re confident he will continue to play an important role for our team moving forward doing great work both on and off the ice."
Vancouver also re-signed Thatcher Demko and Conor Garland, two important pieces to the puzzle as this organization looks to make a playoff return in ‘25-26.
K’Andre Miller Inks 8-Year Deal With Canes After Rangers Trade
In one of the more surprising moves of Day 1, the New York Rangers traded defenceman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Scott Morrow and a pair of draft picks. Miller, 25, immediately signed an eight-year deal with the Canes worth $7.5 million per season.
Miller is one of the best blue liners in the league, and he’s a physical presence, standing at 6 foot 5. The addition of Miller will undoubtedly help Carolina in their pursuit of a Stanley Cup following the conference finals loss to the Florida Panthers. He had 27 points this past season in the Big Apple and gives the Canes more offense at the back as well. While the Rangers lost Miller, they did sign Vladislav Gavrikov, another elite D-man.
Corey Perry Leaves Oilers For Kings
Corey Perry was keen on returning to the Edmonton Oilers in free agency, but he left them for the very team he helped eliminate in each of the last two seasons in the playoffs – the Los Angeles Kings. The 40-year-old inked a one-year deal with the Kings worth $2 million, with more money potentially available based on incentives.
Perry may be aging, but he’s still a productive player. The veteran had 19 goals and 11 assists last season in Oil Country. Perry also added 14 points in the postseason, including 10 goals. Unfortunately, he was on the wrong side of history as Perry lost his fifth career Stanley Cup title.
Regardless, the Kings are a team with serious promise, despite the lack of a deep playoff run in recent years. Perry gives them a much-needed veteran presence both on and off the ice. He’s also competed in the Cup Finals in five of the last six seasons.
Mikael Granlund Lands With Ducks
One of the top free agents on the open market, Mikael Granlund got paid by the Anaheim Ducks, inking a three-year contract worth $7 million annually. Granlund may not be the best defender, but he was a consistent offensive producer during his time with the Dallas Stars.
The Swede gives a young Ducks team experience, something they need in this retooling phase. The Stars acquired Granlund from the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline. He totaled 22 goals and 44 assists overall last season.
Ducks GM Pat Verbeek explained why Granlund brings to the table:
This is a move the Ducks desperately needed to make after trading Trevor Zegras and John Gibson. $7 million per year may be a bit of an overpay, but hopefully, Granlund produces the goods for Anaheim.
Hurricanes Sign Ehlers
Nikolaj Ehlers was the biggest free agent left on the open market, and the Hurricanes managed to sign the former Winnipeg Jets star, who inked a six-year, $51 million deal. Ehlers is coming off an impressive season where he scored 24 goals and also supplied 29 assists. For a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, this is a huge addition for the Canes. Ehlers has collected 60+ points in back-to-back seasons.
Other Notable Deals
Matthew Knies inks big deal with Maple Leafs
Seattle Kraken sign Matt Murray to one-year deal
Jonathan Drouin lands with New York Islanders
Kings replace Gavrikov with Cody Ceci, Brian Dumoulin
Utah Mammoth land Cup winner Nate Schmidt, veteran Ryan Lindgren
Panthers bring back Tomas Nosek
NJ Devils sign Connor Brown after Oilers’ Cup run
Gustav Nyquist joins Jets on 1-year deal
Brent Burns signs with Avalanche
Pius Suter lands in St. Louis
Sharks sign ex-Canes star Dmitry Orlov to 2-year, $13 million deal
