2026 NHL Free Agents Still On The Market

There are still a handful of NHL unrestricted free agents looking for a home for the upcoming season. Gears move slowly at this time of year, as NHL GMs are determining which players would make a good fit with their club, and (here’s the big concern), at what price.

As I was writing this piece, one of the league’s top UFAs, Patrick Kane, signed with his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks. He reportedly inked a two-year deal worth $8 million per year. Not bad for the 37-year-old, who also got a full no-move clause included in the contract.

Kane won three Stanley Cups with the Hawks (2010, 2013 and 2015) in his 16 years in Chicago. His last three years were with the Detroit Red Wings, where he had 57 points (16-41) in 67 games last year. There was talk that the Buffalo Sabres had shown interest in Kane. But going back to Chicago must have played a big role in his final decision.

Outside of Kane and a slew of forwards, there is currently one big-name goalie and two targeted defensemen still looking for a home.

Cam Talbot was 12-9-6 in goal with the Red Wings last year in a backup role. That’s the type of job he’s looking for now. The 38-year-old has enough game left to help teams who need a steady backup. He’s played with teams from coast to coast, so he’s a well-known veteran and should be a high priority target for several clubs.

John Klingberg and Logan Stanley are the two big-name defensemen still on the board. Klingberg brings the ability to play in all situations... even strength, power play, and penalty kill. The 33-year-old has maybe lost a step, but he makes up for it with his experience (700 NHL regular-season and 82 playoff games). He played just 25 games in the 2023-24 and 24-25 seasons, so he has some fuel left in the tank.

Would Dallas, where he played for eight seasons, be interested?

Big (6-7, 231 pounds) Logan Stanley can cover a lot of ice with that frame. He played in 76 games last year at Winnipeg and Buffalo and finished 9-17-26. He also played in eight playoff games with the Sabres. He can be a solid No 4 through 6 defenseman for most clubs. It’s possible he could be back with the Sabres this year, if both sides can work out the deal.

Three forwards should find a home before the season starts too: Patrik Laine, Vladimir Tarasenko and James van Riemsdyk.

Laine has been bitten by the injury bug way too often. He played just five games with the Montreal Canadiens and did not see the ice after Oct. 16 last year. He went 20-13-33 in 2024-25 with the Habs, scoring 15 power-play goals. His power-play skills are what make him special. The Finnish winger has scored 94 power-play goals in his career. His injury history will stop some GMs from looking at him. But if he can get healthy and stay healthy, he’d be a great addition to any lineup.

There’s no doubt that Tarasenko can make his presence felt as a second or third liner. He has a tremendous work ethic and showed that in several games with the Minnesota Wild last year. The 34-year-old Russian still has good wheels and shoots the puck with quickness and accuracy. The two-time All-Star scored 23 goals and 47 points last year, and there must be a team that could use those types of numbers. He has played 906 NHL games and has 327 goals and 709 points with six NHL teams, with most of his time spent with the St. Louis Blues, where he played 11 seasons.

van Riemsdyk, 37, is one of those players who everyone loves to be on a line with. A gritty player, he creates scoring chances for his linemates with great forechecking skills and physical play. He’s willing to go anywhere on the ice to make a play. He went 15-16-31 last year in Detroit. In his 17-year career, he has scored 342 goals and 696 points in 1,154 games.

Other interesting unrestricted free agent forwards to track include Michael Bunting (Dallas), Adam Henrique (Edmonton) and Eeli Tolvanen (Seattle).