NHL’s Top Remaining Free Agents

After a week of free agency, there is still plenty of talent left in the market.

Mar 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Edmonton Oilers left wing Jeff Skinner (53) skates with the puck against the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The NHL’s free agency period has been open for about a week now and some of the biggest available players in the league have found new homes. With the offseason officially in full swing, there are still plenty of solid NHL talent left on the open market.

Maybe teams are being patient with certain players, but if they have holes to fill there are a few attractive options. Here’s a look at some of the top free agents still available in the NHL.

Jeff Skinner – Edmonton Oilers

Coming off his first-ever trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, 33-year-old Jeff Skinner still has a hunger to succeed. In 72 games played with the Edmonton Oilers in 2024-25, Skinner put up 16 goals and 13 assists for 29 total points.

Some of Skinner’s best years might be behind him, but he isn’t far removed from a career-high 82-point season in 2022-23. A veteran presence for a contending team’s depth might be the perfect situation for Skinner as he still lingers as a free agent.

Matt Grzelcyk – Pittsburgh Penguins

The expectations were low for Matt Grzelcyk after he signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Appearing in all 82 games of the season, Grzelcyk had a career high 40 points (1G-39), but a career low plus/minus rating at a minus-6.

Overall, many would say Grzelcyk exceeded expectations with the Penguins and has an opportunity to continue proving his worth. Likely willing to work at an affordable number, if a team still needs some help on the left side of their blue line, this might be the perfect option.

Jack Roslovic – Carolina Hurricanes

With 39 points (22G-17A) in 81 games as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, Jack Roslovic is the highest-scoring forward still available. At 28 years old and with over 500 games of NHL experience, there is sure to be plenty of attraction around this player.

Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast linked the Toronto Maple Leafs to Roslovic, citing their abundance of salary cap space and his previous connection with Auston Matthews. The Maple Leafs might not be alone in a pursuit of Roslovic, and he may be the most attractive player still available.

Ilya Samsonov – Vegas Golden Knights

Easily the best goalie in free agency, Ilya Samsonov is an NHL option between the pipes that can hold a starting role or push certain netminders to step up their game. He picked up a 16-9-4 record with the Vegas Golden Knights last year, and at 28 certainly still has the energy to hold down an NHL spot.

In an even 200 career games played, Samsonov has been impressive with a 118-48-25 record with a .902 save percentage and 2.77 goals against average. Given the right environment, Samsonov could easily find a rhythm and help lead a playoff team.

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