The 2025-26 NHL regular season concludes next Thursday. Sixteen teams will head to the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the other 16 will go back the drawing board to get better for 2026-27.
Part of that process is deciding which free agents to re-sign — whether they are restricted or unrestricted — and then which ones from other teams to sign starting July 1.
As part of this week’s Power Rankings — the final edition of the 2025-26 regular season — we’ve identified the most captivating UFA or RFA for each team this offseason.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, April 3. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 73.1%
Brent Burns. Burns is 41, but selfishly I hope he plays another season so that he can break the NHL’s ironman streak (Burns is 62 games from the record, set by Phil Kessel with 1,064 consecutive games played). But it won’t be long before he considers hanging up his massive backpack.
Next seven days: vs. VGK (April 11), @ EDM (April 13), @ CGY (April 14), vs. SEA (April 16)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 68.4%
Frederik Andersen. Brandon Bussi seems to be slotting in as the long-term goalie of the future for the Hurricanes. What does that mean for Andersen, who becomes a UFA this summer?
Next seven days: @ UTA (April 11), @ PHI (April 13), @ NYI (April 14)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.1%
Jason Robertson. The Stars have a couple of interesting names hitting the market — Matt Duchene and captain Jamie Benn, for example. But the biggest one is goal-scoring ace Robertson, who will be an RFA at the end of the season.
Next seven days: vs. NYR (April 11), @ TOR (April 13), @ BUF (April 15)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 66.3%
Alex Tuch. Tuch is a “heart and soul” guy in Buffalo — he grew up in the area, loved the team and is now part of its first playoff appearance in 15 years. You’d love to see a guy like him win a Stanley Cup with the Sabres, but he does not have a contract beyond this season.
Next seven days: @ CHI (April 13), vs. DAL (April 15)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 64.6%
Darren Raddysh. Raddysh has been tremendous for the Lightning, scoring 21 goals as a defenseman. His contract will be an interesting one to watch this summer.
Next seven days: @ BOS (April 11), vs. DET (April 13), vs. NYR (April 15)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 64.6%
Mats Zuccarello. The Wild have among the longest lists to worry about this offseason, chief among them Zuccarello. The Wild are on the precipice of a “charging toward the Cup” era — does the 38-year-old veteran factor into that?
Next seven days: @ NSH (April 11), @ STL (April 13), vs. ANA (April 14)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 65.8%
Patrik Laine. What does the future hold for Laine? After another season marred by injuries, one has to wonder if his future in the NHL will be with the Canadiens, who are headed to the playoffs again.
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (April 11), @ NYI (April 12), @ PHI (April 14)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 62.0%
Evgeni Malkin. Malkin will be one of the biggest question marks around the league. Sidney Crosby re-upped until the end of next season. Will Malkin stick around? Geno turns 40 on July 31.
Next seven days: vs. WSH (April 11), @ WSH (April 12), @ STL (April 14)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 60.8%
Viktor Arvidsson. Arvidsson has produced the best goals-per-game average in his career, with 24 goals in 67 games. The Bruins are in a wild-card spot, and Arvidsson is a big reason. Will Boston let him reach the market?
Next seven days: vs. TB (April 11), @ CBJ (April 12), vs. NJ (April 14)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 59.5%
Claude Giroux. What’s next for Giroux, who turned 38 on Jan. 12? He has 13 goals and 45 points this season with his hometown Senators.
Next seven days: @ NYI (April 11), @ NJ (April 12), vs. TOR (April 15)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 58.2%
Trevor Zegras. Zegras is a key part of the Flyers turnaround this season and a reason they are right in the mix for a playoff spot. Z will be an RFA at the end of the campaign.
Next seven days: @ WPG (April 11), vs. CAR (April 13), vs. MTL (April 14)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 57.0%
Two Connors. This offseason, the Oilers have to worry about Connor … Ingram and Murphy. And Adam Henrique, who turned 36 this season.
Next seven days: @ LA (April 11), vs. COL (April 13), vs. VAN (April 16)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 57.7%
Vitek Vanecek. The Mammoth are pretty well set up to continue improving. Backup goalie Vanecek will be a UFA this summer, as will Kailer Yamamoto, who has 11 goals this season.
Next seven days: vs. CAR (April 11), @ CGY (April 12), vs. WPG (April 14), vs. STL (April 16)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 57.0%
Jet Greaves. The CBJ will have a lot of big decisions to make this summer. Goaltender Greaves and center Adam Fantilli will be RFAs while Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle and Erik Gudbranson will be UFAs. The RFAs are where GM Don Waddell might start because they are young members of the future Columbus core.
Next seven days: @ MTL (April 11), vs. BOS (April 12), vs. WSH (April 14)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 56.3%
Pavel Dorofeyev. Dorofeyev will be an RFA this summer after having scored 35 goals and 61 points this season with the Knights. The prodigal Golden Misfit, 35-year-old Reilly Smith, has 13 goals and will be a UFA.
Next seven days: @ COL (April 11), vs. WPG (April 13), vs. SEA (April 15)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 56.3%
Radko Gudas. The Ducks have a robust list of serious names to talk about — including captain Gudas and the newly acquired John Carlson. In fact, almost half the roster is on expiring contracts. GM Pat Verbeek and his staff will be busy.
Next seven days: vs. VAN (April 12), @ MIN (April 14), @ NSH (April 16)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 57.6%
Anders Lee. The captain is up at the end of the season. He put up 19 goals and 42 points this season, and the team was competitive for much of the campaign despite falling out of a playoff spot before the Patrick Roy-Peter DeBoer coaching change.
Next seven days: vs. OTT (April 11), vs. MTL (April 12), vs. CAR (April 14)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 57.6%
Patrick Kane. Will Kane play another season? Will it be with the Red Wings? And who wouldn’t want to see “Showtime” get one last crack at a Cup? The Wings squandered that chance again this season with a fifth straight dismal month of March.
Next seven days: vs. NJ (April 11), @ TB (April 13), @ FLA (April 15)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 56.3%
Alex Ovechkin. An easy choice. Ovechkin announced he won’t publicly make any decisions before the summer, and so we all wait the next move for the Great 8. I personally hope he comes back and breaks Wayne Gretzky’s combined goals record for regular season and playoffs; Ovi is at 1,005, only 11 away from Gretzky’s 1,016.
Next seven days: @ PIT (April 11), vs. PIT (April 12), @ CBJ (April 14)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 53.2%
Erik Haula. The Preds hung onto Haula for the playoff push, and he has 13 goals and 37 points as they battle it out in the closing days. Don’t sleep on Tyson Jost; the well-traveled 2016 first-rounder is nearing double digits in goals in the Show for the first time since 2018-19.
Next seven days: vs. MIN (April 11), vs. SJ (April 13), vs. ANA (April 16)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 54.5%
Scott Laughton. Laughton has found his footing fast with L.A. after being traded from Toronto at the deadline and is contributing: He has five goals in 16 games with the Kings, who are battling for the wild card. Also, defenseman Brandt Clarke will be an RFA at the end of the season and drew some interest when his name hit the trade rumor mill earlier this year.
Next seven days: vs. EDM (April 11), @ SEA (April 13), @ VAN (April 14), @ CGY (April 16)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 51.9%
Ryan Reaves. The answer is obviously Sharks legend Carey Price (whose contract is on the team’s books). Other than Price, Reaves is a UFA at season’s end, and Collin Graf will be an RFA. Macklin Celebrini still has another season before he becomes an RFA and is due for a massive pay raise.
Next seven days: vs. VAN (April 11), @ NSH (April 13), @ CHI (April 15), @ WPG (April 16)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 52.6%
Jonathan Toews. We mentioned Kane above, so we give the nod to his former Blackhawks running mate here, too. Will Toews play another season? Will the Jets missing the playoffs impact that decision? Goalie Eric Comrie is another pending UFA (who is awesome with social media content), while Cole Perfetti has blossomed just as he’s hitting RFA status.
Next seven days: vs. PHI (April 11), @ VGK (April 13), @ UTA (April 14), vs. SJ (April 16)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 52.5%
Evgenii Dadonov. Dadonov is up at the end of the season, and a new GM will be in town to make all the calls. In his one season with the Devils, Dadonov had just one goal in 23 games, along with a minus-4 rating.
Next seven days: @ DET (April 11), vs. OTT (April 12), @ BOS (April 14)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 50.0%
Dylan Holloway. Holloway has earned a lot of fans in St. Louis — he’s approaching a second 20-goal season with the Blues — and he’ll be an RFA this summer.
Next seven days: @ CHI (April 11), vs. MIN (April 13), vs. PIT (April 14), @ UTA (April 16)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 49.4%
Sergei Bobrovsky. Another main-event-caliber name to watch for the offseason. Bob will turn 38 in September. Is this the end of his legendary tenure in Florida — or will they run it back for another title shot?
Next seven days: @ TOR (April 11), vs. NYR (April 13), vs. DET (April 15)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 49.4%
Bobby McMann. Making a decision on the newly acquired McMann will be among the first tasks for the Kraken’s Ron Francis-less front office this summer. McMann joined Seattle from Toronto at the trade deadline.
Next seven days: vs. CGY (April 11), vs. LA (April 13), @ VGK (April 15), @ COL (April 16)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 49.4%
Nicholas Robertson. Auston Matthews has a year before talks can officially begin between player and club on a new deal, but this offseason Robertson and Mattias Maccelli will be RFAs, while Calle Jarnkrok is set to be a UFA. Robertson has been a hot topic in Leafs nation — he tied his career high of 15 goals from last season but seems perpetually in the trade rumor mill.
Next seven days: vs. FLA (April 11), vs. DAL (April 13), @ OTT (April 15)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 47.5%
Jonathan Quick. Will the 40-year-old legendary goalie return for one more season? The Rangers also have decisions to make on Conor Sheary and Jonny Brodzinski up front.
Next seven days: @ DAL (April 11), @ FLA (April 13), @ TB (April 15)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 46.8%
Victor Olofsson. Olofsson has 13 goals on the season and will turn 31 this summer. Will he remain a part of a Flames team that is turning to younger players?
Next seven days: @ SEA (April 11), vs. UTA (April 12), vs. COL (April 14), vs. LA (April 16)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 44.3%
Connor Bedard. The 2023 No. 1 pick is poised to hit RFA status and due for a considerable raise from the $950,000 he earned this season.
Next seven days: vs. STL (April 11), vs. BUF (April 13), vs. SJ (April 15)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 33.3%
Evander Kane. Acquired last summer from the Oilers, the veteran is a UFA this summer. Will he want to head to a Cup-contending team or will he be a part of Vancouver’s future plans?
Next seven days: vs. SJ (April 11), vs. ANA (April 12), vs. LA (April 14), @ EDM (April 16)
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