TORONTO — They'll be waving Canadian flags and offer sheets today to mark both the country's 158th birthday and the opening of NHL free agency.
Some big names are expected to be on the move when the action begins at noon ET.
With the NHL salary cap increasing $7.5 million to $95.5 million next season — the largest jump since the salary cap was implemented in 2005 — a number of teams are looking to become legitimate contenders by adding a major piece or two to their lineups.
Some of the players expected to attract a lot of attention include forward Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, forward Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks, defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov of the Los Angeles Kings, centre Mikael Granlund of the Dallas Stars, centre Pius Suter of the Canucks, goaltender Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils, and defencemen Dmitry Orlov and Brent Burns, both of the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 2025 NHL off-season has already been a roller-coaster with several key players being traded, 224 prospects finding new homes via the draft, and a slew of re-signings with several expected to be made official today.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2025.
The Canadian Press
