Blueshirt Banter 2026 Free Agent Tracker and Open Thread

One of the most exciting days on the hockey calendar alongside the trade deadline and NHL Draft, the first day of NHL Free Agency is upon us. While this is one of the thinnest free agent classes we've seen in quite some time, there's still no shortage of questions in need of answers from a number of teams around the league, the New York Rangers included.

This post will be updated throughout the day as signings and potentially trade are reported and confirmed, so keep refreshing for the latest deadline news and analysis.

New York Rangers Specific News

Mavrik Bourque

This is a name that has joined the trade block very recently and while he is a young center that would definitely fit the description of players the Rangers are looking to add, it appears the Rangers are not among the team's making a push for him.

Will Borgen

It appears that the Ottawa Senators are among teams interested in defenseman Will Borgen. Despite just signing an extension over a year ago, Borgen has a 15-team no trade list and four years remaining with an AAV of $4.1 million.

Around the League Extensions

PENDING: The Philadelphia Flyers are extending forward Tyson Foerster to an eight-year contract extension (11:54 A.M. 7/1/26)

Despite appearing in just 29 games this season, Foerster collected 13 goals and is expected to re-up with the Flyers for the next eight seasons as he enters the final year of his contract. The AAV will come in around $7 million and should become official after noon.

PENDING: The Montreal Canadiens are extending forward Ivan Demidov to an eight-year contract extension (11:53 A.M. 7/1/26)

Another player entering the final year of his current deal, it is expected that Ivan Demidov will extend on an eight-year deal that carries an AAV of $9.125 million once the clock hits noon.

PENDING: The Philadelphia Flyers are extending goaltender Dan Vladar on a five-year contract extension (11:44 A.M. 7/1/26)

According to Dan Milstein (Vladar's agent), Vladar will remain a Flyer for the next five seasons. His AAV comes in at $5.5 million and the deal cannot be made official until the clock strikes noon.

PENDING: The Florida Panthers are signing defenseman Radko Gudas to a six-year contract extension (11:32 A.M. 7/1/26)

Yes, you read that correctly. 36 year old Radko Gudas has reunited with Florida on a six-year deal after acquiring his rights in the A.J. Greer trade. Given the term, the cap hit comes in rather low at $1.5 million.

PENDING: The Vegas Golden Knights are expected to sign Rasmus Andersson to a seven-year extension (11:24 A.M. 7/1/26)

PuckPedia expects Rasmus Andersson to remain with the Golden Knights on a seven-year deal. The AAV is expected to be $8.5 million which feels like an underpayment in comparison to what he could have gotten on the open market.

PENDING: The Buffalo Sabres are extending defenseman Olen Zellweger on a three-year contract extension (11:11 A.M. 7/1/26)

According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, later confirmed by Eliotte Friedman, the Sabres are signing Zellweger to a three-year extension. The former Ducks defenseman was just acquired by the Sabres on draft day and has been given his qualifying offer in the meantime. The expected deal is $3 million x three years.

PENDING: The New Jersey Devils are extending forward Nico Hischier on a five-year contract extension (7/1/26)

It is being report that once the clock hits noon, the Devils will sign their captain to a six-year extension with an AAV of $11.7 million. Hischier was going to be a UFA next season but will remain with the team for the next half decade.

The Florida Panthers are extending forward Eetu Luostarinen on an eight-year contract extension (7/1/26)

The Panthers are clearly set on keeping the entire band together as it appears Luostarinen will remain a Florida Panther for the next eight seasons. A very modest deal for the Finnish-forward as his new AAV will come in at $5 million beginning next season.

The Chicago Blackhawks are extending defenseman Bowen Byram on a six-year contract extension (7/1/26)

This might seem like a wild price to pay for Bowen Byram but after giving up the fourth overall pick to acquire him, it was necessary business for Chicago. This extension will make Byram the highest paid defenseman in the NHL when the deal kicks in next season. The AAV comes in at $12.5 million with Rasmus Dahlin and Thomas Harley being the next two highest paid defensemen. Friendly reminder, Adam Fox's contract is an absolute steal.

The Anaheim Ducks are extending forward A.J. Greer on a four-year contract extension (6/30/26)

Acquired from Florida just two days ago in exchange for the rights to Radko Gudas, A.J. Greer will be an Anaheim Duck for the next four seasons. The pesky bottom-six winger is coming off a career high season in Florida, collecting 32 points (and 113 PIM) across 78 games. Another player that may have been of interest to Chris Drury and the Rangers off the board.

The Vegas Golden Knights are extending defenseman Jeremy Lauzon on a six-year contract extension (6/30/26)

Notable for Rangers fans as Lauzon was an interesting potential free agent target for New York, the 29-year-old defenseman will remain with Vegas on a six-year deal and an AAV of $4 million. A modest deal for a useful defenseman that fell one point short of his career best with the Golden Knights last season.

The New Jersey Devils are extending forward Arseny Gritsyuk on a three-year contract extension (6/30/26)

Gritsyuk was drafted in the fifth round of the 2019 draft and finally made the jump to North America last season where he registered 31 points in 66 games with the Devils. New Jersey will keep him around for the next three seasons on a deal that carries an AAV of $3.25 million

The Minnesota Wild are extending forward Bobby Brink on a one-year contract extension (6/30/26)

Acquired at the trade deadline, Brink was also at risk of hitting the open market after the Wild did not extend him a qualifying offer. He will remain in Minnesota for another year with a cap hit of $2.75 million.

The Utah Mammoth are extending goaltender Sebastian Cossa on a two-year contract extension (6/30/26)

Acquired during the draft, Cossa signs a two-year deal with an AAV of $2 million in Utah. The former 15th overall pick made his NHL debut in the 2024-25 season in Detroit but has split time in the AHL with Grand Rapids the last two seasons. It's expected he will compete to split time with Karel Vejmelka as a full time NHLer this season.

The St. Louis Blues are extending forward Jonatan Berggren on a one-year contract extension (6/30/26)

There was some speculation when he didn't receive a qualifying offer that he would hit the open market but Berggren will remain in St. Louis for another year. His AAV comes in at an even $2 million after just 16 points in 36 games last season.

The Ottawa Senators are extending forward Nick Cousins on a two-year contract extension (6/30/26)

Notable news as many expected Cousins to join Brady Tkachuk and the super team in Florida, Cousins remains an Ottawa Senator on a two-year deal with an AAV of $1,587,500. Cousins played in all but one game with the Senators last season, finishing the year with 23 points.

The Philadelphia Flyers are extending forward Carl Grundstrom on a one-year contract extension (6/30/26)

The Flyers hold onto a useful depth forward in Grundstrom one a one-year deal with an AAV of $1 million. Grundstrom appeared in three playoff games with the Flyers this postseason and finished the regular season with 13 points in 47 games.

Free Agent Signings

Trades

The Pittsburgh Penguins are acquiring forward Nick Robertson from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2028 fourth round pick (11:04 A.M. 7/1/26)

Solid pick up for Pittsburgh. Worth noting, Nick is the younger brother of Jason... Could the Penguins be kicking tires on Jason Robertson? Kyle Dubas also was the general manager in Toronto during Robertson's tenure so could just be him taking a swing on a young player he knows.

The Nashville Predators are acquiring forward Mavrik Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lybushkin from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 2027 second and 2028 third round pick (10:51 A.M. 7/1/26)

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman Kaedan Korczak from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Parker Wotherspoon (6/30/26)

This trade is a win for Pittsburgh. They get a younger, right-shot defenseman that is signed to a respectable contract for the next three seasons. The Vegas side of this was certainly more about clearing cap space as Wotherspoon is a fine defenseman making just $1 million for the next season.

The Florida Panthers acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom and forward Angus Crookshank from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves (6/30/26)

The Panthers needed a goalie and decided to go with the Devil they knew versus one they didn't. In exchange, the Devils clear out Markstrom's $6 million cap hit and get some depth up front. Boqvist is a player they drafted and had success with in the past and Rodrigues is a valuable depth player that can slot in somewhere on your third line.

Miscellaneous

A reminder in the event of any potential offer sheets, these are the draft pick compensations based on contract AAV's.