Best Signings of 2025 NHL Free Agency

With the first week of NHL free agency in the books, the biggest names are off the board. There were some surprising moves as there always are, with players landing in unexpected spots or returning to their organizations with massive extensions. There were multiple great deals culminated in the opening days, but three contracts stood out to me as the best signings of free agency.

3. Vancouver Canucks - Brock Boeser (7-years, $50.75 million)

The Vancouver Canucks certainly did not expect Brock Boeser to return, but he surprised everyone when he signed a seven-year contract with the organization that drafted him. The two sides seemed destined for a split, but the Canucks managed to keep one of their best goal scorers through 2032. Getting him at an average annual salary of $7.25 million is a huge win for the Canucks and a bit of a discount from Boeser. As the Canucks attempt to rejoin the playoff race in 2025-2026, their top-six forward group should remain potent.

2. Anaheim Ducks - Mikael Granlund (3-years, $21 million)

Mikael Granlund has been an excellent player in the NHL over the past two seasons, and the Anaheim Ducks add him into their young group at the perfect time. A $7 million annual salary is perhaps a tad high for Granlund’s offensive production, but the Ducks are flush with salary cap space and could afford to overspend on an impact player. He should add a poised element to which top-six line he plays on, and whether it’s next to Leo Carlsson or Mason MacTavish, the Ducks know they have a strong 5-on-5 winger on the ice. If things don’t work out, Anaheim has left themselves plenty of flexibility to trade him away as well, as the contract he just signed will be very easy to move when the time comes. Well done, Anaheim.

1. New York Islanders - Jonathan Drouin (2-years, $8 million)

Some may be surprised to see Drouin as the best signing, but the Islanders hit a home run with this pick. Not only is it a relatively risk free, as he’s only signed for a pair of years, it’s unreal value. Over the past two seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, the 30-year-old winger has posted 56 points in 79 games and 37 points in 43 contests. That’s an average points per game rate of 0.76. No other team acquired more scoring production for a better price. The value and talent he provides is worth far more than $4 million annually, but the rebuilding Islanders landed a big fish for a small price. In an era when free agency is dominated by overspending, the Islanders went the economic route and will be better off for it.