Breaking down the six remaining NHL restricted free agents

We’re only a few days away from NHL game action. Sure, it’ll just be prospects taking part in the various rookie tournaments. But that’s something, right?

After that, NHL training camps will open Sept. 18, with pre-season games starting shortly after. Hopefully, by then, all the remaining restricted free agents will finally have new contracts in place, allowing them to go full-tilt ahead of the upcoming regular season.

While most RFAs have signed deals this summer, there are still six looking for new deals. And for the most part, they’re quite notable names, too. This is normal – there are always a few late-summer holdouts, with either the player looking for a bit more money or term, or with the team trying to maximize their total value. The most notable name last summer was Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who missed all of training camp before signing on Oct. 6.

Will that happen to any of the top remaining RFAs? For their respective fanbases, hopefully not. But here’s a look at the six remaining RFAs chasing new deals, featuring their 2024-25 cap hits from PuckPedia, and their next deal predictions from AFP Analytics:

Mason McTavish, C, 22 (Anaheim Ducks)

2024-25 Cap Hit: $894,167
AFP Projection: $6.772 million AAV/6 Years OR $3.983 million AAV/3 Years

McTavish is the premier forward still chasing a contract. He’s coming off a career-best 52-point season as a leading figure on the rebuilding Ducks squad. Now with Trevor Zegras out of the picture, there’s even more pressure for McTavish to lead the team into the future. He’s a hard-nosed forward who can dominate shifts with his size and skill. As Matt Larkin mentioned in his Ducks season preview, McTavish was one of the best 5-on-5 producers in the second half of 2024-25. Given how young he is, the sky’s the limit. Hopefully, the contract negotiations stay positive for both sides, because he’s a star in the making.

Connor Zary, C, 23 (Calgary Flames)

2024-25 Cap Hit: $863,334
AFP Projection: $5.668 million AAV/6 Years OR $3.417 million AAV/3 Years

Zary has been a hot topic this summer. Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco said he believes the Flames are looking for a three-year pact worth $3-3.5 million per season, with Zary’s side wanting around $4 million. So look for the actual number to be somewhere between those. The term will be the kicker, but Zary has proven himself to be a decent forward who still has a lot of upside and runway to become a 40-50-point producer one day. Zary should be on Calgary’s top line once the season kicks off, and, hopefully, it’ll be a true breakout effort.

Wyatt Kaiser, D, 23 (Chicago Blackhawks)

2024-25 Cap Hit: $916,667
AFP Projection: $5.479 million AAV/6 Years OR $3.208 million AAV/3 Years

Kaiser played 57 games with the Blackhawks last season, putting up eight points. He found himself hovering around the 20-minute mark a bit more often as the season wore on and generally handled the extra responsibility well. There is some decent upside, and he played well with some of Chicago’s other young defenders. He’s good defensively, and he looked more confident rushing the puck later in the season. But with Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov set for full-time duty this year, and Ethan Del Mastro clamoring for one of the final roster spots, that leaves Kaiser potentially on the outside looking in. If all goes well, he’d be a good fit alongside Levshunov on the second-pairing – but could Kevin Korchinski be in the running there, too?

Luke Evangelista, RW, 23 (Nashville Predators)

2024-25 Cap Hit: $797,500
AFP Projection: $2.513 million AAV/2 Years

Evangelista has been a decent value producer over the past three years, registering 86 points in 172 games at just over league minimum. The former OHL star is a solid playmaker who battles hard and has a good shot release. A report from Sportsnet’s Luke Fox suggests the Predators and Evangelista’s camp are still far apart in the discussions, leading some to wonder if a trade could be on the horizon. Evangelista would be a desirable asset for a team looking for some middle-six scoring help – but let’s see if the Predators can sign him instead.

Luke Hughes, D, 21 (New Jersey Devils)

2024-25 Cap Hit: $925,000
AFP Projection: $8.386 million AAV/6 Years OR $5.756 million AAV/3 Years

Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said signing Hughes was his No. 1 priority earlier this summer. But since then? It’s been mostly crickets. Hughes was thrown into the fire as a rookie in 2023-24, filling in for the injured Dougie Hamilton. Expectations were a bit more tempered in 2024-25, and he ultimately showed why he’s one of the best young defenders in the NHL. Reports have suggested the Devils are looking to get Hughes on either a three-year bridge deal or a max-term, eight-year pact. Either way, it’s going to be pricey. He’s smart, creative and good defensively, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him earn more than an $8 million AAV when he ultimately signs.

Alexander Holtz, RW, 23 (Vegas Golden Knights)

2024-25 Cap Hit: $894,167
AFP Projection: $874,125/1 Year

Once considered to be one of the most gifted goal-scoring prospects in the game, Holtz hasn’t managed to translate that to the NHL. He had a career best of 28 points with New Jersey in 2023-24 before getting shipped out to Vegas, where he had just four goals and 12 points in 53 games last season. At this point, Holtz is just a depth scorer who isn’t rounded enough to thrive in defensive roles. There also doesn’t seem to be a clear pathway for him to be a full-time NHLer in Vegas, especially after they added Mitch Marner to the wing this summer. With the right team, Holtz can stick around. But his options are limited.

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