After nearly three weeks of NHL free agency coming into full effect, there are still a handful of NHLers available in the UFA market. Not only are these players expected to be regular NHL players in the upcoming 2025-26 campaign, but some could also be difference-makers.
Here are five players who remain UFAs and the pros and cons of signing each one.
Jack Roslovic, C
Jack Roslovic is undoubtedly the top name on the list of current UFAs. The center, who can also play on the wing, has two 20-goal seasons under his belt, including last season. He put up 22 goals and 39 points for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Roslovic is coming off a one-year contract that saw him earn $2.8 million, much less than the $4-million per year that he earned in his previous contract he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The pros of signing the ripe 28-year-old are getting a player who can play center, and receiving a two-time 40-point scorer. He would be an effective secondary scorer on any team, contender or not.
However, because Roslovic is alone at the top of the UFA list, he’s right-handed and can play down the middle, there’s a great chance that a team will need to overpay for the Columbus, Ohio native to obtain his services.
Ilya Samsonov, G
Ilya Samsonov has had plenty of ups and downs in his six-year career. He’s gone from being a tandem goaltender to a starter, to a backup. Last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, he made 29 appearances, all of which were starts.
Samsonov ended the campaign with a respectable 16-9-4 record. Although his save percentage and goals-against average were average. He recorded a 2.82 GAA and .891 SP.
While he may not be a popular choice, the pro in signing Samsonov would be receiving a relatively experienced goaltender who has seen all situations in terms of his spot on the roster.
The downside of bringing in the 28-year-old Russian is that he’s proven to be inconsistent. With the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022-23, he posted a 2.33 GAA and .919 SP in 40 starts.However, in the following season for Toronto, he finished with a 3.13 GAA and .890 SP. He went from a career high to a career low in the span of two consecutive seasons.
Matt Grzelcyk, D
The Pittsburgh Penguins decided not to sign defenseman Matt Grzelcyk after he registered one goal and 40 points, a career high in the points department. Grzelcyk is coming off a one-year contract with Pittsburgh worth $2.75 million.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan heavily utilized the 31-year-old defenseman as he averaged 20:37 of ice time, the most in his nine-year career.
With that, he had the joint-most power-play points on the team, tied with Sidney Crosby’s 15 points. He recorded more than potential Hall of Fame offensive blueliners, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang.
It’s easy to say that the pros of signing Grzelcyk are that he is a reliable D-man who is capable of running a power play. Not only that, he is an experienced defenseman and has notable playoff experience, featuring in 66 post-season games from his time with the Boston Bruins.
As for cons, he and his agent might believe he’s worth more than what teams are willing to offer him, which might be the reason he’s still on the market.
Victor Olofsson, LW
Victor Olofsson is a three-time 20-goal scorer and was on pace to accomplish that feat again last season in his first year with the Golden Knights. He scored 15 goals and 29 points in 56 contests with Vegas.
If he reached another 20-goal milestone, he’d have four in six full seasons. Not to mention, he’s never played more than 75 games in a season. Imagine if he played more games throughout his career.
When the left winger is given the required ice time, he can put the puck into the back of the net like anyone else. Scoring has always been a strength for Olofsson, dating back to his years with the Buffalo Sabres.
The pro of bringing on the 30-year-old Swede is his ability to score, and he would bring scoring depth to any team that is willing to sign him.
The con of Olofsson’s game at times is that he is a streaky scorer rather than a consistent one at times. For instance, he went on a two-month goalless drought for Vegas last season, as he went 20 consecutive games without scoring a goal.
Luke Kunin, C
Luke Kunin is a bottom-six center, and like Roslovic, he is right handed and can play the wing. The 27-year-old is known for his two-way game and penalty killing. Last season, he averaged 1:41 of ice time on the penalty kill – among the top 100 forwards in the league per Natural Stat Trick.
Kunin played 63 games for the San Jose Sharks before he was traded to the Blue Jackets on trade deadline day. He played an additional 12 games for the Jackets for a total of 75 appearances last year.
In that span, he recorded 11 goals and seven assists for 18 points, perfectly matching his offensive production from the season before. Kunin didn’t get his name on the scoresheet in any fashion during his time with Columbus.
The pro of acquiring Kunin is that he is a regular NHL player who can fill in on the PK at any given time.
However, in contrast, the center hasn’t shown signs of steady progression in terms of production since his 15-goal, 31-point season in 2019-20 with the Minnesota Wild. Even with his penalty killing ability and two-way game, teams could likely find a player with a similar arsenal at a cheaper price.
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