NHL free agency tracker: Sam Bennett re-signs with Panthers on eight-year deal, Tavares returns to Maple Leafs
The Stanley Cup final has officially ended and now each NHL franchise focuses on the off -season with the recovery and the NHL free agency just at the corner of the NHL.
The Toronto Maple Leafs took care of a large company when the team re-signed the striker John Tavares. Tavares accepted a four -year contract extension which will pay him $ 4.38 million per season.
The 34 -year -old man was to become a free agent without restriction this summer.
In addition, the former Chicago Blackhawks striker Jonathan Toews will sign with the Winnipeg jets after two NHL seasons. Toews played for the last time in 2022-2010 but recorded 883 points (372 goals and 511 assists) in 1,067 career matches in the regular season.
Toews is from Winnipeg, so the talented center will have the chance to play for his hometown team.
The NHL free agency opens on July 1 at noon, but many teams will make an effort to extend players already on their list, as well as professions before that.
Toronto Maple Leafs striker Mitch Marner will probably be the best free market player this summer. Vancouver’s Canucks winger, Brock Boeser, and the defender of the Panthers Aaron Ekblad also highlights the class of depth free agent of the offseason.
CBS SPORTS covered you throughout the NHL free agency with all the latest signatures across the league.
Sam Bennett will remain with the Panthers
The winner of the Conn Smythe 2025 trophy stays at sunrise. In the candidacy of the Panthers for the consecutive victories of the Stanley Cup, Bennett was a monster. His 15 goals led the league, and he also did not create this offense to the detriment of his defense. The veterans center was superb at the two ends of the ice. Bennett’s performance could have ordered a massive salary in free agency, but he signed with the panthers on an eight -year contract worth $ 64 million.
John Tavares resign with the Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs maintain one of their offensive threats in the fold. The team announced that it has re-signed Tavares to a four-year contract that would bring a ceiling of $ 4.38 million per season. Tavares were to become a free agent without restriction next week, and would probably have aroused considerable interest in the free market.
Tavares, 34, recorded 74 points (38 goals and 36 assists) in 75 regular season games for Toronto last season. He has spent the last seven seasons with the Maple Leafs after signing a $ 77 million contract over seven years with the free agency franchise.
With the Maple Leafs who should lose the Etoile Mitch Marner winger in a free agency this summer, bring Tavares back to a very affordable multi -year agreement is a huge victory. Tavares will probably continue to center the second line in Toronto when the 2025-26 campaign will start.
Jonathan Toews to sign with jets
Jonathan Toews will make his long -awaited return to the NHL after two seasons of ice. The jets announced that Toews would sign with the franchise when the free agency opens on July 1.
Toews collected 883 points (372 goals and 511 assists) in 1,067 career games in regular season. He also ranked fifth in matches played, sixth in points, sixth in goals, eighth in assists and third of winning goals (69) in the history of blackhawks. In his last full season in 2022-23, the Blackhawks star scored 15 goals and collected 16 assists in 53 games. Toews has a long list of distinctions, in particular by winning three Stanley cups with the Blackhawks and capturing the Conn Smythe trophy as an eliminatory MVP in 2010.
The stars bring back a key member of their veteran core. Dallas has re-signed the attacker of a four-year contract extension which is worth $ 4.5 million per season. Duchene was to be a free agent without restriction this summer.
Duchene recorded 30 goals and 52 assists in 82 regular season games when he led the stars by scoring in 2024-25. His 52 assists were a career summit last season and the 82 Duchene points were the second highest season of his entire 16 -year career. Duchene also added six points (one goal and five assists) in 18 games through the STANLEY Cup qualifiers. Duchene should continue to be a very productive member of the six best attackers of the team while they are trying to run the Stanley Cup next season.
The avalanche undoubtedly keeps their best free agent in the fold in the predictable future. The team signed the Brock Nelson striker to an extension of a three -year contract which includes an average annual value of $ 7.5 million. Nelson was to become a free agent without restriction this summer.
Nelson was acquired on the commercial deadline in 2025 from the New York Icelanders and collected 13 points (6 goals and 7 assists) in 19 regular season games with Colorado. He recorded 56 points combined (26 goals and 30 assists) between the Avalanche and the Islanders, while recording four assists in the defeat of the first round series of the team in the hands of the stars of Dallas. Nelson will probably continue to center the second line of the avalanche and skate with Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin.
Nelson should be 34 at the start of the 2025-26 season this fall.
