While most of the NHL's unrestricted free agents have already signed, there's still a handful of intriguing names left on the open market. Still, there's a reason these players remain unsigned: they all have warts. If you squint just enough, you can see why teams might see some value in them, especially since most of these players may be forced to settle for low-cost, one-year contracts at this point.
Below, we identify the best fits for the league's top remaining UFAs.
Victor Olofsson
Age: 29
Position: LW/RW
Best fit: Boston Bruins
If the Bruins want to return to the playoffs next season after missing out in 2025, their 29th-ranked power play will have to improve significantly. That makes Olofsson a great fit. Of his 105 career NHL goals, 41 have come on the man advantage. As a lefty with a lethal shot from the right half wall, he could be a great complement to David Pastrnak on the opposite flank. Olofsson is a bit one-dimensional, but he addresses Boston's biggest need.
Jack Roslovic
Age: 28
Position: C/RW
Best fit: Toronto Maple Leafs
Roslovic is arguably the top UFA remaining, but that doesn't say a lot. While he tied a career high with 22 goals last season, he has been unreliable defensively throughout his career and was a healthy scratch at times for the Carolina Hurricanes this past postseason. However, the Maple Leafs are arguably the league's best team with an opening in their top-six forward group following Mitch Marner's departure. Roslovic also notably played alongside Auston Matthews with the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2014-15.
Jeff Skinner
Age: 33
Position: LW
Best fit: Nashville Predators
Skinner finally got to play for a playoff team for the first time in his 15-year NHL career, but he appeared in only five of the Edmonton Oilers' 22 postseason contests after spending most of the run as a healthy scratch. Finding a playoff-caliber team that can accommodate Skinner in a top-nine role may not be possible for him as a free agent now. Although Skinner can put the puck in the net, he's coming off a nightmare season in which his pace and defensive play became major concerns. The Predators, who scored the second-fewest goals in the league last campaign, may be willing to roll the dice on a bounce-back year in an effort to return to the postseason after a disappointing 2024-25.
Editor's Note: Skinner agreed to a one-year, $3-million deal with the San Jose Sharks on July 11.
Joe Veleno
Age: 25
Position: C
Best fit: New York Rangers
The Rangers will need another center if they plan to play Mika Zibanejad on the wing as they did down the stretch last season. Enter Veleno, who's one of the youngest free agents available. While he hasn't lived up to the expectations that come with being granted exceptional status in the QMJHL at 15 years old and a first-round pick by the Detroit Red Wings, Veleno is a physical player who has posted stellar defensive metrics throughout his NHL career. Even if the offense hasn't caught up, he could be New York's answer at 3C. At the very least, Veleno's probably better than Juuso Parssinen and Sam Carrick - the other contenders for that role.
Matt Grzelcyk
Age: 31
Position: LD
Best fit: Colorado Avalanche
The No. 3 left-shot defenseman on Colorado's depth chart is currently Keaton Middleon - a 27-year-old with 44 NHL games under his belt. The 5-foot-10 Grzelcyk would be a major upgrade in that spot and could potentially be a great fit in head coach Jared Bednar's up-tempo system with the way the blue-liner skates and moves the puck. There's admittedly some duplication with the 5-foot-10 Sam Girard already pencilled in on Colorado's second pair. Still, a third pair featuring Grzelcyk and either Brent Burns or Josh Manson could be dominant in sheltered minutes.
Alexandar Georgiev
Age: 29
Position: G
Best fit: Edmonton Oilers
Georgiev was arguably the worst goalie in the NHL last season, but he's just two years removed from a campaign in which he posted a .918 save percentage and finished seventh in Vezina Trophy voting. Despite a goalie duo of Georgiev and Stuart Skinner being understandably frightening for Oilers nation, Georgiev at least offers more upside than Calvin Pickard, who would likely clear waivers and serve as Edmonton's third goalie. With limited ways to upgrade the crease, Georgiev would be worth a flyer for the Oilers on a low-cost, one-year deal.
James Reimer
Age: 37
Position: G
Best fit: Calgary Flames
The backup goalie job behind Dustin Wolf in Calgary appears to be an open competition between two unproven netminders in Devin Cooley and Ivan Prosvetov. The Flames could benefit from adding a steadying, veteran presence to help mentor Wolf, the 2025 Calder Trophy runner-up. Reimer would be a great candidate for such a role, and he proved last campaign that he still has plenty of game left after stopping 6.85 goals above expected in 24 appearances split between the Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres.
Ilya Samsonov
Age: 28
Position: G
Best fit: Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas signed Samonsov in 2022 during his time with the Maple Leafs, and the netminder ended up having the best season of his career, posting a .919 save percentage in 42 games. Samsonov has endured a lot of ups and downs ever since that career year, but Dubas may be inclined to sign him again, considering how well it worked out the first time. Pittsburgh could stand to add someone to share the crease with Tristan Jarry to give 23-year-old Joel Blomqvist more time to develop in the AHL. Given Jarry's struggles last campaign, the starting job would be wide open for Samsonov to grab.
(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)
