Things are listing to the right on TSN’s first list of pending 2026 NHL unrestricted free agents.
Four of the top six players, including No. 1-ranked Vegas defenceman Rasmus Andersson are right shots.
The only exception is Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky, the No. 4-ranked, two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie, who rightfully takes his place among this year’s elite potential unrestricted free agents after fulfilling a seven-year, $10-million annual average value deal with the Panthers.
Andersson, 29, and Bobrovsky, 37, are joined by No. 2 Tampa Bay right defenceman Darren Raddysh, No. 3 Buffalo right winger Alex Tuch, No. 5 Anaheim right defenceman John Carlson and No. 6 Anaheim right defenceman Jacob Trouba.
Make no mistake about it, this is not one of the NHL’s marquee free agent classes, with the likes of potential 2026 UFAs Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov pre-emptively signing on the eve of the 2025-26 season. The Oilers’ captain signed for two years at a bargain-basement $12.5 million AAV and Kaprizov for eight years at a record $17 million per season.
This year’s group is distinguished as much by what it doesn’t have – centrepiece players and centres – as it is by what it does have.
It’s for the latter reason that 30-something, 13-goal-scoring pivots Boone Jenner of Columbus and Scott Laughton of Los Angeles land as high as No. 8 and 9, respectively.
A pair of goal-scoring wingers, Seattle’s Bobby McMann (No. 7) and Pittsburgh’s Anthony Mantha (No. 10), round out the top third of our 30-player list exactly 30 days before the onset of free agency at 12:01 am ET, July 1.
Two more players deserve special mention largely because, while they are on the list, they are not considered likely to reach free agency: Carolina goalie Freddy Andersen, 36, and Washington legend Alex Ovechkin, 40
Carolina’s Conn Smythe candidate Andersen is slotted at No. 25 and enters the Stanley Cup Final versus Vegas with a 12-1 record, 1.41 goals-against average and .941 save percentage – all playoff-leading totals.
Meanwhile, NHL all-time goal-scoring leader Ovechkin sits at No. 30. The career-long Cap has yet to announce whether he will return for a 22nd season. Thirty-two goals in 2025-26 raised his combined career regular season (929) and playoff (77) totals to 1,006 – a mere 10 behind Wayne Gretzky’s goal standard 1,016.
TSN Hockey’s Top 30 UFA ListRKPlayerAgePosGPG
P1Rasmus Andersson, VGK29RD8117472Darren Raddysh, TB30RD7322703Alex Tuch, Buf30RW7933664Sergei Bobrovsky, Fla37G523.07.8775John Carlson, Ana36RD7114606Jacob Trouba, Ana32RD8110357Bobby McMann, Sea29LW7829468Boone Jenner, CBJ33C6713389Scott Laughton, LA32C64132010Anthony Mantha, Pit31RW81336411Mason Marchment, CBJ31LW68194512Viktor Arvidsson, Bos33LW69255413Connor Murphy, Edm33RD8051714Anders Lee, NYI35LW82194215Stuart Skinner, Pit27G502.92.88816Mario Ferraro, SJ27LD8372317Mats Zuccarello, Min38RW59155418John Klingberg, SJ33RD56102719Patrick Kane, Det37RW67165720Jaden Schwartz, Sea33LW50112621Ryan Shea, Pit29LD8063522Michael Bunting, Dal30LW74143323Jason Dickinson, Edm30C6471724Jack Roslovic, Edm29RW69213625Frederik Andersen, Car36G353.05.87426Kasperi Kapenen, Edm29RW4181727Andrew Peeke, Bos28RD7751428Brett Kulak, Col32LD8311229Vladimir Tarasenko, Min34RW75234730Alex Ovechkin, Wsh40LW823264