Will Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin sign another NHL contract? Will the Rangers and Sabres keep Artemi Panarin and Alex Tuch past March? Here are 12 pending UFAs in the Eastern Conference to follow.
The biggest fish left in the NHL's free-agent class of 2026 plays in the Eastern Conference.
This is the last chance for teams to re-sign players for eight years instead of seven years before the new collective bargaining agreement rules take effect in September. That means there will be plenty of intrigue in the months ahead as NHL teams decide whether to re-sign or trade their pending free agents before they walk.
Here's a look at some of the key impending UFA in the Eastern Conference as we head into the new year.
Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers
Cap hit: $11,642,857
With some of the biggest names in the 2026 UFA class coming off the board earlier this season, such as Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Kyle Connor, Panarin is now one of only two players from last season who averaged at least 1.1 points per game but is not signed for the 2026-27 season. Alex Ovechkin is the other.
Panarin will turn 35 in October, and this might be the last time he can cash in on a big long-term contract. If the Rangers are hoping for a home team discount, it doesn't look like it's happening. Panarin and the Rangers may be headed toward a split, which could happen even before free agency if the two sides cannot agree on a contract extension and the Rangers are out of playoff contention by the trade deadline. If Panarin is on the trade market, he'll be the most sought-after player.
There will be no shortage of suitors for Panarin, who is still an effective top-line, point-per-game player, and the Rangers are not the best team to offer Panarin the most dollars or the best chance to win a Cup.
Alex Tuch, RW, Buffalo Sabres
Cap hit: $4,750,000
When the free agent class isn't deep, teams are bound to overpay, and that might be the case for Tuch. He's living out the dream as a lifelong Sabres fan, and he's posted solid numbers this season with 29 points in 34 games heading into the Christmas break.
Tuch will turn 30 and has a chance to re-sign an eight-year extension with the Sabres before such contracts are outlawed in the upcoming CBA, or he can pursue an opportunity with another team. It's been reported the Sabres prefer to sign Tuch to an extension with an average annual value that's close to Tage Thompson's $7.14 million, but in a rising cap environment and a scarcity of big, powerful wingers who can skate and score, Tuch could easily surpass that number in free agency.
Jarmo Kekalainen just took over as the GM, and so far, he hasn't really tipped his hand on how he'll put his mark on this team. Should Tuch leave, the Sabres already have a few candidates in their prospect pool they can promote.
Patrick Kane, RW, Detroit Red Wings
Cap hit: $3,000,000
It would be pretty cool if one of the greatest American players of all-time ended up playing for all four American Original Six franchises, but I'm not sure the Boston Bruins have a lot of appeal.
Kane is scoring at nearly a point-per-game pace this season, and he can still be a very effective offensive player, especially on the power play. He is nine points away from surpassing Mike Modano in all-time most points scored by an American-born player, and he has a good chance to do so in the next couple of weeks.
Staying with the Wings makes sense given their continued upward trajectory, even if it's been choppy at times. But it would also be interesting if Kane returned to the Blackhawks, providing mentorship and elite-tier scoring ability on Connor Bedard's right wing.
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The Kings, Flames, Mammoth, Canucks and Oilers are among the NHL's Western Conference teams that will eventually have decisions to make with important pending UFAs.
Darren Raddysh, D, Tampa Bay Lightning
Cap hit: $975,000
A bit of a late bloomer who played on an outstanding 2016-17 Erie Otters team that won 50 games, Raddysh's ability to skate with the puck and score points will make him very desirable in free agency. With Victor Hedman battling injuries this season, Raddysh has stepped in seamlessly and put together a career season in a contract year, giving him a chance to cash in on a lucrative long-term deal after making close to the league minimum throughout his career.
The Lightning don't have a ton of cap space, but they do have Oliver Bjorkstrand's $5.4-million cap hit coming off the books, which they can now give to Raddysh. If Hedman's injury woes continue and Raddysh isn't retained, the Lightning will need to find someone else who can generate offense from the back end consistently.
Anthony Mantha, LW/RW, Pittsburgh Penguins
Cap hit: $2,500,000
This was a good calculated gamble by the Pens, who signed Mantha at a discount after an injury-plagued 2024-25 season. Mantha has managed to stay healthy and on track to deliver 20 goals this season, rebuilding his value enough for the Penguins to potentially gain something substantial in a trade following a solid first half. Pittsburgh has been surprisingly good, and Mantha has proven he can still score goals in a second- or third-line role and on the power play.
Given the Pens' focus is shifting towards the post-Crosby Era, it would make the most sense if they trade Mantha at the deadline for a draft pick or prospect. It would also make sense to re-sign him to a short-term contract to keep their competitive window a little longer. Mantha is a 6-foot-5 power winger who can score goals, and those are always tough to find.
Mason Marchment, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
Cap hit: $4,500,000
Marchment has been a victim of a cap crunch in Dallas and then of an underperforming team in Seattle, neither of which is really his fault. He's a big, gritty winger who can score 20 goals and is still in his prime.
The Jackets' acquisition of Marchment shows they're still going after a playoff spot, and if Marchment is a good fit, there will be room to re-sign him with captain Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle and Erik Gudbranson all on expiring contracts.
Claude Giroux, RW, Ottawa Senators
Cap hit: $2,000,000
Giroux re-signed with his hometown Senators, and unless a Cup contender comes knocking with a lucrative offer, there seems to be little reason for him to leave. The Senators' Cup window is still only starting to open with core players who are still in their early and mid-20s, and Giroux can be a great fit with his offensive skill and veteran leadership.
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Anders Lee, LW, And Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C, New York Islanders
Lee's cap hit: $7,000,000
Pageau's cap hit: $5,000,000
There are symbolic reasons for Lee to stay – he's their captain and still might be able to show potential future captain Matthew Schaefer a thing or two about being a pro. Lee has spent his entire career on Long Island and sits 24 games shy of moving into the top five in games played and 14 points shy of moving into the top 10 in points scored in Islanders history. He's been one of their most consistent goal-scorers, and he'll be difficult to replace on and off the ice.
Pageau is more likely to change addresses next season since he's two years younger and might get more lucrative opportunities elsewhere as a scrappy, versatile, two-way third-line center. With the Isles in the thick of the playoff race, it seems very unlikely either will be traded.
Alex Ovechkin, LW, And John Carlson, D, Washington Capitals
Ovechkin's cap hit: $9,500,000
Carlson's cap hit: $8,000,000
There is no chance Ovechkin plays for any other NHL franchise, and he has nothing left to prove. He is the league's all-time leader in regular-season goals and top 10 in career points.
Ovechkin has indicated in the past that he'd like to play for his hometown team, Dynamo, in the KHL again, so it's either Capitals, Dynamo or retirement for the greatest goal-scorer this league has ever seen. Truly, if Ovechkin moves on, it would mark the end of one of the most glorious periods in NHL history.
Carlson is slightly younger and turns 36 in January, and it's also hard to see the franchise's all-time leader in points by a defenseman wear anything but Capitals red. It will be Jakob Chychrun's defense going forward, but Carlson is still an elite defenseman at this stage of his career, and the Caps should have plenty of space to re-sign him – hometown discount or not.
Evgeni Malkin, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
Cap hit: $6,100,000
The Penguins may never admit it, but I think there is a sense they really regretted trading Marc-Andre Fleury and not seeing their championship-winning core all retire as Penguin lifers. A new era is to be ushered in soon – the Pens have over $25 million in cap hits coming off the books next summer – and Malkin may not be part of their future plans.
Malkin will be 40 years old when the next season starts, and while he can still be a very effective offensive player, he's no longer as reliable as he once was. Injuries have been an issue over the past two seasons, and he's averaging 17:30 of ice time, the lowest of his career. The most likely scenario is for Malkin to either retire as a Penguin or re-sign with a one or two-year contract with the only club he's ever known.
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