Five NHL Veterans Who Still Need a New Contract

The NHL’s group of 2024 UFAs has shrunken greatly since the beginning of this month, but there are still some notable names still in need of a new contract. In no particular order, here are five recognizable NHLers who should get a new deal by or before the beginning of training camp:

The 35-year-old van Riemsdyk posted 11 goals and 38 points in 71 games with the Boston Bruins this past season, decent enough numbers for someone averaging just 13:30 of ice time per game. His 2023-24 salary of $1 million will very likely be in the area of what he signs for this coming year, and a one-year contract term will likely be the best he can hope for. If he latches on to a true Stanley Cup contender, van Riemsdyk can be a solid depth player and second or third option on the power play. For what he’ll be earning, that’s a good skill set that will have value for one team or another.

Pacioretty’s days as a 25-35-goal-scorer are long behind him, but after struggling to stay healthy in recent years, the 35-year-old managed to generate 19 assists and 23 points in 47 games with Washington last season. He’ll probably have to take a pay cut on the $2 million he made last year, but on the right team that can put him in a position to succeed, Pacioretty could be a savvy pickup. He may only have one or two years left in his NHL career, but Pacioretty’s dedication to his craft and professionalism make him more attractive than other vets at the same point in their NHL days.

It’s more than a little surprising that Johnson – who scored 17 goals for the sad-sack Chicago Blackhawks in 2023-24 – remains without a contract. But the 33-year-old pivot’s $5-million contract from this past season may be scaring away teams that aren’t interested in paying half of that amount or more. 

Like all players on this list, Johnson has to decide whether to chase as much money as he can – which probably means waiting till training camp to see what teams have injuries or depth woes that Johnson’s acquisition could address – or whether to take a fraction of his 2023-2024 pay to play on a true Cup contender. Either way, we expect to see Johnson back and playing on a team next year.

The 34-year-old Hoffman amassed only 10 goals and 23 points in 66 games last season, but that was on an abysmal San Jose Sharks team, and that was also when he was earning a relatively whopping $4.5 million per year. Hoffman won’t get anywhere close to that amount on a new deal, but there’s a long history of NHL teams adding depth performers like Hoffman in the hope they have a little bit left in the competitive tank. Hoffman probably will have to wait a while longer before an opportunity arises for him, but patience may prove to be a virtue in his case.

At age 35, Shattenkirk is almost at the conclusion of his NHL days. His modest $1.05 million salary from last season will be close to the same amount he gets on a new contract, which will only be a one-year deal. 

Shattenkirk did post 18 assists and 24 points in 61 games with the Bruins last year, but his minutes dropped to just 15:46 per game, making him, at best, a third-pairing option. So long as he tempers his monetary expectations, Shattenkirk has the veteran know-how that can help a team in a limited role. As such, he should get one more kick at the can with some team that has playoff aspirations.