This summer, Jason Newland and I will continue our series looking at potential free agent targets who could be available on July 1.
Target: Adam Gaudette – F – 7 Years Experience
As we wrap up the top 50 available free agents, we land on Adam Gaudette—who is coming off a strong bounce-back season with the Ottawa Senators. After it once looked like he was going to be an everyday player with the Vancouver Canucks, his career took a turn, bouncing between the NHL and AHL. Now, following his 2024-25 season, Gaudette will look to find a new NHL home if he isn’t re-signed by Ottawa and try to build off the year he just had.
Stats
Gaudette played in 81 games for the Senators last season, scoring 19 goals and adding seven assists for 26 points while finishing with a +12 rating. The 19 goals marked a new career-high, though his best season in terms of points came back in 2019-20 when he posted 33 points in 59 games. Over his career, he has suited up in 301 games, tallying 46 goals and 50 assists for 96 points.
Previous Salary
Over the past few years, Gaudette has signed for league-minimum contracts. Most recently, he inked a one-year deal with Ottawa worth $775,000. Contract projections suggest he could land a one-year deal in the $1.1 million range this summer.
Realistic Chances of a Signing: Cold
If I had to guess, I’d say the Columbus Blue Jackets likely won’t be in the mix for Gaudette. They already have a logjam of bottom-six depth forwards, and bringing him in would just block a young prospect from earning an NHL job next season.
Unless Gaudette is open to a two-way contract and the risk of spending more time in the AHL, there really isn’t a logical path that sees him signing in Columbus. Plus, with GM Don Waddell focusing on re-signing key UFA's and keeping tabs on bigger names around the league, depth signings like this likely won’t be on the radar until well into July.
