July 1 is here, which means the 2023 NHL free agent frenzy is underway. In the first few hours after free agency began, many of the biggest names on the market already agreed to new contracts.
After the Nashville Predators bought out Matt Duchene on Friday, he signed a one-year deal worth $3 million with their division rival, the Dallas Stars. The Predators had some openings to fill up front after parting ways with Duchene and Ryan Johansen this offseason, so they inked center Ryan O’Reilly to a four-year contract worth $18 million.
Perhaps the most attractive defenseman on the open market was Dmitry Orlov, and he parlayed a strong 2023-24 season into a two-year, $15.5 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. His former Boston Bruins teammate, Tyler Bertuzzi, remains one of the top unsigned free agents.
With some teams brushing up against the salary cap, free agent signings might not be the only action we see once the market officially opens. Some big names get moved in trades, especially with players like Alex DeBrincat and Connor Hellebuyck reportedly on the block.
Stay tuned here at CBS Sports as we track all of the most significant moves of the NHL offseason.
