Even though the 2022-23 NHL season just ended, it’s not time to rest yet.
The Vegas Golden Knights just lifted the Stanley Cup for the first time after defeating the Florida Panthers. But now, a busy offseason is on tap with free agency and the draft quickly approaching.
It all starts in the next few weeks, first with the draft from June 28-29 and then free agency shortly after.
Here’s a deep dive into when free agency begins, the cap space situation for teams and who some of the best available players will be:
When does NHL free agency start?
NHL free agency will begin on Saturday, July 1, at noon ET.
While teams must wait until that moment to start talking to players from other teams, they can get a head start on signing their own free agents. Pending unrestricted free agents can sign new deals with their current teams prior to July 1.
Which NHL teams have the most cap space?
Entering the 2023 offseason, several lottery teams are hoarding cap space. On the other side, a few surprise playoff teams actually have some money to work with.
Here are the 10 teams with the most cap space as of June 14 (via Spotrac):
1. Anaheim Ducks: $39,048,333
2. Chicago Blackhawks: $37,594,877
3. New Jersey Devils: $34,282,500
4. Detroit Red Wings: $30,665,278
5. Arizona Coyotes: $27,061,794
6. Carolina Hurricanes: $24,573,083
7. Seattle Kraken: $20,343,424
8. Pittsburgh Penguins: $20,207,158
9. Ottawa Senators: $17,073,096
10. Buffalo Sabres: $16,959,763
Which NHL teams have the least cap space?
Most of the league’s best teams don’t have a lot of cap space, which is to be expected. But there are several teams near the bottom of the standings who have limited cap space entering the offseason, putting them in a difficult position to improve.
Here are the 10 teams with the least cap space as of June 14 (via Spotrac):
1. Vancouver Canucks: -$668,750
2. Tampa Bay Lightning: $450,000
3. Montreal Canadiens: $725,935
4. Calgary Flames: $1,250,000
5. Vegas Golden Knights: $3,462,517
6. Boston Bruins: $4,937,500
7. Edmonton Oilers: $5,070,000
8. New York Islanders: $5,336,667
9. Columbus Blue Jackets: $5,854,168
10. Philadelphia Flyers: $6,801,476
Who are the best NHL free agents in 2023?
There are multiple impact players that could hit free agency on July 1, including former All-Stars, Stanley Cup champions and Conn Smythe winners.
In no particular order, here are 10 of the best players tha could be available in free agency:
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Patrick Kane, RW, New York Rangers
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Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, New York Rangers
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Jonathan Toews, C, Chicago Blackhawks
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Ryan O’Reilly, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
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Max Domi, LW/C, Dallas Stars
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Alex Killorn, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning
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Michael Bunting, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs
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John Klingberg, D, Minnesota Wild
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Dmitry Orlov, D, Boston Bruins
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Tristan Jarry, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
