9 Best Remaining UFAs in 2026 NHL Free Agency

The free-agent frenzy has passed, but unlike most years, there are still quite a few good UFAs remaining heading into the July 4 holiday in the US. Let’s look at the 10 best remaining UFAs in this year’s free-agent class.

Nick Blankenburg

Nick Blankenburg is an undersized defenseman — he’s 5-foot-9, 177 pounds — so I understand why he remains unsigned. NHL GMs tend to overlook or even underestimate smaller defenders unless they possess some elite skill, but they shouldn’t overlook Blankenburg.

His points totals, eight goals and 24 points in 61 games, were modest, but Blankenburg is quite good. He spent most of the season with the Nashville Predators, totaling an expected goals share (xG%) just above 53 percent in 49 games in Music City. He did play well for the Colorado Avalanche after they acquired him at the trade deadline as well.

Blankenburg may struggle with puck retrievals on the forecheck, but that’s not a shock given his size. Otherwise, he’s an effective puck mover, and despite his struggles with retrievals, his even-strength impacts are quite good. He’d be a savvy addition for any team in need of a third-pair, right-handed defenseman.

John Klingberg

John Klingberg’s best days are behind him, but he had a solid season for the San Jose Sharks. He totaled 10 goals and 27 points in 56 games, a 15-goal, 40-point pace over 82 games. With the Sharks’ overhaul on defense this offseason, he’ll likely be playing elsewhere next season.

At this point, you know what Klingberg is this late in his career. His defensive game is pretty much gone, but he still has value offensively. He can shoot the puck and does well setting up his teammates for shooting opportunities. He needs sheltered minutes, but like Blankenburg, he could help a team shore up its defensive depth and provide a bit more offensive ability in a third-pair role.

Eeli Tolvanen

Eeli Tolvanen is a difficult player to get read on. That’s partly because the Seattle Kraken had one of the worst offensive environments in the NHL last season, but he probably would fit in well on a playoff team’s middle six.

Tolvanen finished with 12 goals and 36 points in 78 games last season. He doesn’t do much with the puck, but he is a good shooter, possessing one of the NHL’s more underrated shots. He shot 8.5 percent last season, a touch below his career average of 12 percent, meaning he could be due for a bit of a bounce-back next season. I am a bit surprised he remains unsigned. Perhaps term is the issue, but he should find a home sooner rather than later.

Vladimir Tarasenko

Vladimir Tarasenko isn’t what he was in his heyday with the St. Louis Blues, but he quietly had a solid season with the Minnesota Wild. He totaled 23 goals and 47 points in 75 games, a moderate bump from what he produced with the Detroit Red Wings during the 2024-25 campaign.

Tarasenko is no longer the play driver he used to be, but his finishing ability hasn’t diminished yet. He averaged 1.06 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five with the Wild this season, second among Wild skaters to Matt Boldy. Tarasenko also saw almost no power-play time, with 18 of his 23 goals coming at even strength.

Despite the decline in play-driving ability, Tarasenko can still help a team that needs a plus finisher. He should come on a relatively cheap one- or two-year deal. At that price, he’s worth the gamble, especially if you’re a playoff contender tight on cap space and in need of some scoring.

Connor Ingram

This year’s free-agent class was far from the strongest for goaltending. Stuart Skinner and Frederik Andersen found new homes on July 1, and you can argue that Connor Ingram is just about at their level. He played well for the Edmonton Oilers this season, totaling an .899 save percentage and saving 1.7 goals above expected.

The league-average save percentage last season was .895, so Ingram was a slightly above league-average netminder. Perhaps teams are concerned because his NHL resumé over the last couple of seasons is a bit shaky, but consider this. The Oilers had one of the worst defensive environments last season, and he was still a slightly above league-average netminder. His career numbers aren’t much different than Skinner’s, so you could do much worse.

Claude Giroux

It doesn’t appear Claude Giroux has shut the door on a return to the Ottawa Senators, and a reunion with the Philadelphia Flyers also seems possible (From ‘Senators wait for Claude Giroux decision amid potential Flyers reunion: What we’re hearing’ – The Athletic, 7/2/2026). Regardless, Giroux is still quite capable at 38. He totaled 14 goals and 49 points in 82 games last season, and his underlying metrics were solid.

Giroux finished the 2025-26 campaign with an xG% of 55.2 percent, and the Senators outscored their opponents 50-35 with him on the ice at five-on-five. His skating has certainly slowed down, but he’s still a high-end playmaker and has maintained his steady two-way presence. Whether it’s with the Senators, Flyers, or someone else, he can still very much help a team while adding a veteran presence.

Michael Bunting

Michael Bunting has been a bit of a journeyman over the last couple of seasons. While his production isn’t what it was when he was at his peak with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he’s still a decent middle-six winger who plays a style of hockey that gets under his opponent’s skin.

Bunting finished with 14 goals and 33 points in 74 games between the Predators and Stars. He only appeared in 13 games with the Stars, so let’s focus on his Predators stint. He finished his time in Nashville with an xG% of 53.63 percent, and he averaged 1.66 points per 60 minutes, a rate you like to see from a middle-six winger.

The strength of Bunting’s game lies in his forechecking ability, but he’s also a decent playmaker. Because Bunting plays a physical game, I have to imagine he signs with a team in the next few days. He plays a style of hockey that most GMs seem to salivate over.

Patrick Kane

Has Patrick Kane’s time with the Detroit Red Wings come to a close? If so, it’ll be interesting where he ends up. He’s coming off a great season in Hockey Town, totaling 16 goals and 57 points in 67 games. He was one of the Red Wings’ most efficient five-on-five scorers, averaging 2.03 points per 60 minutes. Only Alex DeBrincat averaged more points per 60 than Kane among Red Wings skaters.

Kane may not be an elite finisher anymore, but he still creates plenty of quality looks with his shot, especially off the rush. He’s still one of the best playmakers in the NHL, and his five-on-five game has improved quite a bit since he had hip surgery a few offseasons ago.

At this point, one would have to assume Kane is looking for a team where he can get one last shot to win a Stanley Cup. The Buffalo Sabres, his hometown team, would make sense, but he should have his fair share of suitors. He’d still make a great addition to a team’s top six.

Anthony Mantha

Before free agency began, I would have predicted Anthony Mantha would be one of the first UFAs off the board. He’s coming off a career season that saw him total 33 goals and 64 points in 81 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But perhaps NHL teams are getting a bit smarter about handing out top dollar and term to players coming off career years that don’t look sustainable.

And, I do get it. Mantha is a good bet to regress next season. He shot 21.7 percent last season, well above his career average of 13.8 percent. He also tallied 25 five-on-five goals on 13.2 expected goals, so he definitely overperformed relative to his expected numbers.

Still, Mantha would likely help a team’s top six. Even with regression coming, he’s shown in past seasons that a team can rely on him to pot 20 goals and collect 40-45 points. That’s not someone who should get top dollar, but if he can be had on a two- or three-year deal worth $5 million per year, a team is likely to extract fair value from him.

Most of the top UFAs sign on July 1, but quite a few good UFAs are still hanging around heading into the American holiday. It’ll be interesting to see where they end up in the coming days.

Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Stats