2025 NHL Team Report Cards: Draft, Free Agency, and Trades

The NHL`s condensed offseason, featuring the draft, major trades, and free agency compressed into just ten days, provided teams with a crucial opportunity to enhance their rosters. Some general managers only needed minor tweaks to maintain their status as Stanley Cup contenders or elevate to that level. Others had to pursue more aggressive strategies to raise their club`s competitive bar or perhaps focus their long-term vision on a serious playoff push in 2026-27 or beyond.

Now that the initial phase of acquisitions and roster adjustments is complete, it`s time for a candid evaluation of each front office based on what was realistically anticipated.

Here are the report cards for all 32 NHL teams, assessing their moves made through Monday. These grades are based on the transactions they executed, those they potentially aimed for, and their specific needs heading into the less active period from mid-July through training camps in September.

Note: Advanced statistics are from Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey. Cap and contract information is from PuckPedia as of July 8; teams indicated as being over the cap must become compliant by opening night. Kristen Shilton covered the Atlantic and Metro teams, Ryan S. Clark covered the Central and Pacific teams. Teams are listed alphabetically within each letter-grade tier.

A GRADES

Florida Panthers

Florida GM Bill Zito earns top marks for successfully retaining all essential players from the Panthers` recent Stanley Cup runs, preventing them from hitting the open market. Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand were all signed to long-term contracts, positioning the club to potentially secure hockey`s ultimate prize for a second consecutive season. Zito was undoubtedly helped by players willing to accept less money than they might have found elsewhere, demonstrating the appeal of winning.

Zito also acquired Daniil Tarasov, a young goaltender, to back up Sergei Bobrovsky next season, potentially improving over Vitek Vanecek.

Florida also made smart, less-heralded additions, with Zito replacing the departing Schmidt with Petry, re-signing fourth-liner Tomas Nosek, and bringing in Brandon Bussi and Nolan Foote.

The Panthers` depth has been a significant asset during their deep playoff runs, and Zito`s shrewd business decisions have once again positioned Florida as an elite team for the next year. Frankly, he could hardly have done more to give Florida a chance at building a genuine dynasty.

Anaheim Ducks

Simply put, the Ducks arguably had one of the most successful offseasons across the NHL. When discussing “windows” in the NHL, it typically refers to championship contenders trying to capitalize before decline sets in. For the Ducks, their “window” means having a talented young core on affordable contracts, allowing them significant flexibility to spend elsewhere, for now.

This strategy was evident when the Ducks traded for Chris Kreider, who has two years remaining at a $6.5 million average annual value. Moving John Gibson and Trevor Zegras cleared $12.15 million in salary.

Some of these cap savings were allocated to signing top-nine forward Mikael Granlund. The assets received from their trades enabled the Ducks to address roster needs at favorable prices. By July 1st`s end, GM Pat Verbeek appeared to have ample funds remaining to sign his restricted free agent class, including Lukas Dostal, Drew Helleson, and Mason McTavish, to new deals.

St. Louis Blues

Blues GM Doug Armstrong didn`t need to make many moves this offseason, but the three he did execute were notably impactful.

Armstrong could afford to trade Zach Bolduc because the roster already featured six forwards who scored over 18 goals, alongside factoring in the projected role for highly-touted prospect Jimmy Snuggerud. The trade of Bolduc for Logan Mailloux provided a young defenseman option, necessary given Torey Krug is not expected to play next season (and potentially beyond).

By signing Nick Bjugstad, the Blues added an experienced, sizable third-line center capable of anchoring their bottom six. Bringing in Pius Suter on a two-year deal gives the Blues one of the league`s strongest center groups and another forward who surpassed 18 goals last season.

Utah Mammoth

The Mammoth are likely to be a playoff team this season, or come very close.

They made one of the biggest trades of the offseason to acquire JJ Peterka and immediately signed him to a five-year extension, adding another top-six scorer. This transaction left Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong with sufficient cap space to sign veterans to address other areas.

The arrival of Nate Schmidt means the team has seven established defensemen under contract. Utah can either utilize this group for injury depth or trade one for help elsewhere on the roster.

Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina finally achieved a long-sought goal. After several attempts to acquire a top-six scoring winger, GM Erik Tulsky secured a game-changing player by signing coveted free agent Nikolaj Ehlers to a six-year, $51 million contract. This move immediately provides Carolina with the offensive boost they`ve pursued for at least the past two years.

Before signing Ehlers, Tulsky also executed an impressive sign-and-trade with New York for K`Andre Miller, a promising defenseman who should further improve Carolina`s defense, especially now that Brent Burns has moved to Colorado in free agency.

While Ehlers is an excellent addition, Tulsky has yet to address the Hurricanes` second-line center position. There is still time to find a solution for that need.

In the meantime, Carolina`s offseason moves are more than enough to position them as strong favorites for another Eastern Conference finals appearance or potentially beyond.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens are unlikely to be surprise playoff contenders this season. GM Kent Hughes ensured this by making a significant trade with the New York Islanders to acquire right-shot defenseman Noah Dobson and signing him to an eight-year contract with a $9.5 million AAV.

This was not a cheap move, but it was likely worth it. Montreal has been rebuilding for a considerable time, and it`s opportune to capitalize on the prime years of players like Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and others. Dobson will be a crucial component of any future Canadiens success. Bringing in Dobson also allowed Hughes to trade Logan Mailloux, whose path in Montreal became less clear, to St. Louis for Zachary Bolduc, a solid 22-year-old depth scorer.

Hughes even added Kaapo Kahkonen to provide competition in goal. The Canadiens appear to have made all the right moves to ensure their 2025 playoff appearance isn`t a one-time event.

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B GRADES

New York Islanders

A lot is happening for the Islanders right now.

They have a new GM, Mathieu Darche, who selected Matthew Schaefer as the first overall pick in the draft, giving the Islanders a top-tier defensive prospect they haven`t had in a very long time. This softens the impact of moving on from Noah Dobson. However, the return from that trade—a pair of first-round picks used on Viktor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson, plus forward Emil Heineman—allowed Darche to stock up at the draft and position New York for both current and future success.

He solidified the roster depth by signing veteran forward Jonathan Drouin and extended contracts for Adam Boqvist and Simon Holmstrom. The Islanders have needed to establish a new identity, and based on Darche`s actions, it genuinely feels like New York is heading towards a truly fresh start.

Philadelphia Flyers

The highlight of Philadelphia`s offseason was trading for Trevor Zegras from Anaheim, with the hope he can become their top center moving forward. If this happens, GM Danny Briere will have done well to tap into the potential of a player who may not have fully showcased his abilities yet, especially since the Flyers didn`t give up a significant package in return.

Briere`s other key move was a five-year extension for Cam York at a substantial yet fair average annual value of $5.15 million. Well done.

Briere`s performance at the draft, including the selection of Porter Martone at No. 6, is also noteworthy as it continues to position Philadelphia for long-term success.

For the upcoming season, Zegras and veteran Christian Dvorak will aim to boost the Flyers` offense, while Dan Vladar will provide goaltending competition. Consequently, Philadelphia may be closer to moving past its rebuilding phase towards becoming more competitive.

San Jose Sharks

Sharks GM Mike Grier`s strategy was to focus on the present while overseeing a rebuild that appears to be one of the league`s most promising. To support this, he added veterans who can help shape the culture for young players and potentially be traded later ahead of the deadline in the next two years.

The Sharks added Michael Misa, the second overall draft pick, joining a group that already includes Yaroslav Askarov, Macklin Celebrini, William Eklund, and Will Smith. They also signed Adam Gaudette, John Klingberg, Philipp Kurashev, Alex Nedeljkovic, and Dmitry Orlov, players expected to improve areas that contributed to the team having the league`s worst record. Three of these players are on one-year deals, and Gaudette has a two-year contract at $2 million annually. If the Sharks aren`t in playoff contention by the trade deadline, these players could be moved for draft capital.

Furthermore, having eight defensemen on the roster suggests the Sharks might be open to trading one before the season begins.

Boston Bruins

Boston acquired several forwards through free agency and one trade (for Viktor Arvidsson, costing a 2027 fifth-round pick). However, Boston did not address its most significant need: a genuine top-six winger. Instead, GM Don Sweeney strengthened the Bruins` bottom six with several players, some of whom will likely be required to play higher in the lineup regardless.

Sweeney`s most surprising decision was signing Tanner Jeannot to a five-year, $17 million contract. This represents a considerable investment in a player who is, at best, a third-line skater and will carry a $3.4 million AAV until age 33. He provides physicality and grit. Yet, the Bruins desperately need scoring help (only two players on the roster exceeded 20 goals last season), and it`s unclear if Sweeney has achieved this so far.

Detroit Red Wings

Credit to GM Steve Yzerman for finally finding a new team for John Gibson. That trade, completed before free agency, seemed long-anticipated and provides Gibson a fresh start while also upgrading Detroit`s goaltending situation, a clear offseason priority.

However, Yzerman appeared content with this being one of the only significant changes to the Red Wings` roster. He made minor additions to the bottom six with wingers Mason Appleton and James van Riemsdyk and added Jacob Bernard-Docker as another third-pairing defensive option. Beyond this, Detroit will likely enter the season much the same way it finished the last.

Depth is valuable, but the Red Wings needed a more prominent addition to bolster their defense and would have benefited from improved top-six scoring potential. These areas may still require attention.

New Jersey Devils

New Jersey didn`t aim for a roster overhaul, but GM Tom Fitzgerald made sensible moves to add offensive punch. Connor Brown is an excellent depth forward with valuable experience and leadership qualities. Evgenii Dadonov could provide similar benefits. Both players are expected to comfortably fill roles in the bottom six.

New Jersey also retained some of its own pending unrestricted free agents, keeping Jake Allen on a five-year deal (advantageous given the shortage of available goalies for other teams) and signing trade deadline acquisition Cody Glass to a two-year extension.

These are all positive steps. What Fitzgerald has not yet accomplished, and what he states is now the top priority, is signing restricted free agent Luke Hughes to a long-term contract. Fitzgerald acknowledged the Devils might make further moves this summer, such as improving the top six, but these are contingent on determining the financial terms of Hughes` extension. So, the situation remains fluid.

New York Rangers

New York began the offseason aggressively by pursuing one of the top available defensemen on the open market, Vladislav Gavrikov. GM Chris Drury signed Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract, which subsequently impacted his ability to retain restricted free agent K`Andre Miller. Drury traded Miller to Carolina for draft picks and defenseman Scott Morrow.

The long-term implications of this deal for both teams remain to be seen, but at the time, it was the only way Drury could bring Gavrikov into the fold. It was a high-risk, high-reward decision.

Drury`s other moves were more subtle: signing breakout star Will Cuylle to an extension and adding bottom-six forward Taylor Raddysh. The Rangers` offseason will be primarily defined by the acquisition of Gavrikov and how he integrates into their defensive group.

Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas employed a strategic approach by re-signing Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith to one-year contracts to ensure middle-six forward depth. Moving Nicolas Hague allowed them to acquire another depth forward in Colton Sissons and an NHL defenseman in Jeremy Lauzon.

Then came the summer`s most significant move: packaging Nicolas Roy in the sign-and-trade deal for Mitch Marner, adding one of the league`s top stars to a team that remains a leading contender in the Western Conference. As they often do, GM Kelly McCrimmon and the Knights` front office found a way to execute a blockbuster trade.

The announcement that Alex Pietrangelo will miss next season, and possibly never play again, to recover from femur reconstruction surgery raises questions about how Vegas will address the void left by their top defenseman.

Calgary Flames

Flames GM Craig Conroy stated that once the players his team targeted in free agency were signed elsewhere, there was no need to deviate from their original strategy of trusting the team`s young players. Conroy added that he wants to continue providing opportunities for the Flames` youth, hoping they will see the lack of external additions on July 1 and be motivated to “work even harder this summer because I want to make that team.”

Evidently, there`s a belief that the club`s homegrown talent can make enough of a difference to elevate the Flames from narrowly missing the playoffs in 2025 to qualifying in 2026.

This is a sensible approach, not only for the message it sends to their young players but also because it allows them to allocate cap space towards re-signing restricted free agent forwards like Connor Zary, alongside Morgan Frost, who later signed a two-year extension worth $4.38 million annually.

Edmonton Oilers

The new contracts for Evan Bouchard and Trent Frederic significantly influenced another challenging offseason for Edmonton. For teams within a championship window, the objective is strategic cap space maximization.

For instance, Oilers GM Stan Bowman`s decision to trade Evander Kane ($5.125 million cap hit) was followed by signing Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar (combined $4.375 million) to stretch their financial resources.

Another method the team can use to manage salary concerns is relying on young players like Matt Savoie for larger roles, while also assessing whether David Tomasek, the 29-year-old Czech forward signed in April, can earn a roster spot out of training camp.

Los Angeles Kings

Was it a more financially prudent use of cap space to sign two free agent defensemen, knowing that an additional $1.5 million per year could have potentially prevented Vladislav Gavrikov from signing with the Rangers instead? This is one of several questions facing Kings GM Ken Holland after his first offseason in charge.

Holland utilized the Kings` cap space to essentially acquire players in bulk, adding five players to reinforce their bottom-six forward group, defensive options, and a backup goaltender.

Whether these moves will be enough to propel the Kings beyond the first round of the playoffs remains to be seen.

Minnesota Wild

Moving on from Frederick Gaudreau provided the Wild with cap flexibility, enabling them to trade for Vladimir Tarasenko, who offers a potential top-six forward option in a market where most desirable players remained with their previous teams.

Bringing back Nico Sturm, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, after a three-year absence adds further bottom-six depth and serves as a potential replacement for Gaudreau.

However, other matters still need to be addressed. There`s a new contract required for restricted free agent Marco Rossi, along with decisions on how to use the remaining cap space: should they acquire veterans to fill roster gaps or save it for later by relying on prospects from one of the league`s strongest farm systems?

Nashville Predators

The Predators` poor finish in 2024-25 highlighted the roster needs for the summer, with a focus on finding experienced players. This process began by acquiring Eric Haula, an experienced top-nine, two-way winger with eight seasons of 20 or more goals, who can also contribute significantly on the penalty kill.

GM Barry Trotz also added two defensemen in Nicolas Hague and Nick Perbix. Both have played top-four minutes as injury fill-ins. Can they be trusted with those types of roles on a more consistent basis in Nashville?

Seattle Kraken

New GM Jason Botterill utilized the Kraken`s available cap space in ways that were challenging for other teams, a crucial factor in his first offseason. It started by trading Andre Burakovsky and his $5.5 million cap hit to the Blackhawks.

Subsequently, Botterill leveraged the Stars` cap constraints to acquire Mason Marchment, another winger with consecutive 22-goal seasons, then added Frederick Gaudreau, a solid two-way bottom-six center, from the Wild.

They still needed enough cap space to sign Ryan Lindgren in free agency and re-sign restricted free agent Tye Kartye, while Ryker Evans and Kaapo Kakko await new deals.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay has been cautious with its offseason signings, which is understandable given the Lightning`s limited cap space and lack of obvious roster deficiencies. GM Julien BriseBois signed Yanni Gourde and Gage Goncalves to extensions to maintain scoring depth, then added Pontus Holmberg and Jakob Pelletier to further support this area.

Jakob Pelletier, in particular, will provide depth for the team`s core group and is expected to play a role in the bottom six.

What BriseBois did not do was either retain free agent Nick Perbix or sign someone to replace him on defense. The Lightning appear thin on the blue line, which could pose a problem if BriseBois doesn`t make additional moves before training camp. Currently, Tampa Bay doesn`t seem significantly worse or better than it was at the conclusion of last season.

Vancouver Canucks

Could there be a sense of optimism emerging from Vancouver? The Canucks re-signed Brock Boeser, one of the most sought-after free agents this summer, and goaltender Thatcher Demko and forward Conor Garland also signed contract extensions.

However, many have questioned whether the $5.125 million AAV committed to top-six winger Evander Kane, acquired via trade, could have been better utilized to address the team`s center situation. This is especially relevant given questions about finding a replacement for Pius Suter in the bottom six and the need to create cap space to potentially address this need before or during training camp.

Winnipeg Jets

Knowing they would lose Nikolaj Ehlers prompted a discussion on how the Jets would fill the void left by his departure. Signing Gustav Nyquist to a one-year contract was based on the belief he can help the Jets maintain the offensive balance they had last season, when 12 players scored more than 10 goals. Tanner Pearson, who has scored over 10 goals in nine seasons, could also contribute offensively.

The same could potentially apply to future Hall of Famer Jonathan Toews, although this comes with the caveat that he hasn`t played since 2023 due to health issues.

Despite these additions, the Jets still have over $18 million in cap space as they work towards a new contract with restricted free agent forward Gabriel Vilardi, who was third on the team with 27 goals last season.

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C GRADES

Ottawa Senators

Ottawa`s most exciting offseason signing was likely the one-year extension for Claude Giroux. Retaining a key forward and team leader was GM Steve Staois` priority, and that goal was achieved.

Staois also demonstrated the value he places on right-side defensive depth by acquiring Jordan Spence in a trade with the Kings, potentially an upgrade over Travis Hamonic. Lars Eller, who scored 10 goals last season, has the opportunity to add some offensive contribution to the Senators` fourth line.

These moves are acceptable. However, it remains to be seen if anything Staois has done will significantly impact Ottawa and help them keep pace in the highly competitive Atlantic Division.

The Senators` goaltending situation is also questionable, given Anton Forsberg`s departure and 22-year-old Leevi Merilainen signing a one-year extension to be Linus Ullmark`s backup. Will this be sufficient? It`s possible that Staois has merely swapped one type of player for another, and this lack of dramatic improvement could hinder Ottawa. Alternatively, the fresh energy following a season where the Senators did return to the playoffs might see everyone elevate their game. Time will provide the answer.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Thus far, this offseason for the Penguins has been rather… uninspired. However, perhaps this aligns with GM Kyle Dubas` grand plan. Pittsburgh is in a state of flux, not fully rebuilding but also seemingly unable to make a definitive push for one last championship attempt (they`ve tried before without success). In this context, Dubas managed reasonably well with straightforward signings.

Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau should provide solid depth for the Penguins` bottom six, and there are opportunities for third-pairing minutes for Parker Wotherspoon and Alexander Alexeyev. Trading away Alex Nedeljkovic puts the spotlight on the Penguins` younger goaltenders, such as Joel Blomqvist. However, it also suggests that Dubas might not be finished making moves.

Perhaps free agency was just the initial phase, and those long-speculated trades—possibly involving Erik Karlsson—are still in the works.

Toronto Maple Leafs

There`s no denying it: the Maple Leafs are a weaker team without Mitch Marner. The positive aspect is that GM Brad Treliving managed to get something in return for his departing free agent via a sign-and-trade with Vegas for depth forward Nicolas Roy. Treliving continued by adding third- and fourth-line skaters in Matias Maccelli and Michael Pezzetta.

Now, any of these three could prove to be valuable contributors. However, they do not even remotely replace what Toronto lost in Marner. What else could have been done?

Treliving should not have stopped making moves. Another scoring winger with top-six potential would be extremely beneficial, and the Leafs could also use help on defense.

Signing extensions for John Tavares and Matthew Knies was undoubtedly important (and improved the Leafs` grade here), but how Toronto overcomes the loss of Marner will be a critical factor in how next season unfolds.

Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo did a decent job of taking care of its own restricted free agents, signing key players like Jack Quinn, Ryan McLeod, and Ryan Johnson to new contracts. The return of Michael Kesselring from Utah in the JJ Peterka trade also strengthens the Sabres` defense on the right side, an area where the team lacked depth.

Aside from this, Buffalo has not done much to significantly improve itself for the upcoming season. There were no major splashy moves or even notable acquisitions on July 1st. Buffalo had cap space available but did not utilize it. This lack of commitment to improvement is not something fans, or frankly, ownership, should accept, especially as the Sabres face the prospect of a 15th consecutive season without making the playoffs.

There is little left to say in defense of the Sabres if they are unwilling to invest in taking a risk on someone when they have the resources to do so.

Chicago Blackhawks

Some might argue that the Blackhawks should have been more active, while others would contend that no further moves were necessary. Those who believe they could have done more will point to how they could have used their cap space to acquire proven scorers to help address the offensive challenges faced last season, in addition to their defensive issues.

Conversely, those who disagree will emphasize that a crucial step for the Blackhawks` future involves evaluating the performance of their young core, highlighting that they have 15 players on their active roster under the age of 25 and one of the league`s most promising young pipelines.

Colorado Avalanche

Everything about the decision to sign Brent Burns to a one-year deal reflects a larger dynamic. Teams like the Avalanche, operating within a championship window, face the annual challenge of either rebuilding or revamping their bottom six and/or third defensive pairing. Finding and signing these players at team-friendly prices was and will continue to be the mission for Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland and his front office staff until training camp begins.

Having just over $4 million in cap space provides flexibility that they will aim to maximize to build upon a roster that has failed to advance past the first two rounds since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Dallas Stars

The very decisions GM Jim Nill made that paved the way for his team to reach three consecutive conference finals are now the reasons the team cannot follow that same path anymore. Extensions for the Stars` core players consumed considerable cap space, necessitating the trade of Mason Marchment to Seattle and allowing Cody Ceci, Evgenii Dadonov, and Mikael Granlund to sign elsewhere.

Their most notable move to date was signing Radek Faksa, who returned to the club that drafted him in 2012 after spending last season with the Blues. However, even this decision left the Stars needing to clear cap space to become compliant by opening night and position themselves to make further additions if deemed necessary.

Washington Capitals

It`s not that Washington didn`t attempt to address its needs. GM Chris Patrick was actively involved in the Nikolaj Ehlers pursuit right until Ehlers chose Carolina over the Capitals, a team that topped the Eastern Conference standings last season. Following this, all Patrick could do was re-sign Anthony Beauvillier, a decent player but not one who provides Ehlers` top-six skill set. However, that`s how the free agency process often unfolds.

The Capitals gain some defensive depth with Declan Chisholm, but aside from this, they haven`t significantly retooled anywhere to suggest they will be a considerably tougher opponent next season. Patrick still has time to make corrections through trades and will need to be proactive this summer.

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D GRADES

Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus had a reasonable list of potential free agent targets. However, the Blue Jackets did not actually proceed to make a large number of moves.

Instead of acquiring a winger to boost their top six or a right-side defenseman to strengthen their top four, GM Don Waddell opted to significantly overpay their own pending free agent defenseman, Ivan Provorov, with a seven-year, $59.5 million contract. This was far from ideal.

The players Waddell did add from outside the organization—specifically Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood—will replace the bottom-six players who departed Columbus in free agency, including Justin Danforth and Sean Kuraly. Therefore, these moves do not enhance the Blue Jackets` prospects either.

If Waddell doesn`t make proactive moves this summer to genuinely improve the team, Columbus—which fell just short of a playoff spot last season—will likely experience more of the same results.