Predicting the Landing Spots for the Top 10 Pending NHL UFAs

Where will the Top 10 UFA names (sorted by point production) land this summer?

The NHL offseason will be an intriguing one. There are some big names on many of the 32 teams that have expiring contracts, many of them becoming UFAs on July 1. Part of the fun before the opening of free agency is trying to predict where these players will land.

This list may not include the most coveted free agents, but we’re going by those players who scored the most points during the 2023-24 NHL season.

1. Sam Reinhart (FLA):

Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart had a stellar 2023-24 season, emerging as the best defensive winger and scoring 57 goals. As a pending unrestricted free agent, his performance has made him highly valuable. Still, expect the Panthers to get this done.

Sam Reinhart scored 57 goals last season. Where will he sign?

Although talks won't begin until after the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers are keen to re-sign him. Reinhart has said in previous interviews he’s confident in reaching a deal. The question remains whether the Panthers can afford somewhere around $10 million per year on a contract, and if not, how far Reinhart is willing to go to get it done where he’s comfortable.

Signing Prediction: Florida

2. Steven Stamkos (TBL):

There is a lot of chatter that teams will look at Steven Stamkos as whispers of issues between he and the Tampa Bay Lightning leaked earlier this season. The reality is, that little has changed in respect to where he’d like to stay, which is Tampa Bay. In a press conference following the acquisition of Ryan McDonagh, GM Julien BriseBois said he figured the team had enough money left to re-sign Stamkos and said that negotiations were ongoing.