Photo: Daily Faceoff
With the high-profile players on the free agent and trade boards taken, many teams across the NHL improved, worsened, or did not move very much at all after adding and/or losing pieces of their roster. NoVa Caps grades every team across the league’s offseason in our annual post free agency grades by division, continuing with the Pacific.
Grading Scale
- A: significantly improved roster for both the long-term and short-term
- B: improved roster, though it may have come at a cost of the future or did not do so significantly
- C: did not do much to improve roster
- D: roster got worse and team put themselves in position to struggle in future
- F: roster got significantly worse and team put themselves in horrible position for future
Teams will earn a “+” if they achieved such a grade to a high degree, “-“ to a low degree, or not get a sign if not significantly in either direction
San Jose Sharks
Acquired: 2024 82nd overall pick, 2024 11th overall pick, RW Carl Grundstrom, D Jake Walman, 2024 53rd overall pick, LW Egor Afanasyev, C Ty Dellandrea, RW Barclay Goodrow, C Andrew Poturalski (two-year, two-way contract — $800,000 cap hit), D Lucas Carlsson (two-year, two-way contract — $800,000 cap hit), C Alexander Wennberg (two-year contract, $5 million cap hit), RW Tyler Toffoli (four-year contract, $6 million cap hit), Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky
Re-signed: Dellandrea (two-year contract, $1.3 million cap hit), Grundstrom (two-year contract, $1.8 million cap hit), C Luke Kunin (one-year, $2.75 million contract), RW Justin Bailey (one-year, two-way contract — $800,000), D Ty Emberson (one-year, $950,000 contract
Lost: D Nikolai Knyzhov, D Kyle Burroughs, 2024 85th overall pick, 2025 sixth-round pick, 2024 14th overall pick, 2024 42nd overall pick, RW Ozzy Weisblatt, 2025 fourth-round pick, D Jacob MacDonald, C Jack Studnicka, G Kaapo Kahkonen, G Devin Cooley, D Calen Addison, C Jacob Peterson, C Filip Zadina, Head Coach David Quinn
First-Round Pick(s): C Macklin Celebrini (first), D Sam Dickinson (11th)
Remaining RFAs: Afanaseyev, C Thomas Bordeleau, D Henry Thrun, RW Martin Kaut, RW Brandon Coe, C Alexander Chmelevski
San Jose has definitely improved after with Celebrini, Toffoli, and Wennberg all coming in. They also cut bait on a prospect that was struggling to develop in Weisblatt and did the New York Rangers a solid in taking Goodrow’s contracts off of their hands without getting any incentive(s), though the leadership, experience, and added salary to get San Jose to the salary cap floor that the 31-year-old comes with makes sense of the transaction to some degree. The Sharks, who also got a high pick for taking a young, reliable defenseman in Walman from the Detroit Red Wings, are still in the upswing of a very big rebuild and have a hefty amount of business left but appear poised to take steps forward this season.
Grade: A-
Trending: Up
Anaheim Ducks
Acquired: 2024 182nd overall pick, 2024 214th overall pick, 2024 23rd overall pick, C Carson Meyer (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), LW Robby Fabbri, 2025 fourth-round pick, RW Jansen Harkins (two-year contract, $788,000 cap hit), D Brian Dumoulin
Re-signed: C Isac Lundestrom (one-year, $1.5 million contract), LW Pavol Regenda (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000)
Lost: C Max Jones, C Bo Groulx, D Urho Vaakanainen, D Gustav Lindstrom, LW Blake McLaughlin, C Brayden Tracey, 2024 164th overall pick, 2024 31st overall pick, 2024 58th overall pick, C Andrew Agozzino, G Gage Alexander, D Robert Hagg, 2026 fourth-round pick, C Glenn Gawdin, C Ben Meyers, LW Nikolas Brouillard, RW Brett Leason
First-Round Pick(s): RW Beckett Sennecke (third), D Stian Solberg (23rd)
Remaining RFAs: D Jackson LaCombe, C Nikita Nesterenko
Anaheim has had a very quiet summer but made a couple very low risk moves in acquiring Dumoulin from the Seattle Kraken and Fabbri, along with a sweetener, from the Detroit Red Wings, which should both help. The Ducks did not lose a lot and got a couple of promising prospects with two picks in the first round of the NHL Draft.
Grade: C+
Trending: Same
Seattle Kraken
Acquired: Meyers (one-year, $775,000 contract), Brouillard (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000) 2024 141st overall pick, D Josh Mahura (one-year, $775,000 contract), 2026 fourth-round pick, C Mitchell Stephens (two-year, two-way contract — $775,000 cap hit), LW Brandon Biro (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), D Maxime Lajoie (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), C Chandler Stephenson (seven-year contract, $6.25 million cap hit), D Brandon Montour (seven-year contract, $7.14 million cap hit), Head Coach Dan Bylsma
Re-signed: LW Max McCormick (two-year, two-way contract — $775,000 cap hit), G Ales Stezka (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), C John Hayden (one-year, $775,000 contract), C Luke Henman (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), RW Eeli Tolvanen (two-year contract, $3.475 million cap hit)
Lost: Poturalski, Dumoulin, D Justin Schultz, 2024 169th overall pick, 2024 201st overall pick, D Jaycob Megna, RW Tomas Tatar, C Devin Shore, RW Kailer Yamamoto, C Pierre-Eduoard Bellemare, Head Coach Dave Hakstol
First-Round Pick(s): C Berkly Catton (eighth)
Remaining RFAs: C Matty Beniers
Seattle improved with major free agent acquisitions of Stephenson (even though it was arguably the worst signing of July 1) and Montour, which should help bring some much needed offense to the Kraken’s blueline. They did not lose anyone significant but still need to re-sign Beniers. Seattle also promoted Byslma after the Coachella Valley Firebirds, their AHL affiliate, made consecutive appearances in the Calder Cup Finals.
Grade: B
Trending: Up
Calgary Flames
Acquired: Cooley (two-year contract, two-way/one-way contract — $775,000 cap hit), LW Anthony Mantha (one-year, $3.5 million contract), D Jake Bean (two-year contract, $1.75 million cap hit), 2024 150th overall pick, 2024 177th overall pick, 2025 second-round pick, D Kevin Bahl, top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick, C Justin Kirkland (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), RW Martin Frk (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), LW Ryan Lomberg (two-year contract, $2 million cap hit)
Re-signed: RW Yegor Sharangovich (five-year contract extension, $5.75 million cap hit)
Lost: C Dillon Dube, C Riley Damiani, 2024 107th overall pick, LW Andrew Mangiapane, G Jacob Markstrom, C Ben Jones, D Jordan Oesterle, RW A.J. Greer, D Dennis Gilbert, D Oliver Kylington, G Oskar Dansk
First-Round Pick(s): D Zane Parekh (ninth)
Remaining RFAs: RW Adam Klapka, D Nikita Okhotyuk, D Ilya Solovyov, G Dustin Wolf, RW Eetu Tuulola, LW Jakob Pelletier, C Cole Schwindt, D Carl-Johan Lerby, D Yan Kuznetsov
After an exodus of star players in Calgary that started in June 2023, the Flames made a couple of lower-profile moves, signing Mantha, Bean, and Lomberg to support their younger players. That trend of top players leaving Calgary continued in June with Markstrom and Mangiapane leaving town, though the team did quite well as they lured in a first, second, and 24-year-old bottom-pairing defenseman in Bahl. The Flames also re-signed their 26-year-old leading goal-scorer to a very fair deal but have a fair amount of unfinished business, though Wolf and Pelletier may be the only ones of those remaining restricted free agents to have an everyday role with the NHL club and will not have particularly rich contracts.
Grade: A-
Trending: Down
Vegas Golden Knights
Acquired: Hagg (one-year, $775,000 contract), C Cal Burke (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), LW Victor Olofsson (two-year contract, $1.075 million cap hit), G Ilya Samsonov (one-year, $1.8 million contract), C Tanner Lacynski (two-year contract, $775,000 cap hit), 2025 sixth-round pick, G Akira Schmid, C Alexander Holtz, 2024 83rd overall pick, 2025 third-round pick, LW Zach Aston-Reese (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000)
Re-signed: Schmid (two-year contract, $875,000 cap hit)
Lost: Stephenson, Mantha, RW Jonathan Marchessault, C Ivan Morozov, C Mason Primeau, D Layton Ahac, 2024 212th overall pick, LW Paul Cotter, 2025 third-round pick, G Logan Thompson, G Jiri Patera, D Alec Martinez, C Michael Amadio, RW William Carrier, C Byron Froese, RW Sheldon Rempal, C Mason Primeau, C Layton Ahac
First-Round Pick(s): LW Trevor Connelly (19th)
Remaining RFAs: C Ivan Morozov
Vegas suffered a few huge losses with Marchessault (who signed a relatively cheap five-year contract that comes with a $5.5 million salary cap charge after leading Vegas with 42 goals), Stephenson, Martinez, Thompson, and Carrier all gone. The Golden Knights acquired a former seventh overall pick who tallied 16 goals and 28 points with the New Jersey Devils in his first full season and a three-time 20-goal, 40-point scorer, which should help but will not make up for all of the offense that walked out of the door. Samsonov was a good bet with some upside to be Adin Hill’s understudy for less than $2 million.
Grade: D
Trending: Down
Los Angeles Kings
Acquired: Burroughs, Studnicka (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), Gawdin (two-year, two-way contract — $775,000 cap hit), 2024 164th overall pick, RW Tanner Jeannot, 2024 26th overall pick, 2024 57th overall pick, 2024 198th overall pick, G Darcy Kuemper, D Caleb Jones (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), LW Jeff Malott (two-year, two-way contract — $775,000 cap hit), C Tyler Madden (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), D Reilly Walsh (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), D Joel Edmundson (four-year contract, $3.8 million cap hit), RW Warren Foegele (three-year contract, $3.5 million cap hit)
Re-signed: C Samuel Fagemo (one-year, $775,000 contract), C Alex Turcotte (three-year, two-way/one-way/one-way contract — $775,000 cap hit), RW Trevor Lewis (one-year, $800,000 contract), G Pheonix Copley (one-year, $825,000 contract), Head Coach Jim Hiller
Lost: Grundstrom, Frk, G Cam Talbot, RW Viktor Arvidsson, D Matt Roy, C Blake Lizotte, G Jacob Ingham, C Tyler Madden, 2024 182nd overall pick, 2024 214th overall pick, 2025 second-round pick, 2024 118th overall pick, 2024 21st overall pick, C Pierre-Luc Dubois, D Kevin Connauton, C T.J. Tynan, C Jaret Anderson-Dolan, D Steven Santini, C Mikhail Maltsev, G Aaron Dell
First-Round Pick(s): RW Liam Greentree (26th)
Remaining RFAs: RW Arthur Kaliyev, C Quinton Byfield, D Jordan Spence, G Erik Portillo
Los Angeles added some grit and speed with Foegele, Edmundson, and Jeannot coming in but was awfully quick to give up on Dubois after just one season and got only a 33-year-old declining goaltender in return. The contract handed out to Edmundson was expensive. The Kings, who need to re-sign Byfield and Spence, also lost a lot with Arvidsson, Talbot, and Roy walking in addition to Dubois. There have been rumblings that Kaliyev’s time in Los Angeles could also be coming to an end after the 22-year-old requested a trade. Especially after last summer’s monster trade for Dubois backfired, GM Rob Blake’s job could be in jeopardy if Los Angeles does not get out to a good start this fall.
Grade: F
Trending: Down
Edmonton Oilers
Acquired: Arvidsson (two-year contract, $4 million cap hit), 2024 32nd overall pick, C Matt Savoie, LW Jeff Skinner (one-year, $3 million contract), D Connor Carrick (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), G Collin Delia (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), D Josh Brown (three-year contract, $1 million cap hit)
Re-signed: G Calvin Pickard (two-year contract, $1 million cap hit), D Cam Dineen (two-year, two-way contract — $775,000 cap hit), LW Mattias Janmark (three-year contract, $1.45 million cap hit), C Adam Henrique (two-year contract, $3 million cap hit), D Troy Stecher (two-year contract, $787,500 cap hit), LW Corey Perry (one-year, $1.4 million contract), C Noah Philipp (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), LW James Hamblin (two-year contract, $775,000 cap hit), RW Connor Brown (one-year, $1 million contract), Head Coach Kris Knoublauch
Lost: Foegele, C Ryan Fanti, G Jack Campbell, conditional top-12 (in 2025) protected first-round pick, C Ryan McLeod, C Ty Tullio, D Vincent Desharnais, C Sam Carrick, C Sam Gagner, LW Adam Erne, C Greg McKegg, C Brad Malone, C Seth Griffith, LW Carter Savoie, D Markus Neimelainen, GM Ken Holland
First-Round Pick(s): RW Sam O’Reilly (32nd)
Remaining RFAs: LW Dylan Holloway, D Philip Broberg
Edmonton has managed to put together an arguably even stronger team than the one that came up just one goal short in Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers just two-and-a-half weeks ago. After taking the much-needed route of buying out the rest of Campbell’s albatross contract, the Oilers bolstered their top-six forward group in inking Skinner (a six-time 30-goal, five-time 60-point scorer) and Arvidsson (five-time 20-goal, three-time 50-point getter) to team-friendly deals. They also acquired a former eighth overall pick from just two years ago from Buffalo for a low price of their third-line center. The Oilers retained a few pieces from last year’s team in Perry, Brown, Janmark, Henrique, and Knoublauch, putting themselves in a great position to defend the Western Conference title this season.
Grade: A
Trending: Up
Vancouver Canucks
Acquired: Desharnais (two-year contract, $2 million cap hit), Patera (two-year, two-way contract — $775,000 cap hit), 2027 fourth-round pick, LW Jake DeBrusk (seven-year contract, $5.5 million cap hit), C Nate Smith (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), D Derek Forbort (one-year, $1.5 million contract), LW Danton Heinen (two-year contract, $2.25 million cap hit), RW Kiefer Sherwood (two-year contract, $1.5 million cap hit)
Re-signed: C Dakota Joshua (four-year contract, $3.25 million cap hit), D Tyler Myers (three-year contract, $3 million cap hit), D Jett Woo (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), C Teddy Blueger (one-year, $1.8 million contract), C Linus Karlsson (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), D Cole McWard (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000), D Mark Friedman (one-year, $775,000 contract), D Filip Hronek (eight-year contract, $7.25 million cap hit)
Lost: RW Ilya Mikheyev, C Sam Lafferty, 2025 second-round pick, G Zachary Sawchenko, C Sheldon Dries, G Casey DeSmith, D Ian Cole, D Nikita Zadorov, C Elias Lindholm, LW Aidan McDonough, D Filip Johansson, D Nick Cicek, D Matt Irwin
First-Round Pick(s): N/A
Remaining RFAs: G Arturs Silovs, RW Vitali Kravtsov
After dumping Mikheyev’s contract, Vancouver was quite productive, re-signing Joshua, Blueger, and Myers in addition to adding three-time 25-goal scorer DeBrusk, four-time 30-point producer Heinen, and a couple of big, physical blueliners in Forbort and Desharnais. Even though the contract they gave DeBrusk might have been long, the Canucks’ offense is definitely deeper and more dangerous than it was last season. The deal that Vancouver signed Hronek to was also expensive even though the 26-year-old was excellent during his first season in the Pacific Northwest.
Grade: B
Trending: Same
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By Harrison Brown
