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It’s not a very strong free agency class this 2026 off-season, with the biggest names coming off the board early in the year. In fact, this past week or so has seen some pending UFAs involved in multiple sign-and-trades.
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenseman Darren Raddysh, and he was later inked to an eight-year deal. On Wednesday, the Buffalo Sabres traded right winger Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, and he also signed an eight-year contract.
But with whoever remains on the board of top UFAs, here are five players who could likely be acquired at a bargain price.
Anders Lee, LW
It appears that Anders Lee will be moving on from the New York Islanders after 14 straight years with the team, and was captain for the last eight seasons.
It’ll be a big change for the Islanders and Lee to part ways, but the two-way left winger could certainly be someone else’s gain.
At 35 years old, Lee qualifies to sign a contract with performance bonuses, which in some cases can drop the average annual value on the player’s salary cap hit.
On top of the possibility of a team signing Lee to a cheaper cap hit with bonuses attached, he’s coming off a solid year. He recorded 19 goals and 42 points last season and was a consistent 20-goal scorer for four straight seasons before that.
MORE: Top 5 NHL free agents over the age of 35
Stuart Skinner, G
It hasn’t been a pretty last few years for Stuart Skinner in the crease in terms of statistics. Since recording a .914 save percentage and a 2.75 goals-against average in 2022-23, Skinner has regressed.
In his last two years, the 27-year-old has not reached a season-average of a .900 SP, and his poor start to last season with the Edmonton Oilers sparked a trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he didn’t improve much more.
However, over his career, he still averages a .902 SP and has been to two Stanley Cup finals, meaning there’s still a competent goaltender there. As a goalie, Skinner is still relatively young, with his prime years ahead of him.
Based on what he’s accomplished in terms of numbers, his contract ask in free agency can’t be that high, but there is an opportunity for Skinner to break out after all the experience he’s acquired at a young age.
MORE: NHL Free Agency: Top 5 Pending UFA Goalies Feature Bobrovsky, Andersen
Brett Kulak, D
Brett Kulak is another former Oilers member who was included in the package deal to the Penguins with Skinner. He was later shipped to the Colorado Avalanche.
Kulak is not the flashiest defenseman and doesn’t score many points, but defensively, he is always there when needed.
In the last four seasons, the 32-year-old defenseman hasn’t missed a single game in the regular season or playoffs. In fact, this past year, he played 83 games in an 82-game season due to multiple trades.
Kulak is worthy of being a part of a blueline that wins the Stanley Cup, and whatever team snatches him in free agency will likely get their money’s worth.
MORE: Top 30 2026 NHL UFAs: Alex Tuch, Rasmus Andersson, John Carlson highlight free agent board
Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW
It may seem like Oliver Bjorkstrand is an average NHL player based on his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but that’s not true.
The Lightning have a stacked forward lineup, and Bjorkstrand couldn’t get the ice time that he deserves. Last year, he averaged 13:48 of ice time, which is the second-lowest average he’s logged in his 11-year NHL career. Therefore, he only contributed 12 goals and 32 points.
That’s not the real Bjorkstrand, who should be playing second-line minutes or more, like he was with the Seattle Kraken before his trade to the Lightning.
In 2023-24, his last full year in Seattle, the Danish right winger recorded 20 goals and a career-high 59 points. He earned those numbers while averaging a more suitable 16:11 time on ice.
It’ll be smart for any contending team to acquire him off a down year, when he’s truly better than how the Bolts utilized him.
MORE: Recent trades give the Sharks plenty of flexibility ahead of 2026 NHL draft
Mario Ferraro, D
For several years now, Mario Ferraro has been involved in trade talks when his contract was active. Now that he is a pending UFA, teams should still be lining up for his services on the back end.
Ferraro is a strong defensive defenseman who has adopted a leadership role over his seven years with the San Jose Sharks.
The best part about Ferraro’s potential availability in this coming free agent period isn’t the fact that he is a reliable blueliner or that he is an excellent shot-blocker. It’s that he is just 27 years old entering free agency.
It’s not very common for a top-four D-man of Ferraro’s stature to become available on the free agent market, which will certainly have several more years at the top of his game. Furthermore, he still has his best years ahead of him in the NHL.
That makes Ferraro a very attractive option for teams in free agency.
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