BRHL2 Team Needs Entering Unrestricted Free Agency

What are teams losing and what do they need to address?

Avalanche

Pending UFAs: Drake Batherson (LW/RW), Alex Iafallo (LW/RW), Evander Kane (LW/RW), Jacob Trouba (D), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D).

Forward group is barely dented — Aho, Hintz, MacKinnon, Rantanen, Skinner and Nichushkin all remain, so losing Batherson/Iafallo/Kane trims depth scoring but isn't an emergency. The blue line is the real concern: Trouba and Ekman-Larsson leaving strips out two of the more experienced right-side/PP options, leaving Desharnais, Perbix, Edmundson and St. Ivany (RFA) as a thin, depth-heavy corps. Priority: add a veteran right-shot defenseman who can log real minutes.

Blackhawks

Pending UFAs: Ryan Hartman (C), Casey Cizikas (C), Jeff Petry (D), Brayden McNabb (D), Garrett Pilon (C), T.J. Tynan (C).

This is a lot of middle/bottom-six center depth and faceoff ability walking out the door (Hartman, Cizikas, Pilon, Tynan), plus two veteran defensemen (Petry, McNabb). Tavares, Pageau and Copp anchor center depth, so it's manageable, but the blue line — already reliant on Liljegren, Hughes, Walman, Nurse and Zub — loses experienced complementary pieces. Priority: veteran depth defenseman and a faceoff/PK center.

BlueJackets

Pending UFAs: Joe Hicketts (D), Kevin Gravel (D).

Minimal exposure — only two depth defensemen, both replaceable organizational pieces. No real hole created; the core (Foerster, Zetterlund, Kakko, Rielly, Xhekaj) is untouched. Priority: low — opportunistic depth add only.

Blues

Pending UFAs: Nic Dowd (C), Hudson Fasching (RW), Julien Gauthier (RW).

Dowd's faceoff/PK value is the only notable loss; both wingers are replaceable bottom-six pieces. Guentzel, Forsberg, Hagel and Lee carry the scoring load untouched. Priority: a faceoff-capable fourth-line center.

Bruins

Pending UFAs: Seth Jones (D), Barclay Goodrow (C/LW), Cody Ceci (D), Dmitry Osipov (D), Nikita Pavlychev (C).

Losing Jones is significant — he's a legitimate top-four, high-usage defenseman, and Ceci was depth insurance behind him. That leaves Whitecloud, Fehervary, Clifton and Skjei as the returning core, which is fine in the middle but lighter at the very top without Jones. Goodrow's faceoff/penalty-kill snaps also need replacing. Priority: a genuine top-four defenseman.

Canadiens

Pending UFAs: Yegor Sharangovich (C/LW/RW), William Carrier (LW), goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.

Sharangovich was a legitimate scoring-middle-six piece and his departure thins secondary scoring behind Hayes/Farabee. More pressing: Nedeljkovic was the presumptive starter, and losing him leaves only DiPietro and Fanti — neither a proven number one. Priority: starting-caliber goaltender is the headline need.

Canucks

Pending UFAs: Jack Roslovic (C/RW), Ethan Bear (D), goaltender Eric Comrie.

Roslovic's middle-six versatility and Bear's right-side depth are losses but not crippling with Kadri, Kerfoot, Sissons and Giroux still in the fold up front. Comrie's exit leaves only Jonas Johansson between the pipes, so goaltending depth needs addressing even if it's not the top priority. Priority: complementary forward depth plus a backup goalie.

Capitals

Pending UFAs: Christian Dvorak (C), Scott Laughton (C), Adam Larsson (D), Nikolai Knyzhov (D), Sean Day (D).

Two useful two-way/PK centers (Dvorak, Laughton) and a physical top-four defender (Larsson) all leave in the same summer. Zegras, Thomas, Stephenson and Wilson remain up front, but center depth for matchup/PK situations is thinner. On defense, losing Larsson leaves Lindgren, Klingberg, Provorov and Montour to soak up more defensive-zone minutes. Priority: a physical, penalty-killing defenseman and a checking center.

Devils

Pending UFAs: Kasperi Kapanen (RW), Christian Wolanin (D), Kyle Burroughs (D), Nick DeSimone (D).

Kapanen is a real middle-six scoring loss behind Stutzle, Bennett and Henrique; the three defensemen are all replaceable depth pieces rather than difference-makers. Priority: a scoring winger to replace Kapanen's offense; blue-line depth is a lower-tier want.

Ducks

Pending UFAs: Mikhail Sergachev (D) is the headline loss — a genuine high-end, high-minutes offensive defenseman — alongside depth pieces Trevor Carrick (D), Mitchell Vande Sompel (D), Dylan McIlrath (D), Garrett Wilson (LW), Anthony Vincent (C), Spencer Smallman (RW).

Losing Sergachev is a top-pair-caliber hole behind Theodore, Mintyukov, Zellweger and Brodin — none of whom replace his offensive workload. Priority: the single biggest need in this free agent class — a true number-one/number-two defenseman.

Flames

No pending UFAs — the entire pending-free-agent list is restricted Priority: none from departures; Calgary is instead positioned to be a buyer in the open UFA market without needing to replace outgoing talent.

Flyers

Pending UFAs: Boone Jenner (C/LW), Dryden Hunt (LW/RW).

Jenner's leadership, faceoff work and physicality are the notable loss; Karlsson, Frost, Duchene and Rakell anchor the scoring lines regardless. Priority: a checking-line center/faceoff option to replace Jenner.

Golden Knights

Pending UFAs: James van Riemsdyk (LW/RW), Ryan Schmelzer (C).

Both are complementary veteran depth pieces; Beniers, Fantilli, Kasper and McMann remain the core. Priority: low — replace JVR's veteran secondary scoring if a bargain is available.

Hurricanes

Pending UFAs: Brian Pinho (C/LW/RW), Ian McKinnon (C/LW/RW), Justin Pearson (LW).

All three are bottom-six/energy pieces; the top of the lineup (Domi, Niederreiter, Duclair, Tarasenko, Perfetti) is untouched. Priority: low-to-moderate — restock bottom-six depth.

Islanders

Pending UFAs: nearly the entire free-agent class — Scott Mayfield (D), Mitchell Stephens (C), Liam O'Brien (LW/RW), Matt Luff (RW), Jimmy Schuldt (D), Eduards Tralmaks (LW), Nate Clurman (D) — no RFAs at all this cycle.

Mayfield is the real loss, a legitimate top-six physical defenseman; the rest is replaceable energy/depth. Crouse, Bunting, Connor and Tkachuk anchor the forward group untouched. Priority: a top-six caliber defenseman to replace Mayfield.

Jets

Pending UFAs: No pending UFA. 

Essentially no exposure. The full NHL roster (Eichel, Cozens, Cirelli, Schenn, Hyman) and blue line are untouched. Priority: none — a clean summer; free to be buyers rather than replacers if needed to improve depth and quality.

Kings

Pending UFAs: Steven Lorentz (C/LW/RW), Luke Schenn (D), Samuel Laberge (LW), goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

Losing Stolarz is significant — he was a legitimate 1B/backup-plus option behind Vladar/Tarasov/Daccord, so the tandem still has options, but quality depth is gone. Lorentz and Schenn are useful support pieces, not core losses. Priority: Improve quality through the lineup.

Kraken

Pending UFAs: Brad Marchand (LW/RW) and Mike Matheson (D) are massive losses, alongside Kyle Palmieri (RW), Erik Gustafsson (D), Rem Pitlick (C), Hayden Hodgson (LW/RW), Jeremy Davies (D).

Marchand was a top-line scorer/agitator and Matheson a legitimate top-pair, puck-moving defenseman — replacing either in the open market will be difficult. O'Reilly, Tkachuk, Rust and Bertuzzi remain up front; Josi, Heiskanen and Ekholm hold the blue line together, but this is still a real talent outflow. Priority: top-six winger and a puck-moving defenseman — arguably the two most important individual losses in the league this cycle.

Lightning

Pending UFAs: Brock Nelson (C), Jamie Benn (LW/RW), Connor Murphy (D), Nick Bjugstad (C/RW), Noel Acciari (C/RW), Cooper Marody (C).

This is a significant forward exodus — Nelson was a legitimate top-six center/scorer and Benn a veteran leader/secondary scorer; Point, Fiala, Ehlers and Danault remain the top of the lineup, but secondary scoring and center depth both take a hit. Murphy's departure also thins the defense behind Power, Pettersson, Sanderson and Faber. Priority: a top-six caliber center to replace Nelson.

Mammoth

Pending UFAs: Wyatt Newpower (D) only — everyone else (Chytil, Vaakanainen, Fix-Wolansky, the Noahs) is RFA-retained.

Essentially no exposure; Suzuki, McTavish, Nazar and the blue line (Hague, Miller, Chiarot) are all under club control. Priority: none — a clean, low-need summer.

MapleLeafs

Pending UFAs: Jonathan Huberdeau (LW) is the headline loss, plus Ross Colton (C/LW/RW), Conor Sheary (LW/RW), Jonny Brodzinski (C).

Huberdeau was a genuine top-six scoring winger but his game has dropped off last few seasons; his exit puts real pressure on Novak, Dubois, Hall and Knies to carry more of the secondary-scoring load. Colton and Sheary are useful complementary depth, not season-defining losses. Priority: a top-six scoring winger to replace Huberdeau.

Oilers

Pending UFAs: this is the most severe class in the league —Victor Hedman (D), J.T. Miller (C), Troy Terry (RW), Mason Appleton (C/RW), Cavan Fitzgerald (D), and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

Losing a franchise defenseman (Hedman), a second top-line center (Miller), a top-six winger (Terry) and the starting goaltender in the same summer is close to a full teardown of the top of the roster. McDavid, Hertl and Meier remain, but replacing this much elite production and Hellebuyck's crease is not realistically doable through normal free agency. Priority: the entire spine of the team —number-one defenseman and a starting goaltender, in that order. What Leon does with RFA Matthews may dictate where his team goes in offseason. 

Panthers

Pending UFAs: Evgeni Malkin (C), Chris Kreider (LW), Jordan Eberle (RW), Alexander Wennberg (C), Jason Dickinson (C), Joey Anderson (RW), Ilya Lyubushkin (D), plus depth pieces A.J. Greer and Luke Kunin.

A heavy chunk of veteran secondary scoring and leadership leaves at once, but the young core (Wyatt Johnston, Granlund, Buchnevich, Sillinger, Coronato, Raymond) is untouched and still very good. This reads more like a graduation point than a crisis — Panthers need one or two established scoring wingers/centers to replace the veteran presence, not a rebuild. Priority: veteran secondary scoring and center depth.

Penguins

Pending UFAs: Erik Cernak (D), Dylan Coghlan (D), Nikolas Brouillard (D), Taylor Raddysh (RW).

Cernak is the notable loss — a physical top-four defenseman; the rest is replaceable depth. Crosby, Hischier, Horvat, Byfield and Schmaltz keep the forward group strong regardless. Priority: a physical top-four defenseman.

Predators

Pending UFAs: another catastrophic class — Anze Kopitar (C), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C), Colton Parayko (D), Jakob Chychrun (D), plus Brenden Dillon (D), Brett Kulak (D), Erik Gudbranson (D), Derrick Pouliot (D), Nico Sturm (C/LW), Jackson Cates, Vinni Lettieri, Yakov Trenin, and goaltender Laurent Brossoit.

This strips out two of the top three centers (Kopitar, Nugent-Hopkins), two legitimate top-four defensemen (Parayko, Chychrun), essentially the entire depth defense corps, and a capable backup goalie. Backlund, Pettersson and Keller remain, but this roster needs almost a full defense corps rebuilt from scratch and center depth restored behind the top line. Priority: rebuild the entire blue line and add center depth — arguably the most work of any team in the league.

Rangers

Pending UFAs: Trent Frederic (C/LW/RW), Jake Bean (D), Nicolas Deslauriers (LW), Will Butcher (D), goaltender Cal Petersen.

Frederic's physical middle-six energy is the most notable loss; the defensemen are replaceable depth. Rossi, Slafkovsky and Hanifin anchor the roster untouched. Petersen's exit leaves Fedotov and Ersson as the tandem, which is serviceable. Priority: middle-six physicality/energy forward and a top goaltender. 

Red Wings

Pending UFAs: Dougie Hamilton (D) is the standout loss, alongside Freddy Gaudreau (C), Beck Malenstyn (LW/RW), Turner Ottenbreit (D), Brendan Warren (RW), Yanick Turcotte (LW).

Hamilton was a genuine top-pair, power-play-driving defenseman; his departure leaves Livingstone, Solberg and the returning group without a true number-one option. Gaudreau's faceoff/PK value also needs replacing. Priority: a puck-moving, power-play defenseman.

Sabres

Pending UFAs: a defensive-corps and goaltending crisis — Erik Karlsson (D) and Drew Doughty (D) both leave, and all three rostered goaltenders (Cam Talbot, Alex Lyon, Matt Murray) hit UFA simultaneously, plus depth forwards Ethan Keppen, Jonathan Gruden, Josiah Slavin, Hunter Skinner, Kevin Connauton.

Losing two elite, offense-driving defensemen and the entire goaltending tandem in one summer is as severe as it gets. Larkin, Zacha and Kaprizov remain up front, but the blue line and crease both need to be rebuilt essentially from zero. Priority: a starting goaltender and at least one true number-one defenseman — the top need in the league alongside Oilers/Predators.

Senators

Pending UFAs: both rostered goaltenders — Philipp Grubauer and Charlie Lindgren — plus Adam Gaudette (C/LW/RW) and Nick Seeler (D).

Losing an entire goaltending tandem is the headline issue; Kochetkov and Montembeault (from elsewhere on the depth chart) aside, the crease needs at least one established option. Toffoli, Michkov and Zuccarello anchor the forward group untouched. Priority: starting goaltender, non-negotiable.

Sharks

Pending UFAs: Sonny Milano (LW/RW), Dominik Shine (LW/RW), Jeffrey Viel (LW/RW), Daniil Miromanov (D), Gavin Bayreuther (D).

No major losses, but in a rebulding team, expect them to spend a lot of dough. Priority: across the board improvements needed.

Stars

Pending UFAs: Mark Scheifele (C) is the headline loss, alongside Brent Burns (D), Ryan Carpenter (C), Tobie Bisson (D).

Losing Scheifele removes a true number-one center and faceoff/power-play driver; Lindholm, Stamkos and Nylander remain but none directly replaces a top-center role. Burns still provided offensive-defenseman minutes that now need replacing too. Priority: a legitimate first-line/faceoff center.

Wild

Pending UFAs: Viktor Arvidsson (RW) is the most talented departure, plus Brandon Saad (LW/RW), Calle Jarnkrok (C/RW), Joel Kiviranta (LW/RW), Jujhar Khaira (C), Marc Johnstone (RW).

This is mostly veteran complementary scoring and energy depth leaving at once; Kotkaniemi (RFA, retained), Perron and Nyquist keep some scoring punch, but secondary scoring depth is thin afterward. Priority: a scoring winger to replace Arvidsson, plus general forward depth.