July 1 brings a different kind of NHL shopping spree.
Yes, free agency is the headline act for players whose contracts have run out. But there’s another lane opening up, and it’s the one reserved for stars who are still under contract for another season yet eligible to lock in their next deal now. That group is usually where the league’s biggest money conversations live.
At the top of that list sits Cale Makar.
The Colorado Avalanche defenseman is entering the final year of a six-year contract that carried a $9 million cap hit, and the case for a massive extension is obvious. Makar is fresh off a season in which he posted 79 points, a number that qualifies as a “down year” only because his standard is so absurdly high.
He already owns multiple 90-point seasons, along with a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe Trophy and two Norris Trophies. According to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, he could even wind up as the highest-paid player in the NHL, ahead of Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov and his $17-million average annual value.
Quinn Hughes belongs in the same financial neighborhood.
The Minnesota Wild defenseman is one of the most electric skaters in the sport, and his arrival helped push the team into Stanley Cup contender territory. Hughes is at the end of a six-year deal that paid him $7.85 million against the salary cap, and the next one should be far more expensive.
At 26, he’s the kind of blueliner who can eat huge minutes and still pile up offense, with the source pointing to the possibility of 90-point production from the back end. Bill Guerin is going to have to open the wallet wide if he wants to keep that momentum going.
Nikita Kucherov is another star who can cash in this summer.
The Tampa Bay Lightning winger just won the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP, and he’s closing in on the end of an eight-year contract that paid him $9.5 million per season. At 33, he’s still producing like a superstar, coming off his sixth 100-point season and finishing with 130 points and 44 goals, which matched his career high. A raise feels like the natural next step.
Sidney Crosby also becomes extension-eligible on July 1, and that alone is a reminder of how long he’s been at this level.
The Pittsburgh Penguins captain signed a two-year extension in September 2024 at his symbolic $8.7 million per season, and now he’s back in position to add more years if he chooses. Crosby scored 29 goals and 74 points in 68 games this past season at age 38, still producing at a high level while moving deeper into the final chapter of an extraordinary career.
Macklin Celebrini rounds out the group.
The San Jose Sharks center is only 20, but he’s already making noise after a 115-point regular season in his sophomore campaign. The source says it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s the best player in the NHL next season, and that gives San Jose every reason to try to lock him up as long as possible.
He’s listed lower on the board because he’ll be an RFA on July 1, which means the Sharks still control his rights and the odds of him leaving are very slim. He can sign his first standard NHL contract this summer as his entry-level deal expires in 2027.
In Other News...
Penguins Came Uncomfortably Close To A Franchise Shifting Trade Decision
The Penguins offseason search for a difference-maker has apparently been active enough to reach one of the biggest names on the market, with Jason Robertson surfacing in trade chatter around the league. For a team trying to stay competitive while also threading the needle on long-term roster decisions, that alone speaks to how aggressive Pittsburgh has been willing to get as it weighs what kind of move would actually move the needle.
Kyle Dubas has kept the door open to more talks, which is usually the part of these negotiations that matters most when a high-end player is involved. Even so, no agreement came together, and that leaves the Penguins in the uncomfortable spot of having explored a franchise-altering path without actually crossing that line, a reminder that the asking price, the fit, or both can turn a bold idea into nothing more than a near miss. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Trade Raises Bigger Questions About Their Offseason Identity
The Penguins made another quiet roster move this week, dealing Jack St. Ivany and adding a center in David Gustafsson, a swap that says plenty about how they are trying to shape the bottom of the lineup. St. Ivany brought size and a physical edge on defense, but injuries kept him from becoming a dependable presence, while Gustafsson arrives with limited NHL scoring to his name and comes off a season spent in the AHL.
For Pittsburgh, the trade is less about headline value than about what kind of supporting cast this front office wants around its core. Gustafsson could fit as a depth option in the middle, especially with Joona Koppanen potentially headed back to Europe, but the move also fits into a broader summer pattern that has left some of the roster's tougher elements looking less certain by the day. [Read more 🡒]
Daniel Russell Is Already Forcing His Way Into Penguins Camp Conversation
Daniel Russell is the kind of young name that tends to get attention quickly when camp opens, especially after a brief but encouraging start in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season. He signed with the Penguins organization in the spring, got into four AHL games and made the most of his first two appearances before sticking with the club through its playoff run, even without seeing game action.
Now Russell is back in the mix at Pittsburghs Development Camp, using the summer to sharpen his game and push himself into a real conversation for a roster spot when the season opens. For a player who has already shown he can adapt quickly at the pro level, the next step is proving that his early momentum can carry into a bigger opportunity. [Read more 🡒]