Free agency in any sport is an opportunity for players to not only handpick their team for a select number of years, but it's an opportunity for players to cash in on big-money deals. Teams in desperate need of talent at certain positions are often willing to overpay for free agents. We saw plenty of examples of that this offseason, but also saw some smart deals get signed as well.
As is often the case in sports, the bad of free agency outshone the good, but these four deals look really smart on the surface and could prove to be massive wins for the teams.
4. Jake Allen, New Jersey Devils
Jake Allen might not be a big name, but it looked as if he was going to be the best free agent goaltender available before re-signing with the New Jersey Devils on a five-year deal worth $9 million. Giving five years to a soon-to-be 35-year-old might be ridiculous, but at a $1.8 million average annual value, who cares?
Even if Allen struggles or retires late in the deal, the contract will be easy to trade and/or buy out. Getting arguably the best backup goaltender locked in for $1.8 million annually is a major steal.
Allen appeared in 31 games for New Jersey last season and had a .906 save percentage, allowing just 2.66 goals per game. Most impressively, Allen had 18.4 goals saved above expected, good for ninth in the NHL according to MoneyPuck. Allen proved to be a valuable starter when Jacob Markstrom missed time and was one of the league's best backups the rest of the way. He's a valuable piece that Devils fans should be thrilled is back.
3. Vladislav Gavrikov, New York Rangers
Considering the contracts defensemen were getting in free agency, the New York Rangers getting Vladislav Gavrikov on a seven-year, $49 million deal feels like a clear steal. I mean, K'Andre Miller signed an eight-year, $60 million deal in a sign-and-trade with the Carolina Hurricanes. I think even Hurricanes fans can admit Gavrikov is a far better player right now for the win-now Rangers, even if he's four years older. Gavrikov clearly wanted to be in New York, and the Rangers got him on a team-friendly price as a result.
Gavrikov shouldered a ton of responsibility for the Los Angeles Kings last season and responded with arguably his best season, recording five goals and 30 points (second-highest total of his career) while setting career highs in blocked shots (140), average time on ice (23:05), and plus/minus (+26). The Kings needed him to step up, especially when Drew Doughty missed time, and he did just that.
Miller wasn't bad in New York, but he was mistake-prone and not very physical in the back end. Gavrikov might not be super physical either, but he's more sure-handed than Miller and should be a great fit alongside Adam Fox on New York's top defensive pair. The deal might not age particularly well, but the Rangers getting potentially the best defenseman available on that deal is good business.
2. Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers
There was reason to believe that at least one of Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, or Aaron Ekblad would leave the Florida Panthers in free agency. Somehow, GM Bill Zito managed to keep all three stars in town with the two-time defending champs. They had to give Bennett a fairly hefty deal and Marchand a lot more term than anyone expected, but Ekblad signed an incredibly team-friendly deal.
At eight years, $48.8 million, Ekblad is set to make just $6.1 million annually. For a player of his caliber, that's nothing short of insane. Ekblad is an elite all-around defenseman who is not only great in his own end, but has as many as 16 goals and 57 points in a single season.
Giving a 29-year-old with some durability concerns an eight-year deal might sound crazy, but the AAV makes it a no-brainer. The Panthers have the advantage of playing in a no-tax state, but they still convinced their stars to leave some money on the table. None of them made a larger sacrifice than Ekblad, and the Panthers figure to benefit for a long time.
1. Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
NHL fans might not like the Vegas Golden Knights, but they can't say the Golden Knights don't know what they're doing. With Alex Pietrangelo set to miss at least the entire 2025-26 season, they had cap space to use, and they used it on the best unrestricted free agent available, Mitch Marner. This deal was brilliant for a couple of reasons.
First, the terms of the deal, while substantial, feel team-friendly. Marner signed an eight-year, $96 million deal with Vegas, giving him an AAV of $12 million. That's obviously a ton, but Marner is tied for the sixth-highest paid player in the NHL in terms of AAV. With a rising cap, there was reason to believe that the UFA could've signed a deal worth even more than what he got. Instead, the Pacific Division-winning Golden Knights got a superstar in the middle of his prime.
Say what you want about Marner's postseason track record, but his regular season production speaks for itself. He set a career-high with 102 points this past regular season and is also a Selke-level defender. He can help Vegas in all facets, and perhaps surrounded by teammates who know what it takes to win, and in a bit of a lower-pressure environment, it wouldn't be shocking to see him produce in the playoffs.
It might be a given that a good team signing a star is smart, but considering Marner's playoff history, it was far from a guarantee that a playoff team would go all-out for his services. There's a good chance this deal ages wonderfully for Vegas as soon as this season.