NHL free agency spills into Day Two with Patrick Kane among those available

Cooper Williams followed Saskatoon teammate Zach Olson to the Leafs in Saturday's draft. "Just seeing your name up there, especially with Toronto, it was pretty unreal," the 18-year-old centre from Calgary said. "Just clapping and then some hugs and mom was crying." Williams models his play style on Nick Suzuki.

NHL free agency spilled into Thursday with some high-profile players still on the open market, including a three-time Stanley Cup champion.

Patrick Kane is still available after spending the past three years with Detroit. Kane is 37 now and a decade from winning the Hart Trophy as MVP when he led the league in scoring but takes playoff MVP experience and three Cup rings wherever he goes. Also unsigned are wingers Vladimir Tarasenko, who has won twice, Anthony Mantha coming off a career year and forward Claude Giroux, who is still chasing a championship at 38.

The first 11-plus hours of free agency featured more than 55 players changing places across the league with over US$360 million worth of contracts. And that’s not even counting Bowen Byram becoming the highest-paid defenseman at an average salary of US$12.5 million beginning in 2027 under his new deal with Chicago after he was acquired in a trade with Buffalo.

Byram’s time with that distinction may be short if Colorado gets a new contract done with two-time Norris Trophy-winner Cale Makar, which will also go into effect in 2027-28.

The salary cap getting another record increase to US$104 million led to some big-money deals but also reduced the depth of available talent because teams had room to re-sign their top players. New Jersey extended captain Nico Hischier, Florida re-signed center Eetu Luostarinen and Philadelphia rewarded goaltender Dan Vladar with a long-term contract.

New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche was expecting a break after a busy stretch with the draft and free agency happening less than a week apart. And yet, he’s also keeping an eye out.

“We’ll have probably over US$40 million of cap space next summer,” Darche said. “I’m still going to be working the rest of the summer, especially the next couple weeks. A lot of GMs, I won’t lie to you, they go on vacation and it goes pretty silent on the GM chat. But if I have opportunities to improve the team, I will. Every single day, it’s a relentless pursuit of trying to get better.”

Hischier’s Devils made a splash late Wednesday by tendering an offer sheet for Utah center Barrett Hayton for US$4.775 million. The Mammoth, who acquired Vincent Trocheck in a trade with the Rangers, have a week to match or would receive a second-round pick as compensation.

The threat of an offer sheet remains for Dallas winger Jason Robertson, who turned down a trade to Seattle last week and needs a new contract. The Stars signed forward Joel Kiviranta to a one-year contract after he had nine points in 51 games for Colorado last season.

Reigning Norris winner Zach Werenski won’t be going to the Stars and reaffirmed with two years left on his deal that he’s happy to be in Columbus after trade rumors settled quickly.

Stephen Whyno And John Wawrow, The Associated Press