NHL Free Agency: Top Five Pending UFA In 2026
The NHL's free-agent frenzy is nearly here, and some pending UFA defensemen have already come off the board.
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired veteran Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a sign-and-trade deal. The Colorado Avalanche re-signed Brett Kulak and Brent Burns, and the New York Islanders re-signed Tony DeAngelo.
There are still high-caliber blueliners who could be up for grabs on July 1, however.
At a time when there are precious few D-men available, the blueliners on the market will be able to cash in in a major way.
Top 50 NHL UFAs: Andersson, Carlson, Bobrovsky Lead 2026 Free Agency Class
The 2026 UFA class isn't the strongest, but make no mistake – there are needle-moving players who will reach NHL free agency.
3. Jacob Trouba, D, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 32
Shoots: Right
Previous cap hit: $8 million
2025-26 stats: 81 GP, 10 G, 25 A, 35 PTS
When the Ducks acquired Trouba from the New York Rangers in December 2024, there were questions about how much he had left in his competitive tank.
But Trouba had a bounce-back season of sorts with his most points in a campaign since 2021-22. As a right-shot D-man who can chip in some offense, Trouba has a good deal of value.
Trouba should not get anywhere close to the $8 million he's been making annually for the past seven seasons, but he won't settle for anywhere near the league minimum, either.
Trouba has the experience and snarl teams are always looking for, but if he's going to play for a legitimate Cup front-runner, Trouba may have to accept significantly less money on a short-term deal.
4. Mario Ferraro, D, San Jose Sharks
Age: 27
Shoots: Left
Previous cap hit: $3.25 million
2025-26 stats: 82 GP, 7 G, 16 A, 23 PTS
Ferraro's been mentioned in trade rumors for years, but he's been a veteran leader for a transitioning Sharks team, so San Jose GM Mike Grier has held onto him.
Now, Ferraro is entering his prime and needs a raise. He may not get that with the Sharks.
Ferraro's a defensive defenseman who's led San Jose in blocked shots for each of the past six seasons. Put him beside someone who's more focused on offense, and he'd be an excellent complementary player on that pairing.
He isn't a top-pair talent, but he could get a nice long-term deal for a squad that needs help keeping pucks away from the net.
Sharks' GM Mike Grier Provides Updates on Pending Free Agents
The San Jose Sharks have a number of pending free agents, but it doesn't seem as though many of them will return to the team in teal next season.
5. Ryan Shea, D, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 29
Shoots: Left
Previous cap hit: $900,000
2025-26 stats: 80 GP, 6 G, 29 A, 35 PTS
In his third NHL season, Shea broke out for the Pens. He went from having five points in 39 games for Pittsburgh in 2024-25 to having the second-most points among their blueliners.
Here's where the gamble comes in – if you're a team interested in Shea, do you give him a short-term, high-dollar contract, or do you offer him a long-term deal at significantly less money?
The answer will be in part up to Shea to decide. But there's no question he'll be getting a raise on his 2025-26 salary.
If Shea is a one-year wonder, that one year will give him at least one season's salary with seven figures.
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This story was originally published June 26, 2026 at 4:26 PM.