This is part two of our series covering players set to become free agents on July 1st or at the end of 2025-26. Check out part one here. This week, we are going to look at Nashville, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, Utah and Vancouver.

We will also see how much salary cap space each team has with the salary cap increasing to $95.5 million in 2025-26. We will attempt to look at positional needs for the next year and whether the team can improve from within, trade or free agency.

All salary information from www.puckpedia.com.

Nashville Predators – Finished 30th overall (30W – 44L – 8 OT – 68 PTS)

Goals For: 212 (31st overall)

Goals Against: 274 (27th overall)

Powerplay: 21.9% (18th overall)

Penalty Kill: 81.5% (7th overall)

Faceoffs: 51.3% (11th overall)

Projected Cap Space 2025-26: $17.3 million

Unrestricted Free Agents: Jakub Vrana (39-9-5-14), Marc Del Gaizo (46-2-7-9)

Restricted Free Agents: Luke Evangelista (68-10-22-32)

Summary:

The Predators have just over $8.8 million in buried salary with the buyouts of Matt Duchene ($6.55 million) and Kyle Turris ($2.0M) and the retained salary of Mattias Ekholm ($250k) in 2025-26.

Nashville was supposed to be a playoff contender in 2024-25, but things started out poorly and never got much better.

Players on the rise include Fyodor Svechkov (52-8-9-17), Zachary L'Heureux (62-5-10-15), and Nashville hopes Evangelista.

Players who could see a regular role from within are Matthew Wood (6-0-1-1), Ozzy Wiesblatt (5-0-1-1), Joakim Kemell (2-0-0-0) and Ryan Ufko (1-0-0-0).

My re-signing valuations for Vrana have him under $1 million AAV, Del Gaizo between $1.8 and 2.2 million AAV and Evangelista between $2.3 and 2.7 million AAV.

That leaves the Predators with about $14 to 15 million if they choose not to re-sign Vrana or Del Gaizo to go after some free agents or players via trade.

Michael Bunting (76-19-19-38), Colton Sissons (72-7-14-21), Cole Smith (71-4-8-12), Michael McCarron (74-5-9-14), Jeremy Lauzon (28-0-1-1), Andreas Englund (35-1-2-3), Jordan Oesterle (37-4-6-10) and Nick Blankenberg (60-4-12-16) might all be entering into the last year of their contracts in 2025-26, so all could be trade chips as well.

The Predators do have the cap room to go after at least one of the big-name free agents that could be on the market. They need to improve in the top six in their forwards and the top four in their defense. If Roman Josi can play more than 53 games in 2025-26, their PP should be better.

San Jose Sharks – Finished 32nd overall (20 W – 50 L – 12 OT – 52 PTS)

Goals For: 208 (32nd overall)

Goals Against: 310 (32nd overall)

Powerplay: 18.6% (26th overall)

Penalty Kill: 74.2% (27th overall)

Faceoffs: 48.1% (25th overall)

Projected Cap Space 2025-26: $43.93 million

Unrestricted Free Agents: Jan Rutta (54-3-6-9), Alexandar Georgiev (15-26-4, 87.5)

Restricted Free Agents: Klim Kostin (35-1-6-7), Nikolai Kovalenko (57-7-13-20), Thomas Bordeleau (1-0-0-0), Noah Gregor (52-4-3-7), Shakir Mukhamadullin (30-2-7-9), Jack Thompson (31-4-6-10), Georgi Romanov (0-6-0, 87.7)

Summary:

The Sharks finished dead last in the league in 2024-25 and will have the 2nd overall pick in 2025 after picking 1st overall in 2024.

Macklin Celebrini came as advertised and might have been even better than expected. He is a finalist for the Calder Trophy with Lane Hutson and Dustin Wolf. Celebrini has given the Sharks a huge boost, and now they need to build off of him.

Players on the rise include Celebrini (70-25-38-63), William Eklund (77-17-41-58), Will Smith (74-18-27-45), Thompson, Mukhamadullin, Yaroslav Askarov (4-6-2, 89.6), and perhaps Collin Graf (33-5-6-11).

Players who could see a regular role from within are Luca Cagnoni (6-0-2-2), Danil Gushchin (12-0-1-1), Bordeleau, Sam Dickinson (0-0-0-0) and perhaps whoever they pick 2nd overall.

My re-signing valuations for Rutta have him between $1.9 to $2.3 million AAV, Georgiev between $3 and $4 million AAV, Kostin, Kovalenko, Bordeleau, Gregor and Romanov all under $1 million AAV, Mukhamadullin between $1.5 and $1.8 million AAV and Thompson between $1 and $1.5 million AAV. Both Mukhamadullin and Thompson have limited games, so both could still be under $1 million AAV.

I don't think the Sharks re-sign Georgiev, Kovalenko, Kostin or Gregor. They could also buy out Barclay Goodrow, who still has two years left at $5 million AAV.

That leaves the Sharks with about $39 to $41 million to bolster their roster with free agents or by trade if they wish. They are still a few years away from competing, so they might delay attempting to add some of the bigger names out there. It might be a waste of resources to spend close to the salary cap in 2025-26.

Alexander Wennberg (77-10-25-35), Carl Grundstrom (56-3-6-9), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (27-1-2-3), Mario Ferraro (78-5-12-17), Timothy Liljegren (68-6-11-17) and Vincent Desharnais (51-0-3-3) will all be entering into the last year of their contracts in 2025-26.

Wennberg, Ferraro and Liljegren might have pretty good trade value.

The Sharks need to surround their young talent with better players so that the team can improve and be on the cusp of competing for the playoffs in two or three years.

Seattle Kraken – Finished 29th overall (35 W – 41 L – 6 OT – 76 PTS)

Goals For: 245 (16th overall)

Goals Against: 262 (24th overall)

Powerplay: 18.9% (23rd overall)

Penalty Kill: 77.2% (21st overall)

Faceoffs: 48.6% (24th overall)

Projected Cap Space 2025-26: $21.75 million

Unrestricted Free Agents: Michael Eyssimont (77-9-7-16), Josh Mahura (64-0-9-9)

Restricted Free Agents: Kaapo Kakko (79-14-30-44), Tye Kartye (63-6-7-13), Ryker Evans (73-5-19-24)

Summary:

Seattle struggled in almost every category in 2024-25. Their combined special teams were below average, and they will need some exterior help to improve in the short term.

Players on the rise include Matty Beniers (82-20-23-43), Shane Wright (79-19-25-44) and Evans.

Players who could see a regular role from within are Ville Ottavainen (1-0-1-1), Jani Nyman (12-3-3-6), Ryan Winterton (12-0-1-1), Jagger Firkus (0-0-0-0), Berkly Catton (0-0-0-0) and Oscar Fisker Molgaard (0-0-0-0).

My re-signing valuations for Eyssimont have him between $1.0 to $1.5 million AAV, and Mahura between $1.0 and $1.3 million, with both players being unrestricted free agents. The restricted free agents are Kakko between $3.5 and $4.2 million AAV, Kartye under $1 million AAV and Evans between $3 and $3.5 million AAV.

I'm not sure they will re-sign Eyssimont or Mahura.

That possibly leaves the Kraken with about $10 to $13 million to bolster their roster with free agents or by trade if they choose.

Jaden Schwartz (81-26-23-49), Jordan Eberle (42-9-17-26), Eeli Tolvanen (81-23-12-35) and Jamie Oleksiak (82-4-13-17) will all be entering into the last year of their contracts in 2025-26.

They will need to make some decisions on keeping these four, as there will certainly be some trade value for all of them.

The Kraken took a step back in 2024-25 and will need to be better in almost every team category if they are to make the playoffs in 2025-26.

St. Louis Blues – Finished 14th overall (44 W – 30 L – 8 OT – 96 PTS)

Eliminated in the 1st Round of the Playoffs in seven games by Winnipeg

Goals For: 250 (13th overall)

Goals Against: 231 (11th overall)

Powerplay: 22.1% (16th overall)

Penalty Kill: 74.2% (28th overall)

Faceoffs: 51.6% (10th overall)

Projected Cap Space 2025-26: $5.91 million

Unrestricted Free Agents: Radek Faksa (70-5-10-15), Ryan Suter (82-2-13-15)

Restricted Free Agents: Joel Hofer (16-8-3, 90.4)

Summary:

The Blues did well to get into the playoffs and came within 1.6 seconds of beating the Winnipeg Jets in round one.

They need to improve their penalty kill but are almost at the cap, even with the increase to $95.5 million. They have some good young players coming up, so improvement from within could help.

Players on the rise are Dylan Holloway (77-26-37-63), Jake Neighbours (82-22-23-45), Philip Broberg (68-8-21-29), Zack Bolduc (72-19-17-36) and possibly Hofer.

Players who could see a regular role from within are Jimmy Snuggerud (8-0-2-2) and Dalibor Dvorsky (2-0-0-0).

My re-signing valuations for Faksa have him between $1.5 to $2.0 million AAV, Suter between $1.5 and $1.7 million AAV, and Hofer between $2.5 and $3.0 million AAV.

Suter might retire or come back for another year at 40 years of age. If the Blues re-sign Faksa and Hofer, they will have eaten up most of their available cap space.

Mathieu Joseph (60-4-10-14), Oskar Sundqvist (67-6-14-20), Alexei Toropchenko (80-4-14-18), Nathan Walker (73-8-8-16), Cam Fowler (68-9-31-40), and Nick Leddy (31-2-3-5) will all be entering into the last year of their contracts in 2025-26.

The Blues are forced to improve from within and will need their young prospects to make a difference in the NHL in the next two years if this team wants to continue to make the playoffs.

Utah Mammoth – Finished 20th overall (38 W – 31 L – 13 OT – 89 PTS)

Goals For: 240 (21st overall)

Goals Against: 247 (17th overall)

Powerplay: 24.2% (10th overall)

Penalty Kill: 79.3% (15th overall)

Faceoffs: 51.6% (9th overall)

Projected Cap Space 2025-26: $22.31 million

Unrestricted Free Agents: Nick Bjugstad (66-8-11-19), Michael Carcone (53-7-12-19), Robert Bortuzzo (17-0-2-2) and Nick DeSimone (20-1-5-6)

Restricted Free Agents: Jack McBain (82-13-14-27)

Summary:

Utah was better in 2024-25 than I thought they were going to be. They received good goaltending, had pretty good special teams and have a fairly young roster. They should challenge for the playoffs in 2025-26.

Players on the rise include Dylan Guenther (70-27-33-60), Logan Cooley (75-25-40-65), Josh Doan (51-7-12-19) and Michael Kesselring (80-7-22-29).

Players who could see a regular role from within are Maveric Lamoureux (15-1-2-3), Matt Villalta (1-0-0, 90.0) or Jaxson Stauber (2-1-1, 89.2). The Mammoth have some pretty good prospects in their system, but I'm not sure any others could make the roster in 2025-26.

My re-signing valuations for Bjugstad have him between $2.5 to $3.0 million AAV, Carcone between $1.0 and $1.3 million AAV, Bortuzzo under $1 million AAV, DeSimone under $1 million AAV and McBain between $3.2 and $3.8 million AAV.

I'm not sure Bjugstad or Carcone would demand that much from Utah, so both could take discounts, while the team improves on Bortuzzo and DeSimone. Utah should have $16 to $18 million to improve externally if it wishes.

Nick Schmaltz (82-20-43-63), Alexander Kerfoot (81-11-17-28), Kevin Stenlund (82-14-14-28), Ian Cole (82-1-16-17), and Connor Ingram (9-8-4, 88.2) will all be entering into the last year of their contracts in 2025-26.

Vancouver Canucks – Finished 18th overall (38 W – 30 L – 14 OT – 90 PTS)

Goals For: 233 (23rd overall)

Goals Against: 251 (18th overall)

Powerplay: 22.5% (15th overall)

Penalty Kill: 82.6% (3rd overall)

Faceoffs: 48.9% (23rd overall)

Projected Cap Space 2025-26: $16.72 million

Unrestricted Free Agents: Brock Boeser (75-25-25-50), Pius Suter (81-25-21-46), Derek Forbort (54-2-9-11), Noah Juulsen (35-0-0-0)

Restricted Free Agents: None

Summary:

The Canucks will have close to $5.5 million in salary cap retained or bought out between Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Ilya Mikheyev in 2025-26.

The Canucks went from losing in game seven in the second round of the 2023-24 playoffs to being a shell of that team at the end of 2024-25. They traded J.T. Miller, and Rick Tocchet will need to be replaced as coach.

Players on the rise include Filip Chytil (56-13-13-26) if he is healthy.

Players who could see a regular role from within are Aatu Raty (33-7-4-11), Kirill Kudryavtsev (2-0-0-0), Victor Mancini (31-2-7-9), Linus Karlsson (23-3-3-6), Elias Pettersson (28-1-2-3), Tom Willander (0-0-0-0) if he's signed and Jonathan Lekkerimaki (24-3-3-6).

My re-signing valuations for Boeser have him between $5.8 and $6.8 million AAV, Suter between $ 3.8 and $4.5 million AAV, Forbort between $1.3 and $1.6 million AAV, and Juulsen under $1 million.

Vancouver could re-sign both Boeser and Suter, but it would probably cost them close to $12 million AAV together. They might take a run at someone like Nikolaj Ehlers instead.

Conor Garland (81-19-30-49), Teddy Blueger (82-8-18-26), Kiefer Sherwood (78-19-21-40) and Thatcher Demko (10-8-3, 88.9) will be entering into the last year of their contracts in 2025-26. The Canucks have the spectre of Quinn Hughes becoming unrestricted after 2026-27 as well.

This club is not in great shape now, and even with the heroics of Hughes, will be hard pressed to make the playoffs unless Elias Pettersson and Demko make a big rebound in 2025-26.

Thank you very much for reading, and if you have any comments, please leave them below or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15