Hello everyone and welcome to the latest offseason edition of Eastern Edge! I'm Eli Feldman.

In the wake of the NHL's annual Free Agent Frenzy, let's revisit some of the most notable fantasy-relevant signings (and re-signings) across the Eastern Conference over the past week. Contract information is going to be from PuckPedia.

Ryan McLeod

Last Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres inked 25-year-old centre Ryan McLeod to a four-year, $20 million contract ($5 million AAV).

Following an unremarkable start to his NHL career in Edmonton, McLeod found his groove last season in Buffalo, setting new career highs in points (53), goals (20), assists (33), plus/minus (+13), and average time on ice (16:50). Remarkably, McLeod achieved these career highs with less than half a minute of powerplay time per game (00:29) and a career-low shooting percentage (10.7%).

Despite playing with a revolving door of linemates for the first three quarters of last season, McLeod really started to roll in the final quarter alongside former first-round selection Jack Quinn and (now former teammate) JJ Peterka. In 22 games to close out the 2024/2025 NHL regular season, McLeod registered an impressive 22 points (six goals, 16 assists).

Although the sixth-year centre has lost a proven sniper on his wing with Peterka out of the picture, the sky is the limit for McLeod this season.

Nikolaj Ehlers

Perhaps the biggest fish in free agency this summer, Nikolaj Ehlers bid adieu to the reigning Presidents' Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets last Thursday by signing a six-year, $51 million with the Carolina Hurricanes ($8.5 million AAV).

Ehlers' lucrative new deal follows a highly productive 2024/2025 campaign in Winnipeg, which saw the speedy Dane set a new career-high in points per game (min. 50 GP), along with seven points (five goals, two assists) across eight games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Now a member of the perennial Stanley-Cup-contending Hurricanes, Ehlers figures to play a prominent role in the Canes' offence from the jump, projecting to line up alongside fellow stars Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, and manning the flank on the Canes' top power-play unit.

As with many other offseason shakeups, buyers beware of the potential for other managers to overvalue Ehlers on draft day, a Certified Band-Aid Boy winger joining a notoriously defence-first team. Nevertheless, if Ehlers stays healthy and excels on Carolina's top line, the speedster could help you take your league by storm next year.

Dmitri Voronkov

This past Saturday, breakout multi-cat stud Dmitri Voronkov signed a two-year $8.35 million with the Columbus Blue Jackets ($4.175 million AAV).

Drafted 114^th overall by the Jackets back in 2019, Voronkov spent a few years in Russia before officially beginning his NHL career in 2023/2024. Voronkov showed some multi-cat promise during his rookie campaign, posting 83 hits, 52 blocks, 52 penalty minutes, and 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 75 games.

While his rookie totals were respectable, Voronkov turned it up a notch as a sophomore, clicking with rejuvenated centre Sean Monahan and skilled countryman Kirill Marchenko for large stretches of last season, particularly the second quarter, in which Voronkov exploded for 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 22 GP.

Despite developing exceptional chemistry with Monahan and Marchenko, Voronkov spent most of the final quarter of last season playing alongside heavyweight-turned-18-goal-scorer Mathieu Olivier and Cole Sillinger, obfuscating Voronkov's deployment to begin the 2025/2026 campaign. However, if Voronkov is reunited with Monahan and Marchenko to begin next season, you can bet plenty of fireworks (or, better yet, cannon blasts) will follow.

Tony DeAngelo

Last Monday, the New York Islanders inked offensive defenceman Tony DeAngelo to a one-year, $1.75 million contract.

After beginning last season with CSKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, DeAngelo enjoyed a surprisingly productive end to the 2024/2025 campaign with the Islanders, recording 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 35 games with the team. DeAngelo's 19 points to close out the season were the most among Islanders defencemen, and his 15 assists were tied for the team lead during that span.

A former first-round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014, DeAngelo has played for five teams in his NHL career, including a turbulent four-year stint with the New York Rangers that ended abruptly following a reported off-ice altercation with his teammates. Despite DeAngelo's widely documented off-ice antics and suspect defensive abilities, he clearly possesses a knack for offence, pacing for 40+ points during five of his nine NHL seasons.

The Islanders have been perhaps the busiest team in the entire League this offseason: parting ways with longtime President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello; trading former franchise defenceman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens; selecting three players in the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft (including Matthew Schaefer first overall); and signing a flurry of players since the start of Free Agent Frenzy (including Jonathan Drouin and highly-touted forward Maxim Shabanov).

With Dobson rocking different colours and a sizeable crop of new talent on the Island, Tony D may be the man you need.

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That's all for this week! Stay tuned for the next edition of Eastern Edge on Tuesday, July 15. Have a great week everyone!