Top NHL restricted free agents: Bedard, Robertson, Zegras could get offer sheet

With the NHL free agent signing period set to begin July 1, NHL.com is taking a closer look at the top restricted free agents (listed in alphabetical order by position).

Most restricted free agents are eligible to receive an offer sheet from another team. His team can then match the offer sheet or receive draft-pick compensation based on its value.

FORWARDS

Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks

The 20-year-old center had 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists) in 69 games for the Blackhawks this season. The No. 1 pick by Chicago in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bedard has led the Blackhawks in points each of his first three seasons and has 203 points (75 goals, 128 assists) in 219 regular-season games. He won the 2024 Calder Trophy voted as the NHL rookie of the year after he had 61 points (22 goals, 39 assists) in 68 games.

Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks

The 21-year-old center had NHL career highs in goals (29), assists (38) and points (67) in 70 games for the Ducks this season and 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 12 playoff games. The No. 2 pick by Anaheim in the 2023 NHL Draft, Carlsson has 141 points (61 goals, 80 assists) in 201 regular-season games.

Egor Chinakhov, Pittsburgh Penguins

The 25-year-old right wing had 42 points (21 goals, 21 assists) in 72 games for the Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets this season, including 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) in 43 games after he was acquired by the Penguins in a trade on Dec. 29. He had no points in six playoff games. Selected by Columbus in the first round (No. 21) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Chinakhov has 113 points (55 goals, 58 assists) in 247 regular-season games for the Penguins and Blue Jackets.

Pavel Dorofeyev, New York Rangers

The 25-year-old right wing was traded by the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday after he set NHL career highs in goals (37), assists (27) and points (64) in 82 games this season and 16 points (12 goals, four assists) in 22 playoff games. Selected by Vegas in the third round (No. 79) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Dorofeyev has 149 points (92 goals, 57 assists) in 231 regular-season games and 18 points (13 goals, five assists) in 31 playoff games.

Adam Fantilli, Columbus Blue Jackets

The 21-year-old center had an NHL career-high 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) in 82 games for the Blue Jackets this season. The No. 3 pick by Columbus in the 2023 NHL Draft, Fantilli has 140 points (67 goals, 73 assists) in 213 regular-season games.

Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim Ducks

The 22-year-old left wing had NHL career highs in goals (41), assists (28) and points (69) in 76 games for the Ducks this season and had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 12 playoff games. The No. 5 pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2022 NHL Draft, Gauthier has 114 points (61 goals, 53 assists) in 159 regular-season games with the Ducks since being acquired in a trade on Jan. 8, 2024.

Connor McMichael, St. Louis Blues

The 25-year-old left wing had 46 points (14 goals, 32 assists) in 78 games for the Capitals this season. He was traded to the Blues on June 23. Selected by Washington in the first round (No. 25) of the 2019 NHL Draft, McMichael has 154 points (67 goals, 87 assists) in 315 regular-season games for the Capitals and eight points (five goals, three assists) in 18 playoff games.

Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg Jets

The 24-year-old center had 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 68 games for the Jets this season. Selected by Winnipeg in the first round (No. 10) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Perfetti has 157 points (59 goals, 98 assists) in 290 regular-season games and six points (three goals, three assists) in 14 playoff games.

Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars

The 26-year-old left wing led the Stars with 96 points and tied for the team lead with 45 goals in 82 games this season. Robertson had eight points (five goals, three assists) in six playoff games. A second-round pick (No. 39) by Dallas in the 2017 NHL Draft, Robertson has 490 points (213 goals, 277 assists) in 456 regular-season games and 52 points (23 goals, 29 assists) in 62 playoff games.

Trevor Zegras, Philadelphia Flyers

The 25-year-old center had NHL career highs with 26 goals and 67 points in 81 games for the Flyers this season and had six points (two goals, four assists) in 10 playoff games. Selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round (No. 9) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Zegras has 253 points (93 goals, 160 assists) in 349 regular-season games for the Ducks and Flyers.

DEFENSEMEN

Jamie Drysdale, Philadelphia Flyers

The 24-year-old tied his NHL career high with 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 78 games for the Flyers this season and had four points (two goals, two assists) in 10 playoff games. Selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round (No. 6) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Drysdale has 102 points (25 goals, 77 assists) in 295 regular-season games for the Ducks and Flyers.

Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings

The 23-year-old had 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 72 games for the Red Wings this season. Selected by Detroit in the first round (No. 6) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Edvinsson has 60 points (19 goals, 41 assists) in 175 regular-season games.

Simon Nemec, Calgary Flames

The 22-year-old had NHL career highs in goals (11) and points (26) in 68 games for the Devils this season. He was traded to the Flames on June 23. Selected by New Jersey with the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Nemec has 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists) in 155 regular-season games and two points (one goal, one assist) in four playoff games.

Alexander Nikishin, Carolina Hurricanes

The 24-year-old had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 81 games with the Hurricanes this season, his first in the NHL. He had one assist in 17 playoff games to help Carolina win the Stanley Cup. A third-round pick (No. 69) by Carolina in the 2020 NHL Draft, Nikishin made his debut in the 2025 playoffs when he had one assist in four games.

Braden Schneider, New York Rangers

The 24-year-old had 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) in 82 games for the Rangers this season. Selected by New York in the first round (No. 19) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Schneider has 87 points (20 goals, 67 assists) in 368 regular-season games for the Rangers and six points (one goal, five assists) in 43 playoff games.

GOALIES

Samuel Ersson, Ottawa Senators

The 26-year-old was 14-11-5 with a 3.12 goals-against average and .870 save percentage in 33 games (29 starts) for the Philadelphia Flyers this season. He was traded to the Maple Leafs on June 16 and then from the Maple Leafs to the Senators on June 26. Selected by Philadelphia in the fifth round (No. 143) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Ersson is 65-50-17 with a 3.01 GAA, .884 save percentage and seven shutouts in 143 regular-season games (133 starts).

Jet Greaves, Columbus Blue Jackets

The 25-year-old was 26-19-9 with a 2.60 GAA, .908 save percentage and two shutouts in 55 games (53 starts) for the Blue Jackets this season. He set NHL career highs in wins and games played. Signed by Columbus as an undrafted free agent Feb. 20, 2022, Greaves is 36-28-11 with a 2.61 GAA, .913 save percentage and four shutouts in 76 regular-season games (73 starts).

Akira Schmid, Vegas Golden Knights

The 26-year-old was 16-10-6 with a 2.59 GAA, .893 save percentage and two shutouts in 34 games (29 starts) for the Golden Knights this season. A fifth-round pick (No. 136) by the New Jersey Devils in the 2018 NHL Draft, Schmid is 32-28-10 with a 2.66 GAA, .898 save percentage and three shutouts in 82 regular-season games (65 starts) for the Devils and Golden Knights and 4-4 with a 2.26 GAA, .924 save percentage and two shutouts in 10 playoff games (eight starts).

Arturs Silovs, Pittsburgh Penguins

The 25-year-old had an NHL career-high 19 wins, going 19-12-8 with a 3.07 GAA, .888 save percentage and two shutouts in 39 games (38 starts) for the Penguins this season and was 2-1 with a 1.52 GAA and .939 save percentage in three playoff games (all starts). Selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round (No. 156) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Silovs is 27-20-10 with a 3.09 GAA, .886 save percentage and two shutouts in 58 regular-season games (56 starts) for the Canucks and Penguins and 7-6 with a 2.56 GAA, .907 save percentage and one shutout in 13 playoff games (all starts).