2025 AHL Free Agency: AHL Contract To NHL Deal in 2025-26?
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Every summer, players who were playing well on an American Hockey League (AHL) contract the season prior find themselves pushing for an NHL contract come free agency on July 1.
There are no shortage of deserving candidates this year, and we've identified 10 players to keep an eye on later this week and as free agency continues this summer that finished the 2024-25 season on an AHL contract that might be able to secure an NHL deal for 2025-26.
Goalies
Ken Appleby (AHL-Charlotte)
AHL UFA (Charlotte)
2024-25 AHL Stats: 24GP, 15-8-1, 1.96 GAA, .910 SV%, 6 SO
Appleby got off to a hot start for the Checkers and was second in the AHL in shutouts in 2024-25, one behind Rochester's Devon Levi (seven shutouts).
Parker Gahagen (Lehigh Valley)
AHL UFA (Lehigh Valley)
2024-25 AHL Stats: 22GP, 12-4-4, 2.39 GAA, .916 SV%, 1 SO
Gahagen willed the Phantoms into the postseason with a strong showing down the stretch earning a round one sweep of rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the postseason as well.
Cam Johnson (ECHL-Florida)
AHL UFA (Springfield)
2024-25 ECHL Stats: 47GP, 37-6-4, 1.92 GAA, .921 SV%, 5 SO
Albeit at the ECHL level, Johnson put in ridiculous numbers with Florida in 2024-25 and might be worth a look.
Defense
RHD Zach Metsa (Rochester)
AHL UFA (Rochester)
2024-25 AHL Stats: 69GP, 7G-39A, +15, 16 PIM
If Metsa was a few inches taller he would already be on an NHL contract. Instead, the 5-foot-9 puck-moving defenseman is going to earn his first NHL contract with continued strong play in the AHL like he had in 2024-25 with Rochester.
EDIT: Metsa signed a two-year, two-way contract with Buffalo, announced by the team on July 2.
Forwards
LW Sammy Blais (Abbotsford)
Veteran
AHL UFA (Abbotsford)
2024-25 AHL Stats: 51GP, 14G-26A, +8, 44 PIM
Blais was a force in the postseason in his return to the AHL after many years in the NHL. It wouldn't be surprising to see that an NHL front office took notice and will offer an NHL two-way contract this summer.
EDIT: Blais signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Montreal Canadiens on July 1.
LW Charles Hudon (Ontario)VeteranAHL UFA (Ontario) 2024-25 AHL Stats: 67GP, 20G-44A, +15, 57 PIM
After getting in nine NHL games with Colorado in 2022-23, Hudon took a two-year AHL contract with the LA Kings' AHL affiliate in Ontario and has continued to be a perennial point-per-game player at the AHL level.
C/LW Boris Katchouk (W-B/Scranton)
Veteran
AHL UFA (W-B/Scranton)
2024-25 AHL Stats: 67GP, 21G-28A, +4, 46 PIM
Katchouk was lost in the shuffle last summer, finishing the year in the NHL and then missing out at Anaheim Ducks training camp on a PTO this fall. He joined the AHL Penguins and was a top-six staple for a solid squad that couldn't overcome key injuries in the AHL playoffs.
EDIT: Katchouk signed a one-year, two-way contract with Tampa Bay on July 1.
LW John Leonard (Charlotte)
Veteran-Extra (319 pro games)
AHL UFA (Charlotte)
2024-25 AHL Stats: 72GP, 36G-25A, +21, 22 PIM
Leonard was among the AHL leaders in goals in 2024-25 and was a wizard on the penalty kill this past season in addition to being a scoring threat.
EDIT: Leonard signed a one-year, two-way contract with Detroit on July 1.
RW Matt Luff (Springfield/Charlotte)
Veteran
AHL UFA (Springfield)
2024-25 AHL Stats: 56GP, 20G-29A, -11, 42 PIM
Luff was a top player for AHL-Springfield this past season after he joined the team from Charlotte.
EDIT: Luff signed a one-year, two-way contract with St. Louis on July 1.
LW Aidan McDonough (Charlotte)
AHL UFA (Charlotte)
2024-25 AHL Stats: 16GP, 10G-6A, +2, 15 PIM
If not for a season-ending injury, McDonough could have been among the league's scoring leaders after a hot start saw him score 10 goals in his first 16 games in the opening months of the season.
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