Yesterday, we examined players who are still technically eligible to receive and sign offer sheets this summer. That list has decreased by a few names in the last 24 hours, thanks to a pair of team-elected arbitration cases and one re-signing, but there are still many names who could be targets.
Now, it’s a good time to look at the teams that can realistically tender an offer sheet. The required compensation for each tier is below. Each team must have its own draft pick to satisfy the requirement – if a club acquires a different team’s draft choice for the round in question, that can’t be used for an offer sheet. Teams can reacquire their own picks via trade to facilitate an offer sheet. The Ducks, Flames, Blackhawks, Red Wings and Penguins are the only clubs with enough draft picks and cap space to offer-sheet an RFA at every salary/AAV tier.
$1,544,425 – $2,340,037: 2026 third-round pick
Able: ANA, BOS, BUF, CGY, CHI, CBJ, DET, LAK, MIN, NSH, NJD, NYI, OTT, PHI, PIT, TOR, UTA, WPG
Able, but not enough cap space: EDM, MTL, NYR, STL, TBL, VGK
Unable: CAR, COL, DAL, FLA, SJS, SEA, VAN, WSH
$2,340,038 – $4,680,076: 2026 second-round pick
Able: ANA, CGY, CHI, DET, LAK, NSH, NJD, PHI, PIT, SJS, SEA, UTA
Able, but not enough cap space: BOS, DAL, EDM, FLA, MTL, TBL, VAN, VGK
Unable: BUF, CAR, COL, CBJ, MIN, NYI, NYR, OTT, STL, TOR, WSH, WPG
$4,680,077 – $7,020,113: 2026 first-round pick, 2026 third-round pick
Able: ANA, BUF, CGY, CHI, CBJ, DET, LAK, MIN, NSH, NJD, PIT, UTA, WPG
Able, but not enough cap space: BOS, MTL, NYI, NYR, PHI, STL
Unable: CAR, COL, DAL, EDM, FLA, OTT, SJS, SEA, TBL, TOR, VAN, VGK, WSH
$7,020,114 – $9,360,153: 2026 first-round pick, 2026 second-round pick, 2026 third-round pick
Able: ANA, CGY, CHI, DET, NSH, PIT, UTA
Able, but not enough cap space: BOS, LAK, MTL, NJD, PHI
Unable: BUF, CAR, COL, CBJ, DAL, EDM, FLA, MIN, NYI, NYR, OTT, SJS, SEA, STL, TBL, TOR, VAN, VGK, WSH, WPG
$9,360,154 – $11,700,192: Two first-rounders between 2026 and 2028, 2026 second-round pick, 2026 third-round pick
Able: ANA, CGY, CHI, DET, NSH, PIT, UTA
Able, but not enough cap space: BOS, EDM, LAK, MTL, NJD, PHI, VGK
Unable: BUF, CAR, COL, CBJ, DAL, FLA, MIN, NYI, NYR, OTT, SJS, SEA, STL, TBL, TOR, VAN, WSH, WPG
≥$11,700,193: Four first-rounders between 2026 and 2030
Able: ANA, BUF, CGY, CHI, CBJ, DET, PIT, SJS, WPG
Able, but not enough cap space: BOS, CAR, COL, EDM, LAK, MIN, MTL, NSH, NJD, NYI, NYR, OTT, PHI, SEA, STL, UTA, VAN, VGK, WSH
Unable: DAL, FLA, TBL, TOR
Cap space figures from PuckPedia.