When does 2023 NHL Free Agency start? Date, time, best free agents & more

After the 2022-23 NHL season, teams are now shifting their focus to the offseason, particularly NHL Free Agency. With the Golden Knights emerging as the champions after defeating the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, other teams are now eager to rearrange their rosters and challenge for the coveted title.

While the NHL Draft kicks off the offseason proceedings, free agency looms on the horizon. It presents an opportunity for players to capitalize on their performance during the previous season, secure new contracts with contenders, or simply find stability with a guaranteed deal.

Some teams have already taken proactive measures by re-signing their players ahead of the market opening, while others are patiently awaiting the start of free agency to explore potential acquisitions.

As is customary, the NHL free agency period promises to be an exhilarating few weeks of player movements and team reshaping.

Date and time for the start of NHL free agency

For fans eagerly anticipating the commencement of free agency, it is scheduled to begin on Saturday, July 1. This date marks the official start of the 2023-24 NHL season, and the frenzy will begin at noon (ET).

While teams are permitted to negotiate with their own players before this time, other teams are prohibited from engaging in discussions until free agency officially commences.

Heading into the 2023 offseason, each team's projected cap space for the upcoming season varies. The Ducks lead the way with just under $40 million available, providing them with substantial flexibility.

Other teams with notable cap space include the Blackhawks, Devils, and Red Wings, all boasting over $30 million in available funds for the 2023-24 campaign.

Here are the Latest projected cap spaces for each team (Source: Spotrac)

Rank	Team	Active players	Cap Space
1	Anaheim Ducks	16/23	39,048,333
2	Arizona Coyotes	16/23	28,248,460
3	Detroit Red Wings	17/23	27,565,278
4	Chicago Blackhawks	17/23	22,594,877
5	Carolina Hurricanes	19/23	22,123,083
6	Seattle Kraken	15/23	20,343,424
7	Nashville Predators	18/23	18,769,422
8	Ottawa Senators	13/23	17,073,096
9	Pittsburgh Penguins	16/23	15,208,158
10	Buffalo Sabres	22/23	14,459,763
11	San Jose Sharks	18/23	14,079,166
12	New York Rangers	14/23	11,762,918
13	Boston Bruins	14/23	10,937,500
14	Philadelphia Flyers	18/23	10,372,905
15	Florida Panthers	17/23	10,262,499
16	New Jersey Devils	16/23	10,207,500
17	New York Islanders	20/23	9,536,667
18	Winnipeg Jets	17/23	8,992,144
19	Colorado Avalanche	15/23	8,575,000
20	Minnesota Wild	16/23	8,293,912
21	Edmonton Oilers	17/23	8,170,000
22	Washington Capitals	17/23	7,313,332
23	Vancouver Canucks	20/23	6,444,583
24	Toronto Maple Leafs	19/23	5,943,551
25	Dallas Stars	18/23	5,144,671
26	Columbus Blue Jackets	24/23	4,754,168
27	Los Angeles Kings	16/23	4,536,666
28	St Louis Blues	19/23	3,935,237
29	Vegas Golden Knights	22/23	2,687,517
30	Calgary Flames	19/23	2,400,000
31	Tampa Bay Lightning	18/23	450,000
32	Montreal Canadiens	25/23	-1,259,165

Top 10 NHL free Agents

Here are the best players that are free agents this season:

Rank	Player	Position	Age
1.	Ryan O'Reilly	C	32
2.	Vladimir Tarasenko	RW	31
3.	Dmitry Orlov	D	31
4.	Tyler Bertuzzi	LW	28
5.	Patrick Kane	RW	34
6.	Joe Pavelski	C	38
7.	Max Pacioretty	LW	34
8.	Patrice Bergeron	C	37
9.	Frederik Andersen	G	33
10.	Alex Killorn	LW	33