Rasmus Andersson posted 47 points in 81 games while leading the 2026 UFA class at a $4.55 million cap hit.
Top Defensemen Shape Blue-Line Depth
Rasmus Andersson recorded 17 goals and 30 assists in 81 games during the 2025-26 season. John Carlson delivered 60 points in 71 games at age 36 for the Anaheim Ducks. Jacob Trouba added 35 points across 81 games while playing a physical style.
Teams comparing these three options note that Andersson’s age of 29 gives him five projected prime seasons ahead of Carlson’s 36 and Trouba’s 32. Anaheim’s pair of Carlson and Trouba each carried $8 million prior cap hits, creating immediate savings opportunities for new clubs.
Brett Burns, at 41 years old, still produced 35 points in 82 games at a $1 million cap hit. His production contrasts with younger options like Mario Ferraro’s 23 points in 82 games at $3.25 million.
Nick Jensen supplied 17 points in 61 games at age 35. Radko Gudas logged 13 points in 56 games while maintaining physical presence at 36.
Forward Options Deliver Scoring Depth
Alex Ovechkin tallied 64 points in 82 games at age 40. Anthony Mantha reached 64 points in 81 games at a $2.5 million prior cap hit. Viktor Arvidsson posted 54 points in 69 games at age 33.
Patrick Kane accumulated 57 points in 67 games at 37. Mats Zuccarello reached 54 points in 59 games at 38. These veteran outputs contrast with younger names like Patrik Laine’s single point in five games.
Claude Giroux produced 49 points in 82 games at 38. Vladimir Tarasenko added 47 points in 75 games at 34. Jamie Benn reached 36 points in 60 games at 36.
Goaltending Market Offers Stability Options
Sergei Bobrovsky finished 27-23-1 with a 3.07 GAA in his age-37 season. Frederik Andersen recorded a 3.05 GAA across 16-14-5 starts. Stuart Skinner posted a .888 save percentage in 23-17-9 decisions.
Connor Ingram achieved a 2.60 GAA in limited action. Cam Talbot posted a 3.19 GAA in 12-9-6 starts at age 38. These figures position the position as a buyer’s market for teams seeking one-year bridges.
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.