Five established NHL players remain free agents three weeks before season

With the 2026-27 NHL regular season scheduled to begin September 29, several veteran players remain unsigned. Ryan Reaves, who is 38 games shy of 1,000 career regular season appearances, seeks an opportunity to continue his career. Patrik Laine, James van Riemsdyk, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Evander Kane also remain without contracts as teams prepare for a shortened preseason. These players are currently navigating a market that appears to offer significantly lower salary cap hits than their previous deals. While some have continued to provide scoring and physical presence, others are coming off injury-plagued or statistically diminished seasons. With the season start less than three weeks away, these veterans face the possibility of accepting league-minimum contracts or professional tryout offers to remain in the league.

• 3:00 PMYahoo Sports — 5 Big Names Still Unsigned Just 3 Weeks Out From The Season.