NHL Power Rankings: New 1-32 poll, each team's key free agent - ESPN

The 2025-26 NHL regular season concludes next Thursday. Sixteen teams will head to the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the other 16 will go back the drawing board to get better for 2026-27.

Part of that process is deciding which free agents to re-sign — whether they are restricted or unrestricted — and then which ones from other teams to sign starting July 1.

As part of this week's Power Rankings — the final edition of the 2025-26 regular season — we've identified the most captivating UFA or RFA for each team this offseason.

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday.

Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, April 3. Points percentages are through Thursday's games.

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 73.1%

Brent Burns. Burns is 41, but selfishly I hope he plays another season so that he can break the NHL's ironman streak (Burns is 62 games from the record, set by Phil Kessel with 1,064 consecutive games played). But it won't be long before he considers hanging up his massive backpack.

Next seven days: vs. VGK (April 11), @ EDM (April 13), @ CGY (April 14), vs. SEA (April 16)

Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 68.4%

Frederik Andersen. Brandon Bussi seems to be slotting in as the long-term goalie of the future for the Hurricanes. What does that mean for Andersen, who becomes a UFA this summer?

Next seven days: @ UTA (April 11), @ PHI (April 13), @ NYI (April 14)

Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.1%

Jason Robertson. The Stars have a couple of interesting names hitting the market — captain Jamie Benn, for example. But the biggest one is goal-scoring ace Robertson, who will be an RFA at the