Top 5 pending UFA goalies heading into NHL Free Agency ft. Jake Allen

The NHL Free Agency season has officially arrived. Teams have taken stock of their needs and begun to plan what additions they will make based on their available cap space.

One of the most crucial areas for all clubs is goaltending. Some teams will be looking to bolster the depth by adding a solid free-agent netminder this summer.

So, here’s a look at the top five pending UFA goalies to hit NHL Free Agency this offseason.

Top 5 pending UFA goalies heading into NHL Free Agency

#5 Ville Husso

Ville Husso has been somewhat of a journeyman goaltender. The 30-year-old has played for three different teams in his six NHL seasons. He hit NHL Free Agency after splitting time between the Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks.

The Finnish netminder had a rough start to the season with Detroit, but found his groove in Anaheim. He’s coming off a three-year deal with a $4.75 million cap hit. Husso won’t be getting that much this offseason.

Any team interested in signing Husso would get a solid backup for what could be a reasonable cap hit.

#4 Vitek Vanacek

Vitek Vanacek has spent time with four different organizations throughout his career. He’s been a consistent backup, playing a career-high 52 games with the New Jersey Devils in 2022-23.

After a bit of a rough stint in San Jose, Vanacek was traded to the Florida Panthers to back up Sergei Bobrovsky.

Vanacek is coming off a three-year deal with a $3.4 million cap hit. Teams looking for a decent backup could get the 29-year-old Czech netminder for around $2 million against the cap.

#3 Dan Vladar

Dan Vladar started his career in Boston before catching on with the Calgary Flames. Last season, he posted a 2.86 GAA and a .895 SV%, serving predominantly as a backup to Calder Trophy nominee Dustin Wolf.

Vladar signed a two-year deal in Calgary with a $2.2 million cap hit. Teams needing a goalie could land Vladar on a similar deal this time around, making him a highly cost-effective option.

#2 Anton Forsberg

Anton Forsberg spent the last five seasons with the Ottawa Senators, holding down the starting role at various points. Upon the arrival of Linus Ullmark, Forsberg was relegated to a backup role.

But Forsberg was solid in relief of Ullmark, particularly when the Sens’ starting netminder went down with injury.

The 32-year-old Swedish goalie is coming off a three-year deal with a $2.75 million cap hit. Teams looking for a tandem goalie could find a solid option in Forsberg without breaking the bank.

#1 Jake Allen

Jake Allen is the top UFA goalie in 2025 NHL Free Agency. The 34-year-old has held the starting role in St. Louis and Montreal.

This past season, Allen served mainly as Jacob Markstrom’s backup in New Jersey. In 31 games, he posted a 2.66 GAA and a .908 SV%.

Allen is coming off a two-year deal with a $3.85 million cap hit. He could be a serviceable option for teams looking for a tandem or looking for a competent backup who can start for long stretches.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan