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This year's NHL free agency landscape could be conducive for three teams to overpay amid a lack of major options.

With the offseason officially here, two topics will dominate the landscape: The 2026 NHL Draft and NHL free agency.

The draft is less than 10 days away. The usual hype and drama should dominate the headlines. But once the draft dust settles, the opening of the free-agent market should take over most of the summer headlines.

That said, the prevailing market conditions seem conducive for some teams to overpay amid their need to retool and get back to contender status. So, here’s a look at three teams poised to overpay in NHL free agency this summer.

3 Teams Poised to Overpay in NHL Free Agency This Summer

LA Kings Could Be Looking to Make a Splash in NHL Free Agency

The LA Kings are in a bit of a bind. They lost their longtime captain and top-line center, Anze Kopitar, to retirement this season. Kopitar’s loss leaves a major hole in the team’s depth down the middle.

The club also faces the need for upgrades on the blue line and potentially adding another goaltender.

That’s why the Kings could risk overpaying amid a thin market. Without a true number-one center in NHL free agency, the Kings may overpay to keep deadline acquisition Scott Laughton. The organization might be tempted to throw money at Alex Tuch in hopes of just finding more scoring.

Otherwise, there might be some temptation to overpay for a netminder like Sergei Bobrovsky. Unless GM Ken Holland can find value in overlooked places, the Kings may have to pay up to land the pieces they need.

LA has about $18 million in cap space. So, one major acquisition could pretty much erode that space.

New York Rangers Could Back Up the Brinks Truck

The New York Rangers could be another club on overpay watch in NHL free agency. The club has over $26 million in cap space, but has numerous needs. The team could use another top-four blueliner, a top-six center, and a scoring winger.

The Blueshirts could be one of the teams willing to pay Alex Tuch whatever he wants. The club may also back up the Brinks truck for Darren Raddysh. GM Chris Drury may even consider making a serious push for someone like Rasmus Andersson. Such a move would certainly cost a pretty penny.

Then, there are scoring wingers like Bobby McMann and Mason Marchment. While they’re certainly good pieces, they may not be commensurate with the price tags they’ll command. The problem is not that they’re worth it. The problem is that someone will pay up in NHL free agency this summer.

And that someone could be the Rangers.

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Seattle Kraken Need to Make Something Happen

The Seattle Kraken have been big-game hunting for quite some time now. That trend should continue in NHL free agency this summer.

However, the Kraken might not have very many options to work with. While they’ll try to retain deadline acquisition Bobby McMann, they’ll need to do more to really move the needle. Without a true superstar on the market, the Kraken may find themselves competing for UFAs like McMann, Marchment, and potentially Viktor Arvidsson and even Vladimir Tarasenko.

But the biggest risk may lie in the Kraken overpaying for someone like Andrei Kuzmenko or Jack Roslovic. Sure, there could be other options on the trade market. But who knows if the Kraken could swing a deal for a major piece like Dylan Larkin?

That’s why Seattle may have no other choice but to pay up in NHL free agency this offseason.