The first day of NHL free agency is always a hectic one and 2023 did not disappoint.
While the NHL free agency class of 2023 is notably weaker than previous years, that didn’t stop general managers from wheeling and dealing as soon as 12 p.m. ET hit. Already, tons of money and term have been tossed around as teams look to improve their stock for the upcoming 2023-24 season and beyond.
MORE NHL FREE AGENCY: Catch up on all the major signings with our 2023 live tracker.
Saturday saw a bunch of players in our top 20 sign new contracts — such as Ryan O’Reilly and Dmitry Orlov — but hockey fans are still waiting to hear news on other big names like Tyler Bertuzzi, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Patrick Kane. Still, free agency is a long process and Saturday was only the beginning for teams ahead of a lengthy summer.
That being said, first impressions still matter, as the busiest time in the free agency period has come to an end. Here are the biggest winners and losers of the first day of the 2023 NHL free agency period.
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