NHL opening day of free agency: Predators swing for the fences with Stamkos, Marchessault signings

The Predators and Blackhawks improved their roster quite a bit as free agency opened on Monday

By Chris Bengel Jul 2, 2024 at 10:15 am ET• 5 min read

Just days after the Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, the NHL offseason got underway with the 2024 NHL Draft over the weekend. Monday marked the start of free agency as NHL teams could try their hands at improving their rosters for the 2024-25 season.

Shortly before free agency began, the Panthers began their offseason with a bang by signing star forward Sam Reinhart to a eight-year, $69 million contract that carries an average annual value of $8.5 million. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning also made a big splash by signing star winger Jake Guentzel to a seven-year, $63 million deal after acquiring his negotiating rights in a trade on Sunday.

Several teams got better on Monday, while some made some questionable transactions. Here's a look at the winners and losers of the opening day of NHL free agency.

Predators embark on a spending spree

The Predators were easily the most active team on the opening day of free agency. Nashville ended up signing center Steven Stamkos, winger Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei to long-term contracts right after free agency began.