Every NHL off-season has its share of headline-making moves.
There are blockbuster trades, massive free-agent contracts and acquisitions that immediately become central to a team's Stanley Cup aspirations. But for every major move, there are several quieter additions that could ultimately prove just as important.
Some teams found value in players coming off down seasons. Others targeted specific areas of need, while a few took chances on players who could have considerably more responsibility in their new surroundings.
Here are 12 under-the-radar acquisitions who could make a bigger impact than the attention they've received this summer:
The Predators acquired Bourque from the Dallas Stars on July 1, along with defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin, for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick.
The 24-year-old's departure from Dallas appeared to have more to do with clearing cap space for the Jason Robertson deal — and the Predators were more than happy to jump at the chance to acquire an emerging forward.
Bourque is coming off a career year in which he recorded 20 goals and 41 points while playing all 82 games. That production alone makes him an interesting addition, but his upside is what makes this move particularly appealing.
Bourque was the AHL MVP in 2023-24 after leading the league with 77 points, and now he gets an opportunity to establish himself as a bigger part of Nashville's forward group.
The Predators also quickly showed how much they believe in Bourque by signing him to a six-year, $33-million contract.
There's a reasonable chance his best hockey is still ahead of him. If he can turn last season's 20-goal campaign into the beginning of a larger offensive breakout, Nashville could have found a significant core piece at a reasonable cost.
Jordan Kyrou, Washington Capitals
Some might think it would be difficult to call trading for a three-time 30-goal scorer “under the radar,” but Kyrou qualifies because this deal was one of many that didn't get the proper spotlight.
The St. Louis Blues dealt Kyrou to the Capitals for Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin and the No. 16 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
At the time of the trade, Kyrou was coming off an 18-goal, 46-point season — a significant drop from the 30-plus goals he scored in three consecutive seasons prior.
The flip side is that should also have Kyrou labelled as one of the most interesting bounce-back candidates in the league.
Washington certainly has faith that Kyrou can rediscover his offensive game and didn't have to take a massive gamble to acquire the 28-year-old, but the expectation is that he can get back to producing.
If that happens, the Capitals have added another legitimate scoring threat to an attack that already made significant improvements this summer.
Mario Ferraro, Winnipeg Jets
Ferraro doesn't jump off the page as a big-time signing considering he doesn't provide many highlight-reel moments, but that's exactly why his addition could end up being valuable.
The Jets signed the 27-year-old defenceman to a three-year, $12-million contract after he spent his entire career with the San Jose Sharks.
The Toronto native played all 82 games last season, finishing with seven goals and 23 points. More importantly, he led San Jose in blocked shots (150) and short-handed ice time while averaging more than 21 minutes per game.
That kind of reliability can become particularly valuable over what is now an 84-game season.
Winnipeg has desperately needed dependable defensive depth, and Ferraro gives the Jets another player who can handle difficult minutes, kill penalties and stay in the lineup.
He doesn't have to score 40 points for this signing to work. If he provides steady second-pairing minutes and helps stabilize the penalty kill, Winnipeg should be happy with its investment.
Paul's arrival in Toronto didn't generate the same excitement as selecting Gavin McKenna first overall or bringing in Darren Raddysh and Sergei Bobrovsky, but trading for the Mississauga, Ont., native could be exactly the type of move the Maple Leafs needed.
Toronto acquired the 31-year-old forward from the Tampa Bay Lightning for goaltender Dennis Hildeby and draft picks.
Paul is coming off a difficult season in which he recorded seven goals and 15 points in 51 games, but there is plenty of reason to believe he can be better than that. In each of his previous two full seasons with Tampa Bay, Paul topped 20 goals.
More importantly, he brings a combination Toronto has been looking for: size, versatility, penalty-killing ability and playoff know-how.
His Stanley Cup experience with the Lightning should also be valuable in a dressing room that continues to search for the right supporting cast around Auston Matthews and William Nylander.
This isn't about Paul suddenly becoming a 25-goal scorer. It's about giving Toronto a dependable middle-six option who can be trusted in different situations.
Jaden Schwartz, Colorado Avalanche
Schwartz is another player who is hoping a change of scenery will get him back on track.
The 34-year-old signed a three-year, $9.75-million contract with the Colorado Avalanche after spending the previous five seasons with the Seattle Kraken. Injuries impacted his production in 2025-26, as he had just 26 points in 50 games.
Coming to Colorado, Schwartz will likely be rejuvenated by being on a Cup contender like he was earlier in his career with the Blues.
Schwartz only appeared once in the playoffs in Seattle, where he had five goals and 10 points in 14 games. His best post-season output came during St. Louis' Cup run in 2019 when he had 12 goals and 20 points in 26 games.
Considering the Avalanche fell short of their goal of getting to the Cup Final, adding a player of Schwartz's experience will only help a team that is in a win-now stage.
If he can stay healthy, Schwartz's $3.25-million cap hit could look very reasonable by the end of the season.
Mats Zuccarello, Los Angeles Kings
This might be one of the sneakiest signings of the summer.
At 38, Zuccarello isn't exactly an obvious candidate for a breakout, but the veteran winger continues to produce at a remarkably consistent level.
He had 54 points in only 59 games with the Minnesota Wild last season, marking his fifth consecutive 50-point season and the ninth of his career. He also added nine points in eight playoff games.
The Kings signed him to a one-year, $1-million contract with performance bonuses.
That's a remarkably low-risk bet for Los Angeles.
Zuccarello can provide secondary scoring, power-play ability and veteran leadership as the Kings enter the post-Anze Kopitar era.
He doesn't need to carry the offence. If he gives Los Angeles another 40-to-50-point season while helping younger players around him, this could prove to be one of the better value signings of free agency.
Olen Zellweger, Buffalo Sabres
After trading Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Sabres quickly turned the page by taking a chance on another young defenceman in Zellweger.
The Sabres acquired the 22-year-old from the Anaheim Ducks for prospect Anton Wahlberg and the No. 45 pick in the 2026 draft.
Zellweger had 22 points in 76 games last season, but his underlying profile is even more intriguing.
He ranked among the NHL's fastest-skating defencemen, according to NHL Edge, sitting fifth in speed bursts between 20 and 22 m.p.h. behind Matthew Schaefer, Cale Makar, Jake Sanderson and Quinn Hughes.
Zellweger's ability to carry the puck and generate offence from the back end also stands out as he controlled 53.3 per cent of shot attempts at five-on-five while on the ice, tied for the best mark among the team's regular defencemen.
Buffalo is betting on the idea that a change of scenery and more consistent opportunity can allow him to take his game to another level.
If Zellweger develops into a reliable top-four defenceman who can move the puck and contribute offensively, the Sabres may have acquired a player who can become a long-term piece on the back end.
Oleksiak isn't going to transform Vancouver into a contender, but he can help this rebuilding team in a couple of different areas.
The six-foot-seven defenceman signed a two-year, $10-million contract with Vancouver after spending the previous four seasons with Seattle. He recorded 15 points in 78 games last season while adding 112 hits and 106 blocked shots.
For a team trying to build a new identity under head coach Manny Malholtra, Oleksiak's physical presence is important.
Oleksiak can eat minutes, defend the net front and give Vancouver some much-needed size on the blue line. The short term of the contract is also important for a team that needs flexibility as its younger players develop with a veteran leader in the fold.
If Vancouver can get dependable second-pairing minutes from Oleksiak, this could be a very useful bridge signing.
Shea's five-year, $20-million contract with Edmonton didn't receive the same attention as some of the Oilers' other off-season decisions, but his role could become extremely important.
The 29-year-old defenceman will be asked to help stabilize the blue line following major changes, including the decision to move off Darnell Nurse, while the five-year commitment indicates the Oilers see Shea as more than a short-term depth option.
The biggest question is whether Shea can handle the increased expectations that come with playing in Edmonton. He could potentially be asked to play with Evan Bouchard as a calming presence that can retrieve and get the puck out of dangerous areas.
It will be intriguing to see how the Oilers use Shea. If he can be a steady defensive partner in the top four, then it could be a great under-the-radar addition.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, New York Rangers
Bjorkstrand will be looking to show that he has a lot left in the tank after the Rangers signed him to a one-year contract off a down year including just 32 points in 80 games with Tampa Bay.
That was a subpar season by his standards, but there is a substantial track record behind it. Bjorkstrand has scored at least 20 goals six times in his career and produced a career-high 59 points with Seattle in 2023-24.
The Rangers need more consistency throughout their middle six, and Bjorkstrand gives them a proven right winger who can contribute on the power play.
For a team undergoing significant changes, a one-year deal also gives Bjorkstrand plenty of motivation.
A return to the 20-goal range would make this look like a very smart addition.
Mantha may actually have the most intriguing “prove it” opportunity on this list.
He is coming off the best offensive season of his career, recording 33 goals and 64 points in 81 games with Pittsburgh. Those numbers were career highs across the board, although it took some time for him to put pen to paper on a deal in free agency before the Devils signed him to a two-year, $9.5-million contract on July 15.
The question many will be wondering is whether last season was a career renaissance or an outlier.
The Devils will be hoping that Mantha can remain a 25-goal threat while providing size alongside players such as Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. If so, he could become an important part of the Devils' top nine.
The risk is relatively manageable because of the two-year term.
For a Devils team looking for more offence and more size, Mantha checks both boxes.
Nick Robertson, Pittsburgh Penguins
Given all the change-of-scenery candidates on this list, Robertson would definitely fly under the radar given his tenure with the Maple Leafs.
After years of speculation about his future in Toronto, Robertson was finally traded to Pittsburgh for a 2028 fourth-round pick this off-season.
The 24-year-old is coming off career highs across the board with 16 goals, 16 assists and 32 points in 78 games.
Those numbers don't jump off the page, but context matters.
Robertson has consistently shown that he can score when given opportunities, and Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas, who drafted him in Toronto, didn't hesitate to sign him to a two-year contract with a $3.25-million cap hit.
Robertson will likely start on the Penguins' third line alongside Ben Kindel and Andrei Kuzmenko. Like in Toronto, the main goal for him will be to show that he can be a consistent scoring presence.
A move away from the Toronto spotlight could allow Robertson to play with more confidence. If his shot becomes a consistent weapon, Pittsburgh may have acquired a 20-goal scorer for very little.
