The NHL's Best Contract Steals of 2026

Every summer, a handful of players sign deals that look like absolute highway robbery from the moment the ink dries. This year's crop of profitable contracts reveals which GMs understood the market and which ones got caught sleeping. Some of these signings will define playoff runs, while others might become cautionary tales about overpaying for potential. The real winners aren't always the household names - sometimes they're the depth pieces that suddenly become difference-makers.