NHL: Ranking the top 5 NHL players set to become free agents in 2024 ft. William Nylander

Although NHL free agency doesn't start until noon on July 1, 2024, there are always discussions regarding the big names playing for new contracts in the final four months of the 2023-24 season.

Now that most NHL clubs have skated in at least 30 games, it's a pretty good sample size for teams to evaluate their players and keep tabs on those they may be interested in that skate in other cities.

As we inch closer to the Stanley Cup playoffs and eventually free agency, here's a quick breakdown of the top five NHL players to track during the stretch drive as they look to cash in on big deals in 2024.

Ranking the top 5 NHL players set to become free agents in 2024

#5. Jake Guentzel - Pittsburgh Penguins (38 points)

Jake Guentzel plays alongside future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and leads the Pittsburgh Penguins in scoring with 38 points in 33 games. Considering he's already netted 16 goals, he's on pace to achieve 30 goals for the third consecutive season and could collect his third 40-goal campaign.

Guentzel is making $6 million and is in the final season of a five-year deal signed in 2018. As one of the top players on the Penguins, they would be wise to lock down the 29-year-old to a lengthy extension before the end of the regular season.

#4. Elias Pettersson - Vancouver Canucks (43 points)

Elias Pettersson is one of the most significant pending unrestricted free agents in 2024 and is coming off his first 100-point career season in 2022-23. After scoring at a 1.24 points-per-game pace last year, he's down to 1.19 this year, but with a few multi-point games, he could finish 2023-24 with another 100 points.

Interestingly, Pettersson has been ranked amongst the top ten scorers all season and is in the final year of a three-year pact that he signed in 2021, which pays him $7.350 million annually. Considering how valuable he's been to the Vancouver Canucks over the years, he's on track to earn a raise to over $10 million a year.

#3. Sam Reinhart - Florida Panthers (44 points)

Sam Reinhart is off to a career year with the Florida Panthers in 2023-24, leading the team in scoring with 44 points in 35 games. Now a two-time 30-goal scorer, Reinhart is among the NHL leaders with 23 goals and should break his personal best of 33 goals and 82 points, both set in 2021-22.

At 28, he is about to become a free agent for the second time in his career, avoiding the market last time by agreeing to a three-year deal with the Panthers in 2021 that pays him $6.5 million annually. As a critical member of a contending Florida team, they will probably ink him to an extension with a slight pay increase.

#2. Jeremy Swayman - Boston Bruins (10-2-4)

Last year, Jeremy Swayman won the William M. Jennings Trophy with his teammate Linus Ullmark as the Boston Bruins compiled the best statistical regular season in NHL history.

After earning a 24-6-4 record with a 2.27 goals-against average (GAA) and a .920 save percentage (SV%), he was rewarded with a one-year extension (through arbitration) valued at $3.475 million.

Even though the Bruins remain a dominant team, Swayman is performing better this year, producing a 10-2-4 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .929 SV% through 17 games.

Considering that his name has been mentioned as a potential Vezina Trophy winner, there's no denying he's one of the best young netminders (25) in the game, and the Bruins will need to lock him long-term on a deal that rewards him financially for his performance thus far.

#1. William Nylander (48 points)

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't won the Stanley Cup in 56 years, an NHL record, and have one of the league's most dynamic cores centered around Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Besides those two elite skaters, the team employs 40-goal scorer William Nylander.

Although fans have waited almost a decade for the Swedish forward to reach his potential, at the beginning of the 2023-24 season, he set a Maple Leafs record for recording a point in 17 games to begin the year. Thanks to that hot start, he's leading the team in scoring with 48 points in 33 games.

Nylander is playing the best hockey of his NHL career and is finishing a six-year deal that paid him $6.9 million annually. According to the rumors, he's expecting to make close to $9 to $10 million on his next contract, meaning he might price himself out of Toronto.

However, as a routine 30-goal scorer, someone will reward Nylander for his outstanding play, whether in Canada or the United States.

Honorable Mentions

Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning), Joe Pavelski (Dallas Stars), Casey Mittelstadt (Buffalo Sabres), Matt Duchene (Dallas Stars), Filip Hronek (Vancouver Canucks), Jonathan Marchessault (Vegas Golden Knights), Cam Talbot (Los Angeles Kings), Scott Wedgewood (Dallas Stars), Carter Hart (Philadelphia Flyers).