The Nashville Predators, coming off a financially heavy 2024, currently sit with roughly $36.4 million in cap space and could use offer sheets to accelerate retooling, potentially targeting Šimon Nemec or Olen Zellweger if cap room allows, or pursuing a top-center/defenseman via an offer sheet.

Five teams are analyzed as potential candidates to consider offer sheets in 2026 to acquire targeted players without immediate arbitration constraints.

The New York Islanders may look to offer sheets to bolster scoring if captain Anders Lee and center Jean-Gabriel Pageau depart in free agency, with Jason Robertson or Pavel Dorofeyev as plausible targets depending on arbitration and cap dynamics.

The piece notes RFAs entering 2026, including Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, and Adam Fantilli, many of whom could be matched if unsigned by July 1, 2026, influencing offer-sheet feasibility.

An opening context states the salary cap rose to $95.5 million for 2025-26, reducing offer-sheet likelihood in the near term, while a projected 2026 cap of $104 million could renew interest in offer sheets for RFAs and other unfixed players.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, under GM Kyle Dubas, may lack cap space for big moves, making offer sheets a possible route to add talent such as Jason Robertson, Pavel Dorofeyev, Trevor Zegras, Šimon Nemec, or Olen Zellweger if cap conditions permit.

The Seattle Kraken, seeking scoring punch as veterans age and youngsters need breakout seasons, could pursue offer sheets for a player like Jason Robertson if talks stall, given Dallas Stars’ cap space and the Kraken’s own cap space around $34.7 million.

The Calgary Flames, with over $23.7 million in cap space, could pursue offer sheets to strengthen the lineup while exploring trades, with potential targets including Josh Doan, Šimon Nemec, and Brandt Clarke depending on cap moves.

Overall, cap space, positional needs, and arbitration status are the key factors that could make offer sheets a viable but still uncertain tool for these teams in 2026.