August is typically the quietest month of the year around the NHL. The draft and the opening of free agency are in the books, and the salary arbitration period has passed — quietly, this year, as the NHL Players’ Association chose not to announce specific hearing dates for players and bargaining terms weren’t leaked by insiders as we’ve seen in the past.

According to PuckPedia, that leaves 25 restricted free agents still unsigned by their teams as of Aug. 11. The players’ NHL rights are held by the teams, so there’s no real particular urgency to get these deals done. But with just over a month to go before training camps begin, all parties are likely hoping to get pen to paper sooner rather than later.

Here are some of the biggest names to watch.

Jeremy Swayman – Boston Bruins

In 2023, Swayman went through a contentious arbitration hearing with the Bruins. That led to a one-year at a cap hit of $3.475 million — and a vow never to go through the process again.

Though he was arbitation-eligible again this summer, Swayman held true to that vow in July, leaving Bruins fans hopeful that the framework for a long-term deal was in place.

So far, though, nothing has been announced.

Swayman is in excellent position to secure a big payday to remain in Boston. Last season, he appeared in a career-high 44 games and finished with a .916 save percentage that tied him for fifth-best among goalies with at least 25 games played. His 18.4 goals saved above expected in the regular season, per MoneyPuck, ranked him fourth in the league.

In the playoffs, he was even better, leading the league with a .933 save percentage and 13.3 goals save above expected through 12 games, as he assumed Boston’s starting job.

Over the last three seasons, Swayman has guarded the Bruins’ net in tandem with Linus Ullmark, and the pair shared the William M. Jennings trophy for the fewest regular-season goals allowed during the 2022-23 season while Ullmark was awarded the Vezina Trophy.

Last season, though, Swayman moved into the 1A role and was Boston’s playoff starter. With one year remaining on his current contract, Ullmark was traded to the Ottawa Senators on June 26, leaving Swayman as Boston’s unquestioned No. 1 going forward.

A fourth-round pick from 2017 who hails from Anchorage, Alaska, Swayman has been one of the NHL’s best bargains since he entered the league in the 2020-21 season. Now, the 25-year-old deserves to be paid as a top goalie.