2025 NHL Offseason: Top 10 Free Agents

The 2025 NHL Offseason is underway as the Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions. With the NHL Draft just a day away and Free Agency just five days away, activity has picked up. There have been several notable trades, as teams look to create cap space even with the salary cap rising to $95.5 million.

Players who have been traded thus far include Trevor Zegras (Anaheim to Philadelphia), Erik Haula (Nashville to New Jersey), Mason Marchment (Dallas to Seattle), Chris Kreider (New York to Anaheim), Andre Burakovsky (Seattle to Chicago), and, most recently, J.J. Peterka (Buffalo to Utah) Evander Kane (Edmonton to Vancouver).

This year’s free agency class is not as strong as previous years. Teams with salary-cap space will look to add a name or two to make improvements to go on a run at the Stanley Cup next season. Most will overpay. Contending teams will look to keep what they have as the salary cap rises to $95.5 million—time to dive into the Top 10 NHL free agents this off-season.

Here are the Top 10 NHL Free Agents this offseason

1) Mitch Marner

Mitch Marner is the top NHL free agent on the board. All signs are pointing to Marner hitting free agency and not returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he spent nine seasons. There has been a lot of heartbreak for Marner and the Maple Leafs in the playoffs. They had two playoff series wins during his tenure. However, new GM Brad Treliving was taking a hard stance with Marner, not willing to pay him more than Auston Matthews at $13.25 million AAV.

There have been reports that he was offered a $13.5 million long-term deal. However, with Mikko Rantanen getting $12 million on AAV over eight years from the Dallas Stars, the Maple Leafs were probably looking at that. However, the organization was also seeking to alter the team’s direction. It was time for a change, as the Core Four was not delivering the results, and new voices were needed.

But as TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button told Full Press Hockey, “The Maple Leafs will regret letting Marner, because these types of players are hard to find.” And he is right, adding, “there is no 7/11 hockey store where you can find a top-six winger. It does not exist.”

In 657 regular-season games with the Maple Leafs, he recorded 741 points (221 goals and 520 assists), including 102 last season with Toronto. In 70 playoff games, he has 63 points (13 goals and 50 assists). Right now, the Vegas Golden Knights are the favourites to land Marner along with the Los Angeles Kings, Utah Mammoth, Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Carolina Hurricanes. 

2) Sam Bennett

The number two NHL free agent this summer is Sam Bennett. However, most do not expect him to get to free agency. As Full Press Hockey has documented, the Florida Panthers plan on re-signing the two-time Stanley Cup Champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner. During the Panthers run to their second straight Stanley Cup, Bennett led the playoffs with 15 goals, 13 of which came on the road. That was an NHL record. The belief is he will sign for $8 million over eight years. While some believe he could get $9-$10 million on the open market, they are paying more for what he does in the playoffs than what he does in the regular season.

3) Brad Marchand

Florida has a lot of work to do this summer as GM Bill Zito wants to keep his trio of Panthers together. Next on the list is the second-best trade deadline acquisition in NHL history, Brad Marchand. Think about Marchand played most of the season with the Boston Bruins, and again, as Full Press Hockey documented, there was a chance he could be on the move. And he did move and made the Florida Panthers third line the best line in the playoffs.

He recorded 20 points (10 goals and 10 assists) in 23 games in the playoffs, including six goals in the final. Just like Bennet, he set an NHL record with six goals in the Stanley Cup Final. There are reports he could get $7-$8 million on the open market on Steven Stamkos‘s deal on the open market. However, he likes it in Florida, and as you can tell, he wants to remain there. If he takes a little less, it can work.

4) Aaron Ekblad

As mentioned, the Florida Panthers have had several key NHL free agents this summer. The last one is defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Last year, the Panthers saw Brandon Montour walk in free agency. It took the Panthers and Bill Zito to find another right-shot defenseman in Seth Jones. Ekblad wants to be there as well. There is a market for him, and teams would pay $7-$8 million on the open market. However, he bleeds for the Florida Panthers and though not confirmed, he could be willing to take less to win.

5) Brock Boeser

For most of the season, many figured that Brock Boeser would be hitting the open market. The way the Canucks have handled many things when it comes to a player who scored 40 goals two seasons ago. When an organization says it isn’t sure what it has in a player and that player has been there for six seasons, the writing was on the wall. While Boeser wanted to see what he had coming off the blood clots last playoff season, it appears the Canucks will be letting him walk for nothing. Vancouver did try to trade him during the season, but felt making the playoffs was a better course of action. So, a guy that can score 30-35 goals a season will likely end up with the Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, and another team that does not get Mitch Marner.

Carolina Hurricanes: Will the Carolina Hurricanes Actually Spend Big on Mitch Marner?

Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid “No Rush” To Talk Contract Extension

Hockey Hall of Fame: Alexander Mogilny Finally Gets the Call to the Hall

Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver Canucks Know They Can’t Replace Elias Pettersson

6) John Tavares

Another Maple Leafs player who will be a top NHL Free Agent this season is John Tavares. This is a peculiar situation because Tavares wants to be with the Maple Leafs; however, GM Brad Treliving is playing hardball, and the Matt Duchene deal, which is a four-year contract at $4.5 million, is the one that should get it done. Toronto needs a number two center, but they also need to sign restricted free agent Matthew Knies. With the center market thin, Tavares will be a great addition to a contending team. What it comes down to is whether the Maple Leafs want him back. When Treliving talked about changing the team’s DNA, was Tavares part of that equation? Again, if they wanted him back, it would have been done by now.

7) Vladislav Gavrikov

Vladislav Gavrikov is one of the top defenseman on the board this offseason. There is a belief that if Gavrikov does not re-sign with the Los Angeles Kings, he will hit the open market and sign with a team like the New York Rangers, who need a top-pairing left defenseman. The asking price, according to reports, is seven years at $8 million per season. That is, if he hits the open market. Los Angeles would like to keep him as he would solidify their left side. Last season, he averaged 23 minutes a game and put up 30 points (five goals and 25 assists). So any team is getting a real solid defenseman.

8) Nikolaj Ehlers

One of the more elite goal scorers this free agency is Nikolaj Ehlers. All signs point to him leaving the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets are hoping that with the addition of Jonathan Toews, Ehlers will sign. However, Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff also has to extend Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi. Ehlers is a consistent 25-30 goal scorer in the NHL, and those are hard to come by. He never got a long shot on the top line with a number one center in Mark Scheifele. But when he did, he produced. And that is the issue: Winnipeg lacks a second-line center. A team that needs goal scoring, such as the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Hurricanes, and Blue Jackets, could utilize his services.

9) Mikael Granlund

Similar to Boeser and Ehlers, teams that think they are in on Mitch Marner and don’t acquire him will go after a goal scorer like Mikael Granlund. Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill acquired Granlund from the Sharks just before the NHL Trade Deadline. Granlund is a solid top-nine forward who can pot 15-20 goals a season. He is a big, physical forward and in the right system, can produce in the playoffs. Similar to Matt Duchene, who signed a four-year deal, Granlund is looking for some stability on his next contract. So there will be someone who will pay for his services this offseason.

10) Patrick Kane

Patrick Kane is rounding out the Top 10 free agents in the NHL this summer. Kane signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings, and multiple suitors were looking for his services. He had another good season with the Red Wings with 57 points (21 goals and 38 assists) in 72 games. Again, he battled some injuries, but was still productive. There is hope that Detroit and Kane can come to terms, as he is still an effective player. However, there is a team in Anaheim that is lurking and looking to make a splash, with Kane’s former coach now on board. That could be a fit, too.

Bonus:

Claude Giroux

Another puzzling situation is Claude Giroux with the Ottawa Senators. However, as Full Press Hockey’s own Murray Pam has reported, talks have remained ongoing between Senators GM Steve Staios and Giroux. Similar to Tavares, Giroux wants to stay in Ottawa. In the three seasons in Ottawa, he put up 193 points (71 goals and 122 assists). As an experienced player in the league, he remains effective. If he were to leave, this could be a significant blow to a young team looking to return to the playoffs.

Other Notable NHL Free Agents

Here is a list of other notable NHL Free Agents, which includes Anthony Mantha,  Jonathan Drouin, Jamie Benn, Nate Schmidt, Jack Roslovic, Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov, Brandon Tanev, Ryan Lindgren, Andrew Mangiapane, Andrei Kuzmenko, Ivan Provorov, Dante Fabbro, Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, and Corey Perry.

Goalies: Ilya Samsonov, Jake Allen, Dan Vladar, and Alexandar Georgiev

Keep locked into Full Press NHL as the NHL offseason gets underway for the latest trades and free-agent signings.