NHL Rumors: The Latest Heading into the 2025 NHL Draft

Day 1 of the NHL Draft in Los Angeles is here. As we head toward free agency and Round 1, a lot of news, notes, and NHL rumors are making the rounds.

As Full Press Hockey has documented over the last couple of days, things are heating up on the free-agent market. Not to mention the trade market with a weaker draft class. Players and picks could be moving more than they have over the last couple of years.

We have looked at the Top 10 Free Agents this year. Several players could find new teams when Day 1 of the Free Agency opens. But the big news of the day is Noah Dobson

Let’s Dive into these NHL rumors as the NHL Draft gets underway.

NHL Rumors: Big Names on the Free Agent Board

Noah Dobson Trade Market Heating Up as New York Islanders Want James Hagens

There is a lot of talk heading into the 2025 NHL Draft that the New York Islanders want to trade back into the top 10 and select the Long Island Native James Hagens. Hagens has made it known he wants to play for the Islanders. For some reason, his stock was falling, but the buzz is back. The rest of the teams in the NHL heading into the draft, the Islanders want to select Matthew Schaefer at Number One and James Hagens somewhere in the range of the fourth or fifth pick.

With the Utah Mammoth acquiring J.J. Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres for Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan, the number four pick just became up for grabs. And that could be where the Islanders and Mammoth make a deal involving defenseman Noah Dobson.

Steam is picking up around the restricted free agent. There was a lot of talk surrounding Dobson on Thursday as multiple teams, including the Montreal Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Nashville Predators, are in the mix. Dobson prefers to stay in the Eastern Conference. So Islanders GM Mathieu Darche will have to get creative if he wants to get Hagens. Maybe a team like the Buffalo Sabres enters the mix.

But with the Philadelphia Flyers lurking at six, the Islanders can’t afford to fall below them because Hagens will be gone by then. However, whatever he gets, the two first-round picks from Columbus or Montreal will go to Utah or another team.

Mitch Marner is Hitting the Open Market

It is no surprise that Mitch Marner, the top NHL Free Agent on Full Press Hockey’s Board, will be going to market. Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving confirmed it on Thursday when he met with the media. Most figured Marner would be heading to the market, given the way they did not discuss a contract throughout the season. Not to mention, how the Maple Leafs tried to move him at the NHL Trade Deadline.

From the start, the Maple Leafs have been playing hardball with Marner and looking to change their negotiation process with players. For years, the players have been winning those negotiations, getting whatever they want. With so much failure in the playoffs, the Maple Leafs have to change their mix.

Even though many say you can’t win with a player like Mitch Marner, as TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button has stated, “There is no 7/11 hockey store where you can buy a top-six forward. It does not exist.” Treliving admitted it would be tough to lose a player like Marner, as it’s not easy to replace a player of that calibre.

Teams like the Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, Utah Mammoth, Columbus Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, and others will look to sign him, with Vegas the favourite to land him.

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

There is a Deal to Be Made for John Tavares with the Toronto Maple Leafs

Another item on Brad Treliving’s to-do list is signing John Tavares to a new deal. Both sides are working towards a mutually agreed-upon agreement. Treliving said everything was moving in a positive direction. Not only does the player want to be there, but the team wants him back, given that the center market is not the best.

However, Tavares is not going to get a Steven Stamkos deal of four years at $8 million, not with Matthew Knies needing an extension. Knies will get more than Tavares. Strangely, it hasn’t been done yet. But Treliving again is holding his ground. Changing the DNA of the team could also mean losing Tavares.

Reports indicate that the Leafs have offered a contract of up to four years at $4.25 million per season. As Full Press Hockey has reported, the Matt Duchene deal with the Dallas Stars for four years at $4.5 million will likely secure a deal for Tavares and the Leafs. It’s a wait-and-see game until July 1st.