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Dmitry Orlov, Carolina Hurricanes (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

NHL’s 2025 Free Agent Class: Top 5 Defensemen

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Alex Chauvancy | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 8:25 AM ET

In the last of our position group previews for free agency, what does the market for defensemen have to offer? The answer is not much, but there are a couple of names that should intrigue teams, while others are likely heading for overpays in a market where there’s plenty of demand but not enough supply.

5. Ivan Provorov

The Columbus Blue Jackets need to spend to hit the salary cap floor, so re-signing Ivan Provorov could be an option for them. He’s coming off a solid season that saw him total seven goals and 33 points in 82 games. It was the third consecutive season that he’s played 82 games and averaged at least 22 minutes of ice time, so that will likely appeal to NHL GMs looking to improve their blue lines this offseason if he makes it to the open market.

Provorov certainly has the reputation of being a minute-munching defenseman who can play difficult assignments, but that’s probably overrating him. His defensive impacts are average, and he’d likely be better suited to playing a second-pair role since he struggles to defend the rush, among other things.

The problem is that he’s unlikely to get paid like a second-pair defenseman. Evolving Hockey has Provorov signing a five-year deal at a cap hit of $6.664 million, while AFP Analytics has him signing a six-year contract at a cap hit of $7.014 million. He’s not worth that, so teams should tread lightly if interested in him in free agency.

4. Dante Fabbro

There are reports that Dante Fabbro and the Blue Jackets are working on a long-term extension. That’d be a smart move on the Blue Jackets’ part, as Fabbro played quite well for them after they claimed him off waivers from the Nashville Predators early in the season. He finished with nine goals and 26 points in 68 games, a 31-point pace over 82 games.

More importantly, Fabbro’s underlying metrics were quite good. He finished with a total expected goals above replacement (xGAR) of 13.4, ranked fourth among all Blue Jackets skaters this season. He won’t provide much offense, but is a solid defender and would also be well-suited for a second-pair role with the Blue Jackets or any team that signs him.

Evolving Hockey has Fabbro signing a five-year deal at a cap hit of $5.499 million, while AFP Analytics has him inking a four-year contract at a cap hit of $4.528 million. That’s fair value for what he provides. Though in a very weak year for defensemen, it wouldn’t shock me if a team overpays for Fabbro, especially since he’s a coveted right-handed shot.

3. Dmitry Orlov

Dmitry Orlov had a somewhat rough postseason for the Carolina Hurricanes, but he’s still a reliable No. 3/4 defenseman based on his regular-season results. He finished the regular season with six goals and 28 points in 76 games and posted solid underlying metrics.

Orlov was one of the Hurricanes’ top defenders, with his even-strength defense worth an xGAR of 5.3. That led all Hurricanes skaters and was 0.1 better than Jaccob Slavin. Of course, Slavin played more difficult minutes than Orlov, so that’s the caveat. Still, he looks like he has plenty left in the tank. He still defends the rush well, is an efficient puck-mover, and excels on defensive zone retrievals and defending the forecheck.

Evolving Hockey has Orlov signing a three-year contract at a cap hit of $4.514 million, while AFP Analytics has him projected for three years and a cap hit of $5.806 million. The latter might be a bit rich, but a $4.5 million cap hit is fair for what he provides. He should have a decent number of suitors if the Hurricanes let him walk and test the free-agent waters.

2. Aaron Ekblad

It wouldn’t shock me if Aaron Ekblad takes a discount to remain with the Florida Panthers after winning his second straight Stanley Cup, but a payday awaits him on the open market. He had a solid season that saw him total 33 points in 56 games — a 48-point pace over 82 games — and that playoff experience will be invaluable for him as a free agent.

While Ekblad still excels offensively, there are some concerns with his game, mostly in his own end. He still defends the rush relatively well, but his defensive impacts have been in the red for a couple of seasons. His in-zone offense isn’t an issue, but he struggles to break the puck out of the defensive zone, and he’s just average on defensive zone retrievals.

If Ekblad makes it to free agency, he could cost close to $8 million annually on a seven-year deal based on Evolving Hockey and AFP Analytics’ projections. That would give me pause about pursuing him, but you know that teams will have interest because of his Cup runs and top-four right-handed shots being such a rarity on the free-agent market.

1. Vladislav Gavrikov

I don’t know if it’s a hot take to have Vladislav Gavrikov as the No. 1 defenseman in this year’s free-agent class because he doesn’t provide much offense, but it’s hard to argue with his defensive results. He finished 2024-25 with five goals and 30 points in 82 games, the most offense he’s produced since the 2021-22 season, when he had 33 points, but it’s what he did defensively that stood out.

Gavrikov finished with a defensive net rating of +14.3, which led all defensemen league-wide, and it came against top competition. He and Mikey Anderson, his defense partner, received the toughest assignments among Los Angeles Kings defensemen, and it wasn’t particularly close. There’s a strong argument that he was the best defensive defenseman in the NHL this season, and it’s not just a one-off.

Gavrikov has consistently been one of the better defensive defensemen in the NHL over the last three seasons, with his even-strength defense worth an xGAR of 17.3. That ranks fifth among all blueliners league-wide, and even though he’s not known for his offense, he’s not a liability offensively.

There’s a payday awaiting Gavrikov, but the question is how much. Evolving Hockey has him signing for four years and a cap hit of $5.636 million, while AFP Analytics has him inking a seven-year deal at a cap hit of $7.608 million. The defense market is so barren this summer that I could see AFP’s projection being close to accurate. Gavrikov is an elite defensive defenseman, and he’s the only one who truly fits the bill among free agents. Some team will pay for him.

Not Many Needle-Moving UFA Defenders

As I’ve stated for the other position groups, the best route for teams to improve their rosters this offseason is through trades. Gavrikov is enticing because of his elite defensive ability, but there aren’t many needle-movers among UFA defensemen this year.

Advanced stats from Evolving Hockey and Advanced Hockey Stats