NHL’s 2025 Free Agent Class: Top 5 Right Wings

Free agency could be quite the spectacle this summer since the salary cap ceiling is rising to $95.5 million, even though this year’s UFA class isn’t particularly impressive. Starting with right wings, let’s look at the top five players in each position group heading into July 1.

5. Evgenii Dadonov

Maybe Evgenii Dadonov being in the top five speaks to the strength of this year’s UFA class, but he quietly had a solid season for the Dallas Stars, totaling 20 goals and 40 points in 80 games. He averaged 1.65 points per 60 minutes, a rate you’d expect from a second-liner, and was one of the Stars’ better five-on-five goal scorers, averaging 0.8 goals per 60.

Dadonov is not a physical player, but he’s a good shooter and is still an excellent skater, with his top skating speed ranking in the 96th percentile. That’s pretty impressive, considering he turned 36 in March. He’s obviously not a star player, but he’s still one of the better middle-six forwards in the NHL, and he’s far from a candidate to sign a terrible contract when free agency begins on July 1.

AFP Analytics has Dadonov signing a two-year deal at a cap hit of $3.254 million, while Evolving Hockey has him signing a one-year contract at a cap hit of $1.538 million. There will be players who sign for more money than Dadonov but are likely to provide less value than him if he maintains a 20-goal, 40-point pace for however long he signs for.

4. Reilly Smith

Reilly Smith has bounced around a bit since getting traded from the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2023 offseason, but he still appears to be a pretty productive player. His stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers did not go well, but that may be more a product of the teams he played for rather than his individual performance.

Smith finished this past season with 13 goals and 40 points between the Rangers and Golden Knights, but he played well after getting dealt to the Golden Knights at the trade deadline. He’s still an efficient middle-six winger who creates plenty of quality shots and chances, and he’s an underrated playmaker.

Another thing working in Smith’s favor is that he has plenty of playoff experience, so you know he’ll have his fair share of suitors in free agency. Evolving Hockey has him signing a three-year contract at a cap hit of $4.344 million, while AFP Analytics has him signing a two-year deal at a cap hit of $4.379 million. Like Dadonov, he could be a good value signing who doesn’t break the bank.

3. Patrick Kane

Maybe it’s because the Detroit Red Wings had another disappointing season, but Patrick Kane quietly had a solid campaign, totaling 21 goals and 59 points in 72 games. He’s not the five-on-five player he used to be, but he was a bit better at that game state this season. Furthermore, he’s still a threat on the power play and can provide value to a team’s man advantage.

Kane’s skating is not what it once was, but that’s not a surprise given his age and that he had hip resurfacing surgery two years ago. Still, his playmaking is high-end, which was always his strength. He probably needs a specific fit this late into his career, but some team that craves more skill and help on the power play will likely give him a short-term deal.