Ranking the 20 best NHL free agents in the 2025 offseason
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The 2024-25 NHL season is officially at its end. The Stanley Cup has been awarded (again) to the Florida Panthers. The NHL Draft has come and gone. And the last bastion before the long summer ahead is the start of the NHL's free agency period on July 1.
We're still a few days out from the start of free agency, but rumors have been flying about as to where the NHL's biggest names will ultimately land and which teams will be the most active. With the NHL's salary cap about to take a big step up for the 2025-26 season — and eventually beyond — all 32 teams will have more room for major splashes and impactful adds this summer.
There are some pretty eye-popping names in this free agency pool this year, from a handful of recent Stanley Cup winners to players looking for big paydays in new cities. We'll have to see how creative NHL general managers get this year with their moves this offseason, especially with the salary cap going up.
As NHL's free agent period looms, here are the top-20 unrestricted free agents headed to market that you should keep an eye out for.
1. F Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 28
Position: Right wing
2024-25 salary cap hit: $10.903 million
2024-25 production: 27 goals, 102 points (81 games played)
2. F Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
Age: 29
Position: Center
2024-25 salary cap hit: $4.425 million
2024-25 production: 25 goals, 51 points (76 games played)
Update: The Florida Panthers re-signed Bennett to an eight-year deal.
Sam Bennett's extension with #FlaPanthers: 8 years x $8 million.— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 27, 2025
3. D Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers
Age: 29
Position: Defense
2024-25 salary cap hit: $7.5 million
2024-25 production: 3 goals, 33 points (56 games played)
4. F John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 34
Position: Center
2024-25 salary cap hit: $11 million
2024-25 production: 38 goals, 74 points (75 games played)
Update:The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed Tavares to a four-year deal.
#LeafsForever John Tavares extension: 4 years x $4.38 million AAV.@DarrenDreger first with signing.— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 27, 2025
5. F Brad Marchand, Florida Panthers
Age: 37
Position: Left wing
2024-25 salary cap hit: $6.125 million
2024-25 production: 23 goals, 51 points (71 games played)
6. F Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 28
Position: Right wing
2024-25 salary cap hit: $6.65 million
2024-25 production: 25 goals, 50 points (75 games played)
7. F Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets
Age: 29
Position: Left wing
2024-25 salary cap hit: $6 million
2024-25 production: 24 goals, 63 points (69 games played)
8. D Vladislav Gavrikov, Los Angeles Kings
Age: 29
Position: Defense
2024-25 salary cap hit: $5.875 million
2024-25 production: 5 goals, 30 points (82 games played)
9. G Jake Allen, New Jersey Devils
Age: 34
Position: Goaltender
2024-25 salary cap hit: $3.85 million
2024-25 production: .908 save percentage, 2.66 GAA (31 games played)
10. F Mikael Granlund, Dallas Stars
Age: 33
Position: Center
2024-25 salary cap hit: $5 million
2024-25 production: 22 goals, 66 points (83 games played)
11. D Ivan Provorov, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 28
Position: Defense
2024-25 salary cap hit: $6.75 million
2024-25 production: 7 goals, 33 points (82 games played)
12. F Pius Suter, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 29
Position: Center
2024-25 salary cap hit: $1.6 million
2024-25 production: 25 goals, 46 points (81 games played)
13. F Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
Age: 36
Position: Right wing
2024-25 salary cap hit: $4 million
2024-25 production: 21 goals, 59 points (72 games played)
14. D Dante Fabbro, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Position: Defense
2024-25 salary cap hit: $2.5 million
2024-25 production: 9 goals, 26 points (68 games played)
15. D Dmitry Orlov, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 33
Position: Defense
2024-25 salary cap hit: $7.75 million
2024-25 production: 6 goals, 28 points (76 games played)
16. F Claude Giroux, Ottawa Senators
Age: 37
Position: Left/right wing
2024-25 salary cap hit: $6.5 million
2024-25 production: 15 goals, 50 points (81 games played)
17. Jonathan Drouin, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 30
Position: Left wing
2024-25 salary cap hit: $2.5 million
2024-25 production: 11 goals, 37 points (43 games played)
18. D Ryan Lindgren, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 27
Position: Defense
2024-25 salary cap hit: $4.5 million
2024-25 production: 4 goals, 22 points (72 games played)
19. D Nate Schmidt, Florida Panthers
Age: 33
Position: Defense
2024-25 salary cap hit: $800,000
2024-25 production: 5 goals, 19 points (80 games played)
20. F Jack Roslovic, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 28
Position: Center
2024-25 salary cap hit: $2.8 million
2024-25 production: 22 goals, 39 points (81 games played)
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Ranking the 20 best NHL free agents in the 2025 offseason
