Latest 2025 NHL Free Agents Rumors and Predictions for Notable Names
Tonight, the Edmonton Oilers will look to force a Stanley Cup Game 7 for the second consecutive year when they take on the Florida Panthers at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
But all the other 30 teams have their eyes set on something else: July 1, when a flurry of unrestricted NHL free agents will hit the market to see what they’re worth.
The Maple Leafs are expected to bid farewell to top talents such as Mitch Marner, while John Tavares has expressed his desire to stick with the team.
Then, there's the Florida Panthers trying their all to bring back franchise cornerstone Sam Bennett.
How will it all unfold?
We'll do our best to predict where each of these three players ends up based on salary caps, rumors, and best fits.
Sam Bennett
1 of 3
Sure, Sam Bennett is a franchise cornerstone of the Florida Panthers, who are a win away from becoming the first repeat Stanley Cup Champions since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 & 2021; however, he is still set to become an unrestricted free agent come July 1.
Bennett had 25 goals in the regular season in 76 games. But it's his play in the postseason that truly makes him the most valuable piece of the Panthers.
The 28-year-old center has a playoff-leading 15 goals this postseason while setting the tone with his intensity and hard-hitting.
In his last 61 playoff games, he's had 27 goals, just one less than his career-high regular season mark of 28 in 2021-2022.
The Panthers will have choices to make regarding their roster decisions, considering top defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand are also unrestricted free agents.
According to PuckPedia, Florida has $19 million in cap space this year to work with, and the cost of Bennett is expected to be near half of that.
Ekblad recently expressed his desire to stay with Florida, but the team can't afford to pay both players what they want.
Furthermore, the Panthers have a bit of insurance on defense after bringing in Seth Jones, who is locked up until 2030.
Bennett is the top priority, and it's expected that the Panthers do whatever they can to retain him.
Bennett might choose to follow Sam Reinhart's example and accept a lower offer if it means continuing to build a dynasty.
Prediction: Bennett re-signs with Florida
John Tavares
2 of 3
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares scored 38 goals this past season, his most since 2018-19.
The 16-year veteran displayed he is still capable of playing at a high level and is expected to be an enticing option for plenty of teams.
No team is looking to sign Tavares to a long-term deal; instead, they are considering offering him a contract in the three-to-five-year range.
A team like the Anaheim Ducks, who are not too far along from being a playoff contender, could consider Tavares on a team-friendly contract.
However, he has expressed his desire to stay in Toronto again and again.
Considering he's turning 35 in September, Tavares' AAV likely sits around $6 to $7 million, which is not too steep for the Leafs, who have $25.71 million in cap space this offseason.
He's been healthy the last few years, shown few signs of regression, and is a key piece of this team.
The Leafs will need to take more steps to get over the hump than just re-signing Tavares, but it's crucial they retain him considering his production last year.
Prediction: Tavares re-signs with Toronto
Mitch Marner
3 of 3
In the last five seasons, only Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon have more assists than Mitch Marner.
But the 28-year-old Toronto Maple Leaf has been unable to match his playoff production with his stellar regular-season play, as the Leafs never reached the Eastern Conference final in his nine-year tenure.
Marner is the only superstar unrestricted free agent, and the right winger will be in heavy demand, with a possible AAV as much as $14 million.
James Mirtle of the Athletic reported that the Anaheim Ducks could be in on the Marner sweepstakes.
"Some of the chatter is that they’ll potentially be the high bidder for Mitch Marner, with an unheard-of average annual value north of the $14 million that the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl currently makes as the NHL’s highest-paid player," Mirtle wrote.
The Ducks haven’t made the playoffs since 2018, but they have $32.19 million in cap space, recently added 13-year New York Ranger Chris Kreider, and won eight more games in 2024 than in 2023.
Another option could be the Chicago Blackhawks.
However, according to Scott Powers from The Athletic, the Chicago Blackhawks may not be willing to take this risk due to their slow rebuild.
Chicago was never close to making the playoffs last year, missing out by 35 points.
Marner is in dire need of a fresh environment with minimal pressure, and Anaheim presents the ideal opportunity for him.
Few teams will likely match Anaheim's bid, and with a quickly emerging youth movement, they are just a year or two away from being a playoff contender.
Prediction: Marner signs with Anaheim
