NHL Free Agents 2025 Rumors, Predictions for Mitch Marner, Brad Marchand and More

Mitch Marner is the most talked about player in NHL circles right now.

Marner is considered the top free agent this offseason. The Vegas Golden Knights appear to be the front-runner for his signature.

One thing is for sure, though, and that is Marner's impending departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Marner achieved a ton of individual success in Toronto, but he and other members of the "Core Four" could not deliver even an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.

Recent Stanley Cup winners Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad are high on the list of coveted free agents.

The Florida Panthers already locked down Sam Bennett on a new deal, but it may be hard for them to keep both Marchand and Ekblad given the interest across the league.

Mitch Marner

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The Vegas Golden Knights are at the front of the line in the Mitch Marner sweepstakes.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported that Vegas and Toronto are working on a sign-and-trade deal for Marner.

Marner is coming off the first 100-point season of his career and he's expected to sign one of the biggest free-agent deals of the offseason.

Vegas would be an ideal landing spot for Marner. He'd get to team up with Jack Eichel on a newly-formed first line and contend for the Stanley Cup.

Vegas needs another difference-maker in its lineup to keep up with all the talent in the Western Conference. A top pairing of Eichel and Marner would allow the Golden Knights to match whatever the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche and others produce on the offensive end.

There's always a chance that another team slides into the Marner negotiations, but he seems destined to land in Vegas.

Prediction: Marner lands with Vegas

Brad Marchand

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Brad Marchand turned out to be the perfect fit in Florida.

Marchand slotted into the third line and became one of the most important pieces of the Panthers' Stanley Cup run.

Marchand could make the easy decision to stay in Florida and chase more Cups at the back end of his career, but other teams are interested in signing him.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported the Boston Bruins "would certainly be open to bringing him back" and that the Leafs, along with the Bruins, "hope to talk to him" when the free agency window opens on Tuesday.

Florida already brought back Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett. That makes bringing back Marchand the team's top priority.

Marchand fit in so well in Florida that it's hard to see him signing elsewhere. He could go back to Boston, but the Bruins won't be a Cup contender this season and who knows what Toronto looks like without Marner on the roster.

The safe choice for Marchand is to chase more championships in Florida, no matter what the contract offer looks like.

Prediction: Marchand remains with Panthers

Aaron Ekblad

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The top free-agent defenseman may not return to Florida.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun noted in the network's Insider Trading segment that "Aaron Ekblad, I think, is the pending UFA that ends up going to market."

LeBrun mentioned the Utah Mammoth and Dallas Stars as potential landing spots for the top-line defenseman.

Utah makes sense because it could use a top-tier veteran defenseman to go with all the young talent it has on the roster.

Dallas is an interesting spot because the Stars already have Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley on their defensive depth chart.

If he makes it to market, Ekblad could intrigue a handful of other teams in Utah's position that need a top-line defenseman to take their roster to the next level.

Utah has the cap space and ambition to get a deal done, so that makes a ton of sense as a landing spot if Ekblad doesn't re-sign with the Panthers.

Prediction: Ekblad signs with Utah