NHL Free Agency 2025: Top 10 Available Players & Decisions

Each offseason, a veritable feeding frenzy descends upon the National Hockey League. It’s the period when teams can try to lure top-tier players away from their current organizations and players can ink better and often more lucrative deals: NHL free agency.

NHL free agency is always a buzzy event in the NHL: Fans and teams alike wait on the edge of their seat to find out if a free agent from their own team will stick around or pull on a different jersey in the coming season.

So, which game-changing players will be up for grabs this summer? Here’s your ultimate guide to the top players available during the 2025 NHL free agency period.

You can watch NHL hockey on DIRECTV all season long! Sign up today.

When Does NHL Free Agency Start?

The NHL’s 2025 free agency period began on July 1, 2025 at noon ET.

How Does NHL Free Agency Work?

During NHL free agency, NHL players who are not under contract or whose contracts are expiring are able to sign contracts with a different team. The entire process is governed by the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, an agreement between the league and the player’s union, the National Hockey League Players’ Association, or NHLPA.

Free agency represents an opportunity for teams around the league to bolster their rosters or add veteran or highly skilled talent that would be a good fit for their system. For players, it’s an opportunity to test the waters and see if they can get a better deal to play elsewhere.

Players fall into one of two types of free agent: unrestricted free agents and restricted free agents.

Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA): Players are allowed to sign with any team in the league. To be a UFA, a player needs to have played at least seven seasons in the NHL.

Restricted Free Agents (RFA): These are players whose rights are still held by their team, even after their contract expires.

If another team wants to sign them, they have to disclose the terms to the player’s current team, who will then have an opportunity to match the contract. If they don’t match, they sometimes get a draft pick as compensation for losing the player.

What is the NHL Free Agency Cap?

If a team wants to sign a player, they need to make sure that the compensation they’re offering stays under the NHL salary cap, which is set at about $95.5 million per team for the 2025-26 season.

The Top 10 NHL Free Agents in 2025

So, which free agents are expected to make the biggest splash in free agency this offseason? Here’s our list of the top 10 NHL free agents that will be available for teams to pursue. We’ll keep this list updated as players and teams make decisions.

1. Mitch Marner – Toronto Maple Leafs, Center

• 2024-25 Season Key Stats: 27 goals, 75 assists, 102 points, 7 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Decision: Signed with the Vegas Golden Knights on an eight-year, $96 million contract

The Mitch Marner sweepstakes is over. Marner was undisputably the most sought-after player in free agency this year and the Vegas Golden Knights landed him in a trade-and-sign deal on June 30, inking a contract worth $96 million over eight years, or $12 million annually. The Maple Leafs received center Nicolas Roy.

Marner has been a huge factor in Toronto’s success over the last few seasons. He helped take them to the cusp of the Eastern Conference Final during the postseason and notched a career-high 102 points. He’ll join a Vegas squad that’s been a perennial contender.

2. Sam Bennett – Florida Panthers, Center

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 25 goals, 26 assists, 51 points, 4 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Decision: Re-signed with Florida Panthers on eight-year, $64 million contract

Sam Bennett has been one of the most significant contributors to the Florida Panthers’ back-to-back Stanley Cup titles, and he’s staying put in South Florida. His famously hard-hitting — many would say dirty — style has positioned him as one of the main conduits of the aggressive, physical play that the Panthers have become known for, and for Cats fans he was one of the heroes of the playoffs this year.

3. John Tavares – Toronto Maple Leafs, Center

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 38 goals, 36 assists, 74 points, 8 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Decision: Re-signed with Toronto Maple Leafs on a four-year, $17.2 million contract

John Tavares has been a fixture on the Leafs lines since 2018, and he’s produced for the team throughout the term of his contract, including posting a 38-goal season this year. Tavares is in his mid-30s, but he’s still a solid option at center and Toronto opted to keep him on a four-year, team-friendly deal.

4. Brock Boeser – Vancouver Canucks, Right Wing

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 25 goals, 25 assists, 50 points, 3 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Detroit Red WingsMinnesota WildDecision: Re-signed with the Vancouver Canucks on a seven-year, $7.25 million contract

Vancouver’s Brock Boeser didn’t exactly put up the 40-goal season that he did in 2023-24 this past season, but the former first round pick has still been one of the most consistent scorers in the NHL. Vancouver will benefit from his prolific scoring capabilities for another seven years.

5. Nikolaj Ehlers – Winnipeg Jets, Left Wing

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 24 goals, 39 assists, 63 points, 5 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Potential Landing Spots: Signed with the Carolina Hurricanes on a six-year, $51 million contract

Nikolaj Ehlers is a 10-year veteran in Winnipeg, and he’s been a solid scoring option for the majority of that time. He’s been banged up in recent seasons but has still be a big contributor to the Jets’ breakout success and one of the team’s most consistent scorers in the 2025 playoffs.

Ehlers will head from Winnipeg to Raleigh, where he’ll likely play wing to Hurricanes star center Sebastian Aho, adding the proven offensive weapon that Carolina has been searching for on a long-term contract.

Ehlers presents a very reliable second-line option for any team looking to upgrade their forward lines. The Hurricanes have been in the market to add depth at forward, and losing out on Marner means they could opt for Ehlers instead. Otherwise, the Mammoth will certainly be looking to bolster their own forward lines.

6. Brad Marchand – Florida Panthers, Left Wing

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 23 goals, 28 assists, 51 points, 0 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Decision: Re-signed with the Florida Panthers on a six-year, $31.5 million contract

Brad Marchand left a legendary 16-year run with the Boston Bruins when he was traded to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline, and he made an immediate impact the moment he stepped on the ice. Marchand looked every bit as comfortable with his new squad as any of his longer-tenured teammates and was one of the heroes of the Panthers second consecutive Stanley Cup run.

Now, he’ll spend the next six years as a Panther in South Florida.

7. Aaron Ekblad – Florida Panthers, Defenseman

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 3 goals, 30 assists, 33 points, 2 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Decision: Extended with Florida Panthers, eight years, $48.8 million

Aaron Ekblad is the Panthers’ longest-tenured player, having spent the last 11 seasons in South Florida. He’s not the double-digit goal scorer that we saw in his first decade with the team, but he was still the best defenseman available in free agency. The Panthers opted to extend him rather than let other teams have a shot at signing him.

With Bennett, Marchand and Ekblad all retained, the Panthers look all-in on keeping the core of their championship team intact and making a push for a three-peat Stanley Cup title run.

8. Claude Giroux – Ottawa Senators, Center

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 15 goals, 35 assists, 50 points, 3 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Decision: Extended with the Ottawa Senators, one-year, $4.75 million

Claude Giroux is one of the Senators’ top offensive weapons and a key cog in the machine that took them to their first playoffs appearance since 2017. Sure, he’s 37 years old and his effectiveness has faded a bit, but he was a legend with the Philadelphia Flyers and had been a constant presence on Ottawa’s top line for the last three seasons. He’ll remain in Ottawa for another season at least.

9. Vladislav Gavrikov – Los Angeles Kings, Defenseman

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 5 goals, 25 assists, 30 points, 0 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Decision: Signed with the New York Rangers on a seven-year, $49 million contract.

The Kings wanted to keep Gavrikov around on their blue line crew, but the Rangers wanted him more. Acquiring Gavrikov as free agent opened up the Rangers ability to trade defenseman K’Andre Miller, and they sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2026 conditional first- and a 2026 second-round pick, plus defenseman Scott Morrow.

10. Mikael Granlund – Dallas Stars, Center

• 2024-25 Regular Season Key Stats: 22 goals, 44 assists, 66 points, 3 game-winning goals
• Free Agent Type: UFA
• Decision: Signed with the Anaheim Ducks on a three-year, $7 million contractSt. Louis Blues

Granlund joined the Stars on a trade out of San Jose this season and made an immediate impact in the playoffs, logging a hat trick and helping them make a repeat trip to the Western Conference Finals. Dallas has one of the most potent offensive squads in the league, so Granlund found himself in a mid-line role, but he’d profile as a top three forward for any team looking to add more firepower.

Granlund is a proven scorer, and that’s something that the Carolina Hurricanes have been searching for as they’ve tried to make it over the postseason hump, adding superstars like Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen to no avail. With Marner off the board, Granlund presents be a quality option for the Canes.

Otherwise, teams like the St. Louis Blues and Seattle Kraken are in need of a consistent scoring presence, and he could end up with either of those teams.

Other Notable NHL Free Agents & Signings in 2025

The 10 players above may be the crown jewels of 2025 NHL free agency, but there are plenty of other great players expected to test the market this offseason. Here are some of the other top available NHL free agents.

• Brent Burns – Defenseman, signed with the Colorado Avalanche, one year at $1 million
• Nicklas Backstrom – Center, Washington Capitals
• Dmitry Orlov – Defenseman, signed with the San Jose Sharks, two years at $13 million
• Patrick Kane – Right Wing, re-signed with Detroit, one year at $3 million
• Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Defenseman, San Jose Sharks
• K’Andre Miller – Defenseman, signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, eight years at $60 million
• Pius Suter – Center, signed with the St. Louis Blues, two years at $4.1 million
• Ivan Provorov – Defenseman, re-signed with Columbus Blue Jackets, seven years at $59.5 million
• Corey Perry – Right Wing, signed with the Los Angeles Kings, one year at $2 million
• Ryan Lindgren – Defenseman, signed with the Seattle Kraken, four years at $4.5 million
• Brandon Tanev – Left Wing, signed with the Utah Mammoth, three years at $2.5 million
• Anton Forsberg – Goaltender, signed with the Los Angeles Kings, two years at $4.5 million.

Watch NHL Hockey on DIRECTV

Find out how all of these pending free agents do no matter where they end up playing and watch NHL games every day, all season long with DIRECTV and NHL Center Ice.

Don’t have DIRECTV yet? Sign up today — it’s easy!

DIRECTV Insider brings you our views on what’s happening in streaming, t.v., movies and sports. Companies and persons mentioned are not necessarily associated with and do not necessarily endorse DIRECTV. We will disclose sponsored content on our site when we show it to you, and some of the links on the site may be ads or affiliate links which means DIRECTV may earn compensation from your purchases.