Ranking the Top 30 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents in 2025
Paul Connor
Host · Writer
30. Evgenii Dadonov
Team: Dallas Stars
Age: 36 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 80 GP | 20 G | 20 A | 40 PTS
Career Stats: 617 GP | 163 G | 198 A | 361 PTS
1. Mitch Marner
Disclaimer: This article is a continuation of our original Top 10 free agent rankings. Players who have since signed new deals are still included for continuity and context, with their contract status updated accordingly.
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 28 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 81 GP | 27 G | 75 A | 102 PTS
Career Stats: 657 GP | 221 G | 520 A | 741 PTS
Don't let Toronto's playoff woes fool you. Coming off a career-high 102 points, Mitch Marner is a magician with the puck and unquestionably the crown jewel of the 2025 UFA class. The question isn't whether the 28-year-old is in for a massive pay day, but rather how high the annual value will climb in what is expected to be a bidding war for his services.
2. Sam Bennett
Team: Florida Panthers
Age: 29 | Position: Center
2024-25 Stats: 76 GP | 25 G | 26 A | 51 PTS
Career Stats: 691 GP | 162 G | 174 A | 336 PTS
Some love his grit, others hate his antics. But come playoff time, Sam Bennett always shows up. The Conn Smythe winner's blend of physicality and timely goals makes him an ideal signing for any Cup contender.
Update: Bennett has re-signed with the Panthers on an eight-year, $64 million contract.
3. Nikolaj Ehlers
Team: Winnipeg Jets
Age: 29 | Position: Left Wing
2024-25 Stats: 69 GP | 24 G | 39 A | 63 PTS
Career Stats: 674 GP | 255 G | 295 A | 520 PTS
Speed kills, and Nikolaj Ehlers has plenty of it. Despite a few injury setbacks, Ehlers has scored 20+ goals in eight of his ten NHL seasons. That kind of consistency is hard to ignore.
4. Aaron Ekblad
Team: Florida Panthers
Age: 29 | Position: Right Defenseman
2024-25 Stats: 56 GP | 3 G | 30 A | 33 PTS
Career Stats: 732 GP | 118 G | 262 A | 380 PTS
Aaron Ekblad's been a cornerstone on the Panthers’ blue line for over a decade, helping power the Cats to back-to-back Stanley Cup triumphs. A 20-game PED suspension raised some eyebrows, but his on-ice response has silenced most critics. He’s still the top defenseman hitting the market.
Update: Ekblad has re-signed with the Panthers on an eight-year, $48.8 million contract.
5. John Tavares
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 34 | Position: Center
2024-25 Stats: 75 GP | 38 G | 36 A | 74 PTS
Career Stats: 1,184 GP | 494 G | 620 A | 1,114 PTS
John Tavares showed he still has plenty left in the tank, as evidenced by his 38 tallies. His elite touch around the net and faceoff dominance offer veteran value at a discount.
Update: Tavares has re-signed with the Maple Leafs on a four-year, $17.5 million contract.
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6. Brock Nelson
Team: Colorado Avalanche
Age: 33 | Position: Center
2024-25 Stats: 80 GP | 26 G | 30 A | 56 PTS
Career Stats: 920 GP | 301 G | 286 A | 587 PTS
Productive two-way centers are always in demand. Brock Nelson's 54 points in 85 career playoff games only add to his appeal.
Update: Nelson has re-signed with the Avalanche on a three-year, $22.5 million contract.
7. Vladislav Gavrikov
Team: Los Angeles Kings
Age: 29 | Position: Left Defenseman
2024-25 Stats: 82 GP | 5 G | 25 A | 30 PTS
Career Stats: 435 GP | 29 G | 106 A | 135 PTS
Vladislav Gavrikov doesn't boast the offensive upside of some of the league's elite blueliners, but his shutdown skills and physicality add tremendous value, particularly come playoff time.
8. Ivan Provorov
Team: Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 28 | Position: Left Defenseman
2024-25 Stats: 82 GP | 7 G | 26 A | 33 PTS
Career Stats: 696 GP | 77 G | 205 A | 282 PTS
Durable and dependable, Ivan Provorov hasn’t missed a game in three seasons. He skates well, moves the puck efficiently, and eats minutes — exactly what teams want in a top-four D-man.
9. Brock Boeser
Team: Vancouver Canucks
Age: 28 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 75 GP | 25 G | 25 A | 50 PTS
Career Stats: 554 GP | 204 G | 230 A | 434 PTS
Brock Boeser's got a wicked shot, no doubt. But after lighting the lamp 40 times in 2023-24, his drop to 25 this season has again raised concerns about his consistency. Still, the talent is undeniable, and if he finds the right fit, he could easily get back to sniping at an elite level.
10. Matt Duchene
Team: Dallas Stars
Age: 34 | Position: Center
2024-25 Stats: 82 GP | 30 G | 52 A | 82 PTS
Career Stats: 1,138 GP | 371 G | 520 A | 891 PTS
Matt Duchene's quiet playoff run shouldn't erase a highly productive regular season. He’s still a slick offensive talent and could be a bargain for teams looking to add scoring punch.
Update: Duchene has re-signed with the Stars on a four-year, $18 million contract.
11. Brad Marchand
Team: Florida Panthers
Age: 37 | Position: Left Wing
2024-25 Stats: 71 GP | 23 G | 28 A | 51 PTS
Career Stats: 1100 GP | 424 G | 556 A | 980 PTS
12. Mikael Granlund
Team: Dallas Stars
Age: 33 | Position: Center/Left Wing
2024-25 Stats: 83 GP | 22 G | 44 A | 66 PTS
Career Stats: 902 GP | 179 G | 431 A | 610 PTS
13. Jake Allen
Team: New Jersey Devils
Age: 34 | Position: Goaltender
2024-25 Stats: 31 GP | 13 W | 16 L | 4 SO | 2.66 GAA | .906 SV%
Career Stats: 460 GP | 208 W | 184 L | 28 SO | 2.76 GAA | .908 SV%
14. Ryan Donato
Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 29 | Position: Center/Left Wing
2024-25 Stats: 80 GP | 31 G | 31 A | 62 PTS
Career Stats: 438 GP | 108 G | 119 A | 227 PTS
Update: Donato has re-signed with the Blackhawks on a four-year, $16 million contract.
15. Dmitry Orlov
Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 33 | Position: Left Defenseman
2024-25 Stats: 76 GP | 6 G | 22 A | 28 PTS
Career Stats: 867 GP | 76 G | 251 A | 327 PTS
16. Patrick Kane
Team: Detroit Red Wings
Age: 36 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 72 GP | 21 G | 38 A | 59 PTS
Career Stats: 1302 GP | 492 G | 851 A | 1343 PTS
17. Jonathan Toews
Team: None
Age: 37 | Position: Center
2024-25 Stats: DNP
Career Stats: 1067 GP | 372 G | 511 A | 883 PTS
Toews is attempting a comeback after sitting out the past two seasons due to health issues. The future Hall of Famer last played in the 2022-23 campaign, recording 31 points in 53 games for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Update: Toews has agreed to a one-year, $2M contract with the Winnipeg Jets.
18. Claude Giroux
Team: Ottawa Senators
Age: 37 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 81 GP | 15 G | 35 A | 50 PTS
Career Stats: 1263 GP | 365 G | 751 A | 1116 PTS
Update: Giroux has re-signed with the Senators on a one-year, $2 million contract.
19. Brent Burns
Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 40 | Position: Right Defenseman
2024-25 Stats: 82 GP | 6 G | 23 A | 29 PTS
Career Stats: 1497 GP | 261 G | 649 A | 910 PTS
20. Jonathan Drouin
Team: Colorado Avalanche
Age: 30 | Position: Left Wing
2024-25 Stats: 43 GP | 11 G | 26 A | 37 PTS
Career Stats: 607 GP | 107 G | 267 A | 374 PTS
21. Jamie Benn
Team: Dallas Stars
Age: 35 | Position: Left Wing
2024-25 Stats: 80 GP | 16 G | 33 A | 49 PTS
Career Stats: 1192 GP | 399 G | 557 A | 956 PTS
Update: Benn has re-signed with the Stars on a one-year deal worth up to $4 million.
22. Pius Suter
Team: Vancouver Canucks
Age: 29 | Position: Center
2024-25 Stats: 81 GP | 25 G | 21 A | 46 PTS
Career Stats: 364 GP | 82 G | 80 A | 162 PTS
23. Jack Roslovic
Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 28 | Position: Center
2024-25 Stats: 81 GP | 22 G | 17 A | 39 PTS
Career Stats: 526 GP | 102 G | 158 A | 260 PTS
24. Andrei Kuzmenko
Team: Los Angeles Kings
Age: 29 | Position: Left Wing
2024-25 Stats: 66 GP | 11 G | 26 A | 37 PTS
Career Stats: 219 GP | 72 G | 85 A | 157 PTS
25. Reilly Smith
Team: Vegas Golden Knights
Age: 34 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 79 GP | 13 G | 27 A | 40 PTS
Career Stats: 919 GP | 226 G | 327 A | 553 PTS
26. Ryan Lindgren
Team: Colorado Avalanche
Age: 27 | Position: Left Defenseman
2024-25 Stats: 72 GP | 4 G | 18 A | 22 PTS
Career Stats: 405 GP | 14 G | 88 A | 102 PTS
27. Matt Grzelcyk
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 31 | Position: Left Defenseman
2024-25 Stats: 82 GP | 1 G | 39 A | 40 PTS
Career Stats: 527 GP | 26 G | 149 A | 175 PTS
28. Andrew Mangiapane
Team: Washington Capitals
Age: 29 | Position: Left Wing
2024-25 Stats: 81 GP | 14 G | 14 A | 28 PTS
Career Stats: 498 GP | 123 G | 120 A | 243 PTS
29. Corey Perry
Team: Edmonton Oilers
Age: 40 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 81 GP | 19 G | 11 A | 30 PTS
Career Stats: 1392 GP | 448 G | 487 A | 935 PTS
30. Evgenii Dadonov
Team: Dallas Stars
Age: 36 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 80 GP | 20 G | 20 A | 40 PTS
Career Stats: 617 GP | 163 G | 198 A | 361 PTS
1. Mitch Marner
Disclaimer: This article is a continuation of our original Top 10 free agent rankings. Players who have since signed new deals are still included for continuity and context, with their contract status updated accordingly.
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 28 | Position: Right Wing
2024-25 Stats: 81 GP | 27 G | 75 A | 102 PTS
Career Stats: 657 GP | 221 G | 520 A | 741 PTS
Don't let Toronto's playoff woes fool you. Coming off a career-high 102 points, Mitch Marner is a magician with the puck and unquestionably the crown jewel of the 2025 UFA class. The question isn't whether the 28-year-old is in for a massive pay day, but rather how high the annual value will climb in what is expected to be a bidding war for his services.
