NHL free agency big board: Where does Marner land? Who are the other top options?

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Greg WyshynskiMay 28, 2025, 07:30 AM ET
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NHL teams caput into this offseason with an knowing of wherever the wage headdress is climbing implicit the adjacent 3 seasons. It's projected to emergence to $95.5 cardinal adjacent season; $104 cardinal successful 2026-27; and past up to $113.5 cardinal successful 2027-28.

That could pb to much teams comfortably retaining their ain players connected expiring contracts. Or it could pb to those players person inflated offers successful escaped agency, arsenic a rising headdress means rising chaos.

Here's a look astatine the unrestricted escaped cause field, organized into antithetic tiers. There are besides immoderate important restricted escaped agents, excessively -- similar forwards Matthew Knies (Maple Leafs), JJ Peterka (Sabres) and Marco Rossi (Wild); and defensemen Evan Bouchard (Oilers), Noah Dobson (Islanders) and K'Andre Miller (Rangers). It's anyone's conjecture if last season's connection expanse fun was an anomaly oregon the caller normal.

The declaration presumption and mean yearly declaration values are courtesy of PuckPedia. In the lawsuit of players whose salaries were retained successful transactions, we're listing the afloat mean yearly worth of their contracts.

Which players are you hoping your squad signs this offseason?

Tier 1: The Mitch Marner tier

The escaped cause who volition gain the astir attraction this offseason.

Mitch Marner, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

Age: 28 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $10,903,000

Marner's noncommittal answers astatine Toronto's postseason media availability did small to discourage the conception that the winger -- who has played his full nine-year vocation with his puerility squad that drafted him 4th wide successful 2015 -- is done successful Toronto. It mightiness beryllium clip for a change: Blaming Marner for the franchise's playoff failures has go an yearly rite, and he'll easy interruption the slope successful unrestricted escaped agency. The lure to permission has ne'er been stronger.

Over the past 5 seasons, six players person much points than Marner (450 successful 357 games): Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Artemi Panarin and David Pastrnak. Marner has the fewest goals scored (138) of that group, but he's importantly amended defensively than astir of that lot: His 14 shorthanded points successful that span necktie him with Aleksander Barkov, who is presently collecting Selke Trophies similar they're Pokémon.

Marner's points-per-game complaint implicit the past 5 regular seasons is 1.26. It dips to 0.93 successful the playoffs during that span. Although helium has 42 points successful 48 games, Marner has been called "passive" and overmuch worse successful the playoffs. Former NHL subordinate Jordan Schmaltz said Marner bails retired of carnal plays successful the postseason similar helium has "a parachute" connected his back.

All of this is to accidental that Marner is simply a analyzable acquisition. The accomplishment is unquestionable. The will, erstwhile the games substance most, has been questioned annually. Who wants that connected their roster, and what is it worth?

It was reported astatine 1 constituent that the Leafs were considering a woody for 8 years and $13.5 cardinal per season, which would person made him the team's highest-paid subordinate annually implicit Auston Matthews ($13.25 million). Mikko Rantanen, who would person been the belle of the escaped cause shot had helium not signed with the Dallas Stars, is making $12 cardinal annually implicit 8 years successful a authorities with nary income tax, for context.

The Carolina Hurricanes tried to get Marner for Rantanen but were rebuffed by the player, who had a afloat no-movement clause -- and a lad who would beryllium calved successful May, making that determination wholly understandable. They've got the headdress space, and the need, to beryllium funny successful Marner again.

Teams connected the emergence specified arsenic the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks and Utah Mammoth person been mentioned for Marner -- if helium inactive wants immoderate of that Original Six flavor, playing successful the Windy City portion threading passes to Connor Bedard wouldn't hurt.

Teams that emotion to marque their offseason splashes specified arsenic the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights person been speculated, arsenic person the Los Angeles Kings and New York Islanders who could look to bash thing big. There has adjacent been speech astir a reunion with erstwhile Leafs wide manager Kyle Dubas astatine the Pittsburgh Penguins -- heck, if the rap connected Marner is that helium can't fig retired playoff hockey, you could bash a batch worse than having Sidney Crosby arsenic your tutor for a mates of seasons.

All of this is assuming helium leaves Toronto. While it surely looks similar that'll happen, let's each retrieve the aureate regularisation of NHL escaped agency: His worldly is there.

Tier 2: The interaction players

These are established players who tin play key, contiguous roles for a team.

Sam Bennett, C, Florida Panthers

Age: 29 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $4.425 million

Bennett is fundamentally the anti-Marner: The bulk of his worth is derived from his win-at-all-costs postseason play, with the "costs" typically being the carnal wellbeing of opponents. Bennett is simply a dependable regular-season performer, arsenic helium had 25 goals and 26 assists this play for the Panthers to spell on with 90 punishment minutes.

He's going to beryllium paid handsomely this summer. Perhaps by idiosyncratic looking to person him beryllium the past portion of their title puzzle; oregon possibly arsenic a Stanley Cup-winning teacher who tin instruct a middling squad however to instrumentality the adjacent step.

The presumption is that idiosyncratic is going to terms the Panthers retired of Bennett, but let's retrieve 2 things here: He loves playing for Florida, and GM Bill Zito knows what an indispensable constituent Bennett has been successful their postseason occurrence -- and that Bennett comprises a dynamic duo with prima Matthew Tkachuk. The 2 sides person engaged successful declaration talks during the season.

Brock Boeser, RW, Vancouver Canucks

Age: 28 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $6.65 million

There's astir apt much involvement extracurricular of Vancouver successful signing Boeser than wrong the Canucks organization, which has sent mixed signals astir retaining him. He is 1 play removed from a 40-goal run and has eased concerns astir his quality to stay successful the lineup for a afloat season.

There's been dense speculation that the Burnsville, Minn., autochthonal could find his mode to the Wild, but don't number retired imaginable suitors specified arsenic the Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils.

Nikolaj Ehlers, LW/RW, Winnipeg Jets

Age: 29 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $6 million

Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has done an awesome occupation dispelling the "no 1 wants to motion successful Winnipeg" accusation, having gotten Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck and Neal Pionk to re-up successful the past fewer years. Ehlers is his latest test.

"We'll enactment our champion ft guardant with him to effort to marque our lawsuit to beryllium a unsocial Jet-for-life-type player," Cheveldayoff said.

A accordant constituent producer, Ehlers enactment his champion ft guardant toward a escaped cause payday with his champion points per 60 minutes mean (3.5) successful 5 years. He is an violative unit -- erstwhile helium is successful the lineup, arsenic Ehlers has played implicit 70 games conscionable erstwhile successful the past 4 seasons, and helium has missed clip successful the playoffs, arsenic well.

Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers

Age: 29 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $7.5 million

The communal reasoning erstwhile the Panthers acquired Seth Jones from the Blackhawks was that the squad would fto No. 1 defenseman Aaron Ekblad locomotion arsenic a escaped agent. But Zito has been adamant that the squad could inactive clasp the vocation Panther, adjacent with Jones adding $7 cardinal to their bluish enactment and with Florida having different contractual concern to code (like a imaginable caller woody for Bennett).

With options specified arsenic Jakob Chychrun having re-signed up of escaped bureau (eight years, $72 cardinal with Washington), Ekblad is easy the champion big-name D-man disposable -- and 1 with a Stanley Cup ring, nary less. He had 33 points with an mean crystal clip of 23:31 successful 56 games this season, which was truncated by a 20-game suspension for violating the presumption of the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program.

Brad Marchand, LW, Florida Panthers

Age: 37 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $6.125 million

There's been nary amended advertisement for the prima winger's worth than what helium has done with the Panthers aft they acquired him from the Bruins. He has brought a seasoned tenacity to their bottommost six, portion occasionally popping up to play with Aleksander Barkov. He has produced, too, with 13 points successful 16 playoff games.

As manager Paul Maurice noted, the Panthers needed a subordinate arsenic vocal and media-friendly arsenic Marchand to instrumentality the unit disconnected immoderate of the much serene talents connected the team.

If helium doesn't stay successful Sunrise, determination volition beryllium nary shortage of teams funny successful adding his winning pedigree -- though wage and word volition beryllium the instrumentality successful signing him. Let's look it: There wouldn't beryllium a adjacent section much absorbing than Marchand signing with the Maple Leafs, the squad helium has tormented for years -- but helium has precocious admitted to cheering for the Leafs arsenic a kid increasing up successful Halifax.

Brock Nelson, C, Colorado Avalanche

Age: 33 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $6 million

Nelson was 1 of respective players the Avalanche added successful their trade deadline buying spree that couldn't get them past Dallas successful the opening round. Nelson had six goals and 7 assists successful 19 games for the Avs successful the regular play but went scoreless successful 4 of their 7 playoff games against Dallas.

Was the acceptable bully capable for some that helium seeks to widen successful Colorado, oregon are determination different destinations for Nelson to bring his assortment of skills and get immoderate other declaration word successful the process?

John Tavares, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

Age: 34 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $11 million

While Mitch Marner was noncommittal astir his aboriginal successful Toronto, Tavares did everything but loop retired a mentation of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from "Dreamgirls" aft their playoff elimination.

"I've expressed my tendency to enactment and wanting to marque it work," the veteran halfway said.

Do the Leafs bring him backmost astatine the close terms point, oregon is Tavares different roster sacrifice made successful the sanction of changing the premix aft their playoff disappointment? One intriguing imaginable destination: Utah, which could usage some a big-name escaped cause signing and a seasoned beingness successful the middle.

Tier 3: The champion bets

These players person shown they're worthy the investment.

Matt Duchene, C, Dallas Stars

Age: 34 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $3 million

Duchene has recovered a acceptable successful Dallas, and Dallas recovered a acceptable successful Duchene. He was 1 of the champion worth signings past offseason, inking a one-year hold worthy $3 cardinal earlier tallying 82 points successful 82 games, his champion violative play since 2021-22 with Nashville. His playoff output done 16 games was little exceptional with conscionable 1 extremity and 5 assists.

Given the deficiency of unrestricted escaped cause seasoned scorers with his credentials, determination could beryllium temptation to cheque however greenish the writer is elsewhere. But it's imaginable Duchene is pursuing that late-career way of different veterans: Taking a bid of one-year deals to stay with a squad helium likes.

Vladislav Gavrikov, D, Los Angeles Kings

Age: 29 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $5.875 million

Gavrikov conscionable completed a two-year woody that helium signed with wide manager Rob Blake successful 2023. The wrinkle here: Blake is nary longer the GM, with Ken Holland present astatine the helm successful Los Angeles.

Gavrikov had a beardown antiaircraft play with the Kings and chipped successful 30 points (five goals, 25 assists), which was the second-highest full of his six-season career. He was coagulated erstwhile paired with either Mikey Anderson oregon Jordan Spence.

All of this it accidental that the Kings should question to clasp Gavrikov. But if his caller woody is excessively affluent for what Holland wants to bash with the remainder of this roster, different teams volition gladly adhd him to their bluish line.

Claude Giroux, C, Ottawa Senators

Age: 37 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $6.5 million

Barring thing unforeseen, Giroux should widen his narration with the Senators earlier escaped bureau hits. He had 50 points successful 81 games this past season, his 3rd with Ottawa, which made the playoffs for the archetypal clip successful 8 seasons.

There's nary crushed to judge helium won't inactive beryllium a Senator adjacent season, but if helium shakes loose, helium has capable violative popular near to assistance someone.

Yanni Gourde, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

Age: 33 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $5,166,666

He was coveted astatine the commercialized deadline arsenic a quintessential checking halfway with Stanley Cup title experience. Gourde ended up going backmost to the Lightning from the Seattle Kraken, for whom helium tallied 14 points successful 21 games but was a nonfactor successful 5 playoff games.

GM Julien BriseBois has said the squad acquired Gourde with the thought of keeping him beyond this season. But arsenic Steven Stamkos volition attest, that usually means it'll hap based connected the Lightning's economics, which mightiness not sync with Gourde's.

Mikael Granlund, C, Dallas Stars

Age: 33 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $5 million

One of respective large moves made by Stars GM Jim Nill this season, Granlund was rescued from past spot San Jose, for which helium posted 45 points successful 52 games. Granlund had 21 points successful 31 games for Dallas past 9 successful 16 playoff games portion skating connected the "Finnish Mafia" enactment with Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz.

Someone is astir apt going to overpay for Granlund, whose uptick successful extremity scoring has coincided with pending escaped agency. But helium has produced points wherever helium has played (Pittsburgh excluded).

Kyle Palmieri, RW, New York Islanders

Age: 34 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $5 million

Palmieri offers caller Islanders wide manager Mathieu Darche 1 of his archetypal challenges. It's wide that erstwhile GM Lou Lamoriello wanted to widen the winger, hanging connected to him astatine the commercialized deadline. There's virtuousness to that: Palmieri registered 30 goals and 24 goals implicit the past 2 seasons, and discourtesy isn't precisely successful abundance connected the Islanders' roster.

That said, it's precocious clip for New York to crook implicit the roster Lamoriello built to diminishing returns, and Palmieri has been determination since 2021.

Ivan Provorov, D, Columbus Blue Jackets

Age: 28 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $6.75 million

Provorov is simply a bully skater who tin play connected the powerfulness play and the punishment termination portion munching sizeable minutes (23:21 per game). He's a precise coagulated puck mover who has elite puck-retrieval skills. If the Blue Jackets clasp him, helium tin beryllium the seasoned anchor for their 2nd pairing down Zach Werenski.

They hung onto him astatine the commercialized deadline, and wide manager Don Waddell said helium wants to motion him this summer. If Provorov hits the unfastened market, helium won't beryllium the lone GM with that aim.

Tier 4: The champion values

Under-the-radar gems, analytics darlings and difference-makers with low-cost contracts.

Anthony Beauvillier, F, Washington Capitals

Age: 27 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $1.25 million

This isn't the archetypal clip Beauvillier has been successful this tier, but his play with the Penguins and the Capitals underscored however invaluable helium tin beryllium connected a fund contract, particularly his six points successful 10 playoff games with the Caps successful their little playoff run.

Strong underlying numbers, bully output and inactive lone 27 until adjacent month.

Connor Brown, RW, Edmonton Oilers

Age: 31 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $1 million

If it wasn't for that different Connor stealing each the attraction successful Edmonton, possibly much radical would person appreciated the regular play Connor Brown had for the Oilers -- 13 goals and 17 assists successful 82 games, skating to a plus-9 successful 14:01 of mean crystal clip per crippled -- connected a bargain of a contract.

It took his playoff outburst -- 5 goals and 3 assists done 14 games -- to truly drawback immoderate attention:

A hard-working, pace-setting player.

Evgenii Dadonov, F, Dallas Stars

Age: 36 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $2.25 million

"Daddy" had an awesome locomotion twelvemonth with 20 goals and 20 assists successful 80 games. He saw akin averages successful the archetypal twelvemonth of his two-year woody with Dallas. He is ne'er getting backmost to the violative numbers helium posted successful his prime, but astatine the close mean yearly value, Dadonov tin beryllium an violative spot successful the regular season.

Brian Dumoulin, D, New Jersey Devils

Age: 33 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $3.15 million

The erstwhile Anaheim Duck was a trade-deadline pickup for New Jersey who was pressed into much work than expected owed to injuries to the Devils' antiaircraft corps successful the playoffs. In their five-game bid against Carolina, Dumoulin averaged 29:21 per crippled successful crystal time, skating implicit 36 minutes successful 2 overtime games and playing good successful the process.

The two-time Cup victor with Pittsburgh inactive tin bring it successful the postseason.

Dante Fabbro, D, Columbus Blue Jackets

Age: 26 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $2.5 million

Yes, that's Dante Fabbro of the Why connected world did the Nashville Predators enactment Dante Fabbro connected waivers past season? fame. The Preds' nonaccomplishment and the Jackets' gain, arsenic Fabbro had 26 points successful 62 games, skating to a plus-23 with Columbus arsenic Zach Werenski's partner.

The underlying numbers reaffirm helium was large connected some ends of the ice. Obviously, a batch of that is playing with a Norris Trophy finalist, but Fabbro earned his clip with Werenski.

Matt Grzelcyk, D, Pittsburgh Penguins

Age: 31 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $2.75 million

The erstwhile Boston Bruins defenseman had a softly beardown play for the Penguins with 1 extremity but 39 assists -- 24 of them astatine adjacent strength. Defense was ne'er his calling card, but offensively, helium was coagulated successful accepted stats and analytics.

Victor Olofsson, F, Vegas Golden Knights

Age: 29 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $1.075 million

Wait, a erstwhile Buffalo Sabres guardant being acquired by the Golden Knights and uncovering his crippled again? Never seen that before ...

Anyway, Olofsson had 15 goals and 14 assists connected a bargain-basement "show me" contract. He has demonstrated successful the past that, erstwhile healthy, helium has a ton of violative upside.

Reilly Smith, F, Vegas Golden Knights

Age: 34/2024-25 headdress deed $5 million

There's a crushed the Golden Knights ran it backmost with Smith astatine the commercialized deadline. He is simply a perfectively serviceable extent guardant who is going to nutrient decently connected discourtesy and tin lend connected some peculiar teams.

He is good if formed successful the close relation -- that is, not a top-line winger -- arsenic the Rangers discovered.

Pius Suter, F, Vancouver Canucks

Age: 29 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $1.6 million

Suter is teetering connected the brink of a imaginable overpay, aft mounting vocation highs successful goals (25) and points (46) successful a declaration twelvemonth with the Canucks. But his extremity accumulation has been dependable successful constricted roles passim his career, and helium does capable distant from the puck -- according to the analytics -- that adjacent a dip successful past season's numbers won't marque a multiplier connected his headdress deed regrettable.

Tier 5: The boom-or-busts

Players who person the quality to warrant the concern oregon whose contracts could yet go an eyesore connected PuckPedia.

Jamie Benn, LW, Dallas Stars

Age: 35 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $9.5 million

Benn signed his eight-year declaration successful July 2016, but it someway feels overmuch longer agone than that. Perhaps due to the fact that of his 16-year tenure with Dallas; erstwhile Benn was a rookie, Mike Modano was inactive connected the Stars. But besides due to the fact that this declaration was a taxable of statement from the infinitesimal it was signed.

While Benn's astir productive violative days are down him, helium has inactive managed 49 points successful 80 games this play successful a constricted role; helium has been nether 16 minutes successful mean crystal clip for the past 3 seasons.

GM Nill said Benn volition beryllium a Dallas Star for life, but the 2 decided to person this play play retired earlier talking extension. Benn's worth is successful his leadership, physicality and intangibles. But Dallas oregon whichever squad signs him needs to tread lightly successful AAV and word here.

Brent Burns, D, Carolina Hurricanes

Age: 40 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $8 million

The beard, the ranch, the mysterious container filled with mysterious items. There are fewer NHL players who person inspired the benignant of lore that Brent Burns has. He besides utilized to animate a batch of offense, but that accumulation has fallen disconnected steeply implicit the past 2 seasons -- from 61 points to 43 points to 29 points successful 82 games this season, the lowest mean of points per 60 minutes of his career.

Is this tally the extremity of the enactment for Burns? He hasn't said. But there's ever going to beryllium a marketplace for a puck-moving defenseman successful the NHL who tin log 20 minutes per game.

Ryan Donato, F, Chicago Blackhawks

Age: 29 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $2 million

Donato had an all-timer walk-year bump this past season, mounting caller vocation highs successful goals (31) and assists (31) successful 80 games with the Blackhawks. He was talking to Chicago astir a caller woody astir the commercialized deadline, and the Hawks opted not to determination him. That's an denotation they spot him arsenic portion of their radical moving forward. Having chemistry with Connor Bedard astir apt doesn't hurt.

The questions now: How does 1 quantify that successful a contract? And tin Donato repetition the feat successful a noncontract year?

Jonathan Drouin, F, Colorado Avalanche

Age: 30 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $2.5 million

Drouin recaptured his violative crippled with Colorado, which acquired him with the encouragement of his inferior hockey teammate Nathan MacKinnon. It was a heartwarming story. Less truthful was the information that, erstwhile again, the wounded bug munched connected him this past season.

He had 37 points successful 43 games, showing that erstwhile he's successful the lineup helium tin beryllium effective. Operative phrase: erstwhile he's successful the lineup.

Patrick Kane, RW, Detroit Red Wings

Age: 36 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $4 million

We astir enactment "Showtime" successful the "best bets" class fixed however helium outperformed his incentive-laden, one-year declaration with Detroit past play by tallying 21 goals and 38 points successful 72 games. He played good with longtime linemate Alex DeBrincat and responded good erstwhile Detroit hired Todd McLellan to instrumentality implicit arsenic coach.

The contented with Kane is connected the different broadside of the puck, wherever helium was analytically the weakest antiaircraft guardant connected the Red Wings.

Andrei Kuzmenko, F, Los Angeles Kings

Age: 29 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $5.5 million

Kuzmenko acceptable truly nicely with the Kings aft they acquired him from the Flyers. He seemed to beryllium the subordinate Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe had been waiting for to articulation their line. Assuming caller GM Ken Holland sees it the aforesaid way, it's going to beryllium intriguing to find retired however that is valued successful respect to AAV and term.

If Holland doesn't, past Kuzmenko volition beryllium onto a 5th squad successful 3 seasons, tantalized by his violative popular and power-play prowess.

Ryan Lindgren, D, Colorado Avalanche

Age: 27 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $4.5 million

The Rangers traded the 27-year-old to the Avalanche astatine the commercialized deadline. He's a coagulated antiaircraft defenseman who could complement a puck-moving partner, similar helium did successful New York with Adam Fox.

But astatine this constituent successful Lindgren's NHL career, it's practically predestined that helium is going to either play done injuries oregon miss immoderate clip due to the fact that of them.

Dmitry Orlov, D, Carolina Hurricanes

Age: 33 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $7.75 million

Orlov amazed galore the past clip helium was a escaped cause by signing a short-term, high-AAV declaration with the Hurricanes. He had a flimsy uptick successful violative accumulation this play but remained conscionable supra replacement level arsenic a defender. Orlov has been particularly unsmooth successful his ain extremity successful the playoffs.

While the Canes could fto him walk, there's apt worth successful keeping Orlov astir arsenic a spouse and mentor to rookie Alexander Nikishin, who looks similar thing special.

Jeff Skinner, LW, Edmonton Oilers

Age: 33 | 2024-2025 headdress hit: $3 million

What was expected to beryllium 1 of the champion worth signings successful the NHL past offseason ne'er truly worked retired that mode for Skinner and Edmonton. He had 16 goals and 13 assists successful 72 games, skating conscionable 12:60 connected average. He did look successful 1 playoff crippled against the Kings, his archetypal postseason enactment of his 15-year career.

Skinner is 2 seasons removed from a 35-goal run with Buffalo.

Jonathan Toews, C

Age: 37 | 2022-23 headdress hit: $10.5 million

We cognize what benignant of subordinate Toews was for the Blackhawks: a Selke Trophy-winning skipper who won 3 Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe, 1 who was inactive putting up numbers (31 points successful 53 games) heavy into the Chicago rebuild.

But we don't cognize what benignant of subordinate helium is now, having past appeared successful a crippled backmost successful April 2023 earlier stepping distant from the NHL for wellness considerations and idiosyncratic growth.

Toews has expressed an involvement successful coming backmost to play again. That has led to speculation astir a comeback with everyone from his hometown Winnipeg Jets to the championship-starved Maple Leafs to the Oilers, for whom his aged GM Stan Bowman present works.

Tier 6: The goalies

The few, the proud, the disposable goaltenders

Jake Allen, New Jersey Devils

Age: 34 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $3.85 million

Allen outplayed Jacob Markstrom successful the regular season, with a higher prevention percent (.908), much goals saved supra expected (8.75) and conscionable arsenic galore shutouts (four). The Devils similar their goaltending, and GM Tom Fitzgerald has discussed negotiating to bring Allen back. But fixed the different options connected the escaped cause goaltending market, idiosyncratic mightiness spell higher than the Devils are consenting to go.

Alexander Georgiev, San Jose Sharks

Age: 29 | 2024-25 headdress hit: $3.4 million

The erstwhile starter for the Colorado Avalanche, Georgiev was sent to the Sharks successful the Mackenzie Blackwood trade. Things weren't each the amended for him there, arsenic Georgiev had minus-13.7 goals saved supra expected successful 31 games for San Jose.

GM Mike Grier already told the goaltender helium won't beryllium backmost with the Sharks adjacent season.