Your Rebuild Opinion? Next Move Coming?

[USAHockey97]

NEEDS:
Scoring up front
Hard to play against forward
Defense
Netminder




Ranking the Top 10 NHL Free Agents in 2025

• Mitch Marner. Team: Toronto Maple Leafs. ...
• Sam Bennett. Team: Florida Panthers. ...
• Nikolaj Ehlers. Team: Winnipeg Jets. ...
• Aaron Ekblad. Team: Florida Panthers. ...
• John Tavares. Team: Toronto Maple Leafs. ...
• Brock Nelson. Team: Colorado Avalanche. ...
• Vladislav Gavrikov. Team: Los Angeles Kings. ...

Ranking the Top 10 NHL Free Agents in 2025

Coming off a career-high 102 points, Toronto Maple Leafs star winger Mitch Marner is unquestionably the crown jewel of the 2025 UFA class.

www.sportsgrid.com

Sports net CA top 12

NHL's Top 12 UFAs of 2025: Latest rumours, reports

Even with franchise studs and key support players signing pocket-padding extensions, the NHL’s 2025 UFA class is still intriguing. Luke Fox has the latest buzz.

www.sportsnet.ca

My criteria:

Must be under (unless a goaltender)
Must be consistent in past play
No injury riddled history


Marner - Too much money. The Wings need A LOT of talent, not one player. For me, he is a hard pass.

#1) Ekblad - From Ontario and the Panthers just traded for Seth Kones, RD, as insurance if he walks.
#1a) Bennett - A mercurial rise in his stock may make him go from 4-9M per, and it appears the Leafs are after him. He may also want to stay in Florida at 7M per. I still make a run at him, but he appears to be a tougher signing.

Defense back up plan
1) Provorov
2) Gavrikov (all reports suggest he re-signs in LA)

Foward back up plan
1) Ehlers
2) Boeser- I really don't like his attitude and the cloud around him, but he may come at a price that works.
3) Marner .... hahahaha



Netminder

Not going to happen. Cossa will get a shot.


TRADES - I just don't see the Wings having enough assets for a big trade. They would have to be lookin at moving ASP and Nate Danielson. I doubt they move MBN, but these are the 3 in the mix. I am leaving Kasper off this list. After this past season, I think he is untouchable.

So Wings will not get that superstar player they need. The backups might be ok so I guess that’s something.

I agree that the wings don’t have the assets to trade despite stockpiling six years of draft picks. Their first round picks are the only hope of high talent players as the rest are pretty much depth. We didn’t get that gem in the later rounds we needed and no one is trading talent for depth.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Idk, I think it’s more likely if it’s not reported we were in on a player than we probably just weren’t.

We heard about us almost trading for Carlo, trying to trade for Trouba, offering Stamkos, etc.

So do you really think we made stealthy offers to guys like Pesce, Montour, or Roy last summer without anyone reporting on it?

I think it’s more likely we just weren’t… for whatever reason. (Probably cost)

All I'm saying is none of that stuff comes from Yzerman. It's probably other GMs, agents, etc. Do you think he has a rep for talking about stuff that doesn't work out? He's said absolutely nothing about the Walman trade, seems pretty clear he's going to be tight lipped about nearly everything he attempts to do.

 

[Frk It]

All I'm saying is none of that stuff comes from Yzerman. It's probably other GMs, agents, etc. Do you think he has a rep for talking about stuff that doesn't work out? He's said absolutely nothing about the Walman trade, seems pretty clear he's going to be tight lipped about nearly everything he attempts to do.

Gotcha, I think I might have misunderstood where you were going with that.

He definitely wants to keep a lid on things as much as possible.

 

[heyfolks]

Agreed…Marner would help us have a shot at the playoffs.

To both comments, we agree to disagree.

1) Marner is not coming to Detroit. He wants to win. I believe he ends up in Vegas or LA but one of the other on the cusp teams with money may win the bidding war.
2) It will be a bidding war and this team needs more than 1 player. OF course I agree he is a star, but you can't handcuff the team build with a single contract.

 

[heyfolks]

TRADE: I just don't think the Wings have the talent, but I'd make a run at JJ PETERKA.

The perpetual rebuild in Buffalo continues.

#1 next year along with Cossa or ASP.

 

[Snuggs]

Marner for some money is better than letting go of a 1st/ASP for a worst player.

 

[SirloinUB]

I'd move 13th and a small to medium add for a piece like Peterka Rossi or Byram (or any names of a similar age/pedigree).

 

[datsyukfan]

To both comments, we agree to disagree.

1) Marner is not coming to Detroit. He wants to win. I believe he ends up in Vegas or LA but one of the other on the cusp teams with money may win the bidding war.
2) It will be a bidding war and this team needs more than 1 player. OF course I agree he is a star, but you can't handcuff the team build with a single contract.

Your first comment may be right be we also don’t know what Marner wants.

To your second point I really just don’t agree at all about the handcuff comment. The cap is going to continue to go up. We have our 3 most important players locked up on long term deals at great contracts. If we can’t afford to pay a superstar what he deserves + maybe a million or two over then why can contenders? I just don’t understand how we aren’t in a position to be able to afford or that we are handcuffing ourselves. Having good prospects and core players on great under value contract is the reason you are able to do it

 

[schuelma24]

Your first comment may be right be we also don’t know what Marner wants.

To your second point I really just don’t agree at all about the handcuff comment. The cap is going to continue to go up. We have our 3 most important players locked up on long term deals at great contracts. If we can’t afford to pay a superstar what he deserves + maybe a million or two over then why can contenders? I just don’t understand how we aren’t in a position to be able to afford or that we are handcuffing ourselves. Having good prospects and core players on great under value contract is the reason you are able to do it

I agree. We're going to have a lot of cap space going forward. If we aren't using it on genuinely good players, what are we doing?

A - just not spending the money. Seems bad. B- spending them on more Copps and Compher's. Seems bad.

 

[SirloinUB]

To both comments, we agree to disagree.

1) Marner is not coming to Detroit. He wants to win. I believe he ends up in Vegas or LA but one of the other on the cusp teams with money may win the bidding war.
2) It will be a bidding war and this team needs more than 1 player. OF course I agree he is a star, but you can't handcuff the team build with a single contract.

I don't think one mega contract will hurt us. Over the last handful of years teams have iced competitive rosters with multiple guys at 9, 10, 11+ on there roster. Given that we have zero players above 9M I think one guy in the 14 range won't kill us. Marner's last contract was at 13.37% of the cap at time of signing. The Leafs had two other guys at higher numbers + a couple of 6 and 7 Million dollar contracts.

We could offer Marner 14.5 Million and still have more flexibility for roster building than the Maple Leafs did the last 6 years.

Of course, it is unlikely that Marner lands in Detroit but we 100% need to be sending him a top offer - I'd probably be comfortable making him the highest paid player in the league. After that all you can do is ensure you have a quality plan B, C, D, Etc.

I won't think twice about an aggressive offer to Marner.

 

[heyfolks]

UPDATING the forwards. Was reading Peterka may become available.

How about a #1 and Cossa or ASP?


As for Marner - The guy is clearly an all star. 7 years at $14M. If that works in today's world, OK, but I just don't see it. Does a team need star power to win? Yes. I see Raymond, Kasper, Edvinsson and maybe Mo emerging as stars. MBN, ASP and Nate are in the pipeline. Heck, maybe they can give Marner $16M per and a shorter deal. That might be a better play to protect the lofty deals that will be needed to keep the young stable intact.

 

[deca guard]

its said that wings interested in undrafted czech goalie named postava

Red Wings linked to goalie who won Czech League championship

Detroit among the clubs reportedly interested in Michal Postava.

www.mlive.com

 

[RabidBadger]

I feel like I'm in bizarro world. People want to give Marner, who Leaf fans can't wait to get rid of, a top dollar contract. Toronto fans can be obnoxious thinking everyone wants to play there, but they know their hockey.

I'll be relieved when some other fool breaks their salary structure signing that gimp.

 

[FMichael]

To both comments, we agree to disagree.

1) Marner is not coming to Detroit. He wants to win. I believe he ends up in Vegas or LA but one of the other on the cusp teams with money may win the bidding war.
2) It will be a bidding war and this team needs more than 1 player. OF course I agree he is a star, but you can't handcuff the team build with a single contract.

Yeah - it’s a long shot at signing Marner, but stranger things have happened (Gaudreau signing with Columbus is an example).

 

[datsyukfan]

I feel like I'm in bizarro world. People want to give Marner, who Leaf fans can't wait to get rid of, a top dollar contract. Toronto fans can be obnoxious thinking everyone wants to play there, but they know their hockey.

I'll be relieved when some other fool breaks their salary structure signing that gimp.

You are in bizarro world, leafs fans may know a lot about hockey but everything they say is done with emotion. Marner should absolutely be someone we are giving top dollar to he is a superstar. They act like he is a complete ghost in the postseason yet he produces at a .90 PPG clip in his career

 

[FMichael]

I feel like I'm in bizarro world. People want to give Marner, who Leaf fans can't wait to get rid of, a top dollar contract. Toronto fans can be obnoxious thinking everyone wants to play there, but they know their hockey.

I'll be relieved when some other fool breaks their salary structure signing that gimp.

Marner for $12 to $14 mill per season, or the trio of Copp/Compher/Chiarot?

Marner just might actually provide more value with the goal of making the playoffs than the other 3.

 

[FMichael]

You are in bizarro world, leafs fans may know a lot about hockey but everything they say is done with emotion. Marner should absolutely be someone we are giving top dollar to he is a superstar. They act like he is a complete ghost in the postseason yet he produces at a .90 PPG clip in his career

If Marner makes the Red Wings a better team - then I think it’s rather silly to thumb your nose at the idea of attempting to sign him.

Who exactly do we have that’s gonna make this club good enough for the postseason?

While Detroit has some impressive young guys coming up, but so far nothing elite.

 

[datsyukfan]

If Marner makes the Red Wings a better team - then I think it’s rather silly to thumb your nose at the idea of attempting to sign him.

Who exactly do we have that’s gonna make this club good enough for the postseason?

While Detroit has some impressive young guys coming up, but so far nothing elite.

100% agree

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

If Marner makes the Red Wings a better team - then I think it’s rather silly to thumb your nose at the idea of attempting to sign him.

Who exactly do we have that’s gonna make this club good enough for the postseason?

While Detroit has some impressive young guys coming up, but so far nothing elite.

Marner for Detroit would make the Wings in the playoffs for sure.

But with that comes that good old cap hit.

 

[datsyukfan]

Marner for Detroit would make the Wings in the playoffs for sure.

But with that comes that good old cap hit.

They have enough money coming off in the next couple years, and the cap is gonna skyrocket. Marner at 13-14 mill won’t even look bad in 2 years

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

They have enough money coming off in the next couple years, and the cap is gonna skyrocket. Marner at 13-14 mill won’t even look bad in 2 years

It will still.

 

[FMichael]

Marner for Detroit would make the Wings in the playoffs for sure.

But with that comes that good old cap hit.

Yup - UFAs of his ability ain’t cheap…Slim chance he’ll want to play in Detroit though…IMHO Yzerman is at least obligated to make a call to his agent if this team ever wants to have a legit shot at making the playoffs.

 

[USAHockey97]

I feel like I'm in bizarro world. People want to give Marner, who Leaf fans can't wait to get rid of, a top dollar contract. Toronto fans can be obnoxious thinking everyone wants to play there, but they know their hockey.

I'll be relieved when some other fool breaks their salary structure signing that gimp.

I agree that it would be a big salary. Thing is, Marner would instantly become the Wings best player with Seider and Raymond right behind. That’s a problem for Detroit, they don’t have enough of the needed high end talent.

 

[Ulysses31]

i agree that marner likely isnt coming to detroit, but if we did sign marner, signed a D, and traded the 1st for a young roster player we would be solidly in the playoffs and i think just as good chance to win as lets say the leafs next year.

 

[RabidBadger]

You are in bizarro world, leafs fans may know a lot about hockey but everything they say is done with emotion. Marner should absolutely be someone we are giving top dollar to he is a superstar. They act like he is a complete ghost in the postseason yet he produces at a .90 PPG clip in his career

His post season numbers aren't bad. If you've watched him over the years, you would say he's not particularly effective at elevating his team in the playoffs. This is the focal point of my argument against dishing top dollar for Marner. If you watched the whole series against Florida and compare him to Bennett, most sane people would say Bennett was more of an impact player. Mind you I'm not banging the table to get Bennett, his next contract will be a disaster.

Oh yeah, he was a pretty whiney little tit in his post season presser, throwing his teammates under the bus. It made Larkin's presser look like a vintage Mark Messier speech.