Hello everyone and welcome to the first official 2025 offseason edition of Eastern Edge! I'm Eli Feldman.
Last Tuesday, the Florida Panthers triumphed over the Edmonton Oilers for a second consecutive season to capture the Stanley Cup. Facing a Cup-starved team led by two of the game's brightest stars, the Cats sailed to victory on the back of a roster deeper than the Mariana Trench.
In the wake of another historic Florida Panthers season, considerable attention has surrounded the team's two major trade deadline acquisitions – Seth Jones and Brad Marchand – who played pivotal roles in keeping Lord Stanley in the Sunshine State. Vastly underappreciated, however, are the players signed by the Panthers as free agents last offseason – including Tomas Nosek, A.J. Greer, and Nate Schmidt – who also provided sizeable contributions en route to Lord Stanley's door.
Indeed, the NHL offseason is a critical time for NHL and fantasy managers alike. With this in mind, let's look at five pending UFAs (currently) in the East who are poised to impact the fantasy landscape next season.
Mitch Marner (RW)
What do Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, and Auston Matthews have in common? They're the only people on planet Earth with more points per game than Mitch Marner over the past five NHL regular seasons.
Notwithstanding an elite regular season track record, Marner has grappled with inexorable Playoff demons throughout his NHL career. Between 2019 and 2025, Marner recorded a measly seven assists and zero goals in Games 5, 6, and 7 (20 total GP) for the Leafs. Unfortunately for Mitch the Magician, it seems his greatest trick is disappearing when it matters most.
Set to become a UFA on July 1, all signs point to Marner disappearing one final time as a Maple Leaf – by leaving the City of Toronto. Despite his heavily documented Playoff struggles, Marner is a proven point producer who will undoubtably command top dollar in the free agent market and benefit from prime deployment (both at even strength and on the powerplay) wherever he ends up.
As a superstar with can't-miss playmaking abilities, Marner should be a hot commodity in fantasy drafts next season, regardless of the colours on his jersey or the scars of his journey.
John Tavares (C)
Like longtime teammate Mitch Marner, John Tavares has dealt with his own highs and lows during his time in Toronto. Having solidified himself as one of the game's best players with the New York Islanders, Tavares commenced the "back nine" of his career by inking a monster seven-year, $77 million deal ($11 million AAV) with the Leafs in 2018.
Now at the tail end of that contract, Tavares is on the hunt for a new deal following one of the most productive regular seasons of his career (38–36–74). Although Tavares has publicly professed his desire to remain with his hometown team, his advanced age (by professional hockey standards), coupled with his notorious Playoff struggles, will surely make his next contract considerably less lucrative than his last.
For fantasy purposes, the focus ought not be on what Tavares signs for, but rather where he signs. If last season is any indication, J.T. has plenty of gas left in the tank and should continue to provide mid-round fantasy value as a top-six forward with top power-play minutes (either with the Leafs or elsewhere). However, without prime minutes at even strength or on the powerplay, you'd be wise to say goodbye to Johnny Toronto pronto.
Patrick Kane (RW)
After undergoing major hip resurfacing surgery in 2023, the red curtain looked like it was finally coming down on Showtime. Remarkably, however, Patrick Kane skirted the red curtain in favour of the red Winged Wheel. So far, Kaner has recorded an impressive 106 points in 122 regular season games as a Red Wing (approximately 0.87 points per game), proving that he remains a serviceable top-six forward even at the tender age of 36.
Depending on his landing spot and ability to stay healthy, Kane could very well approach the 65–75 point range once again, making him a valuable mid-round fantasy asset. While age and health are both valid concerns, it looks like Showtime is here to stay for its nineteenth act next season.
Brad Marchand (LW)
The summer of Brad is officially upon us.
A career Boston Bruin, Marchand's deadline day move down south paid major dividends for player and team alike, as Marchy's unique blend of scoring and agitation perfectly complemented Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen on the Panthers' third line.
Despite turning 37 last month, Marchand's ability to stuff multiple stat categories makes him an enduring fantasy asset whenever he takes the ice. Fantasy GMs should monitor Marchand's destination closely and draft accordingly (provided he doesn't down too many Blizzards this offseason, of course).
Sam Bennett (C)
Question: Who remembers when Sam Bennett couldn't complete a single pullup at the 2014 NHL Draft Combine?
Answer: Nobody, because Sam Bennett is a back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion.
Selected fourth overall by the Flames, Sam Bennett's career was marked by inconsistency and underachievement before joining the Panthers in 2021. Since then, Bennett has emerged as a must-own fantasy asset, particularly in leagues that reward hits and penalty minutes.
Amidst the Panthers' belligerent Stanley Cup celebrations this past week, Bennett boldly pledged that he's "not…leaving" the Panthers this offseason. Although the sincerity and sobriety of Bennett's declaration remain up in the air, he's a multi-cat stud worthy of your attention in the lead up to July 1.
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That's all for this week! Stay tuned for the next edition of Eastern Edge next week. Until then, have a great week everyone!