Hello everyone and welcome to the latest Top 10! I’m Eli Feldman.

With September around the corner, training camps are about to begin – and perhaps the most eventful offseason in recent memory is about to end. Since the Cats were crowned kings of the hockey world yet again in June, many teams – from pretenders to contenders – have made meaningful moves to shape the future directions of their respective franchises. 

From surprising signings to blockbuster trades, here are the Top 10 headlines from the 2025 NHL offseason.

(Statistics courtesy of Frozen Tools)

10.    Zegras Flies to Philly

The Flyers shook things up this offseason by acquiring silky-smooth centre Trevor Zegras from the Ducks. Known for his dazzling creativity and highlight-reel plays, Zegras was limited to a total of just 47 points in 88 games during his final two seasons in Anaheim after posting 61 and 65 points in 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively.

Now in the City of Brotherly Love, Z will look to get things back on track in Philadelphia with a growing crop of young talent. Although it remains to be seen exactly where he slots into Philly’s lineup, new Head Coach Rick Tocchet will likely rely on Zegras to jumpstart the Flyers’ offense, both at even strength and on the power play.

With an opportunity to join a new system alongside sensational sophomore Matvei Michkov and company, Trevor Zegras could vault himself back into fantasy relevance this upcoming season.

9.    Kreider Arrives in Anaheim

Sticking with an Anaheim-related transaction, Chris Kreider exited the Big Apple stage right this offseason, trading in New York City’s skyscrapers for California’s clear blue skies. Kreider’s move out West provides the Ducks with a veteran winger capable of contributing to the team’s new-look top six. While he’s not getting any younger, the 34-year-old winger is just one season removed from three consecutive 35+ goal campaigns, including a 52-goal explosion in 2021-22.

Despite his down year last season, Kreider is an effective power forward who has enjoyed immense success manning the net-front position on the power play throughout his career. Assuming he remains healthy, Kreider is a strong bounce back candidate whose leadership and stability could help the Ducks soar to new heights in 2025-26.

8.    Hawks Lock Up Nazar

Last Thursday, the Blackhawks signed Frank Nazar to a seven-year, $46.13M ($6.6M AAV) extension. The deal is a big bet on a small sample size, as Nazar has only played a total of 56 games in his NHL career. With that said, Nazar finished last season on a high note, posting eight goals and eight assists in his final 27 games and showing signs of why he was selected 13th overall just three years ago.

From a fantasy perspective, Nazar’s value will depend on his deployment. While a second-line role could limit Nazar’s scoring opportunities given Chicago’s lack of depth, a top-line role alongside franchise cornerstone Connor Bedard could help Frank the Tank go boom this season.  

7.    Rossi Re-Signs with the Wild

Amid rumours of a potential contract holdout, the Minnesota Wild locked up Marco Rossi with a three-year, $15M extension this offseason.

Rossi made significant strides during his second full NHL season, improving many of his key offensive metrics and peripheral stats while averaging over 18 minutes of ice time per game during the regular season. However, Rossi’s TOI/game dipped to around 11 minutes during the Wild’s six-game playoff series against Vegas, indicating that the Wild’s brass may not view Rossi as an indispensable part of the team’s core just yet.

While Rossi’s short-term value may be limited by usage, his upside as a versatile, scoring forward remains appealing if he can claim a role on Minnesota’s top line this season.

6.    Gibson Moves to Mo Town

After years of speculation, the Ducks finally pulled the trigger on a John Gibson trade, dealing the veteran goaltender to Detroit in exchange for Petr Mrazek and two draft picks this offseason. Once regarded as one of the league’s better starters, multiple injuries and the burden of carrying a rebuilding Anaheim squad for years have taken a toll on Gibson’s fantasy relevance over time.

While Gibson isn’t quite the goalie he once was, he performed well last year when healthy and will likely feel reinvigorated in a new environment. Gibson is expected to battle for starts with fellow veteran netminder Cam Talbot, providing Detroit with some measure of stability in net following years of volatility at the position.   

With an opportunity to earn the Opening Day nod for the Wings, Gibson could fly up fantasy rankings this season.

5.    Peterka Shipped to Utah

JJ Peterka was traded to the Utah Mammoth by the Buffalo Sabres this offseason for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. Immediately after the trade, Peterka signed a five-year, $38.5 million contract ($7.7M AAV) with the Mammoth.

Peterka is a dynamic offensive addition who will likely slot in as a second-line winger alongside Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton to begin the season. Peterka’s strong shooting and playmaking abilities make him a dual-threat forward capable of becoming one of the League’s top scorers if he stays healthy. Still just 23 years old, Peterka could make a mammoth difference in Utah for years to come.

4.    Dobson Dealt to Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens shocked the hockey world this offseason, acquiring standout defenceman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and immediately inking him to an eight-year, $76M extension ($9.5M AAV).

Dobson is a talented defenceman, capable of posting double-digit goal totals while contributing effectively to scoring chances, rush opportunities, cycle play, and zone entries. While he’s not an elite source of production in any individual category, his balanced offensive profile will likely fit well with Montreal’s quick, counter-attacking style.

From a fantasy perspective, Lane Hutson‘s stronghold on Montreal’s top powerplay unit will inevitably hamper Dobson’s ability to produce points with the man advantage. However, Dobson is still expected to log around 23 minutes per game, affording him plenty of time to showcase his offensive skills for a hungry team quickly on the rise. 

3.    Ehlers Contracts with Canes

Nikolaj Ehlers joined the Carolina Hurricanes on a six-year, $51M deal this offseason ($8.5M AAV). Ehlers is an elite winger who can score, create, and drive transition play – over the past two seasons, he amassed 124 points (49 goals, 75 assists) in 151 games despite averaging less than 16 minutes per game.

In Carolina, Ehlers will likely slot into the team’s top six and cement himself on the top power-play unit this season. If Ehlers builds chemistry with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov on the Canes’ top forward line, the trio could emerge as one of the most formidable units leaguewide.

With a talented roster and Stanley Cup ambitions, Ehlers is another high-end offensive weapon capable of turning a gale force into a Level 5 hurricane.

2.    Panthers Keep Core

This offseason, the Cats locked up Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand, and Sam Bennett to team-friendly, long-term deals, solidifying the team’s core for years to come.

As one of the league’s top defensemen, Ekblad plays a critical role on the Panthers’ blue line, logging heavy minutes at even strength and quarterbacking the team’s top power-play unit. Marchand – now 37 years old and no longer the elite player he once was – brings savvy expertise, veteran leadership, and a pestilent manner to Florida’s roster. Finally, Bennett is a versatile forward who impacts multiple areas of the game, from scoring goals to laying hits, recording penalty minutes, and winning faceoffs.

While all good things come to an end, the Panthers’ party may just be getting started with Ekblad, Marchand, and Bennett in the fold for the foreseeable future.

1.    Mitch Marner Sent to Sin City

There is no denying that the headline move of the 2025 NHL offseason was superstar Mitch Marner moving from Toronto to Vegas via a sign-and-trade. Marner brings elite playmaking and consistent high-end offensive production to Sin City, having flirted with the 100-point milestone multiple times in his career before crossing the threshold with an even 102 points during his final season in Toronto.

In Vegas, Marner’s role at even strength is TBD – he could pair with Jack Eichel on the top line or slot in alongside Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev to create two potent offensive units. On the power play, however, Marner will anchor the top unit immediately, leveraging elite creativity and passing ability to vault Vegas’ already-formidable powerplay to new levels this season.

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That’s it for this week! Stay tuned for the next Top 10 on Monday, September 1. Have a great week everyone!