Notable NHL Trades and Signings – June 30, 2025
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed winger Mitch Marner to an eight-year, $96 million contract ($12 million average annual value. They subsequently traded him to the Vegas Golden Knights for center Nicolas Roy.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: And with that, Marner’s nine seasons with the Maple Leafs come to an end.
Marner was projected to receive between $12.5 million and $13 million annually. It’s a little less than market value, but it comes with long-term security.
It’s a good deal for Marner, and he ends up in a preferred destination. The 28-year-old winger is coming off a career-best 102-point performance. He’s in his prime and considered among the league’s elite two-way forwards. Whether this is the right deal for the Golden Knights remains to be seen.
Toronto Maple Leafs sign winger Mitch Marner and trade him to the Vegas Golden Knights (NHL Images).
Marner brings additional offense to the Golden Knights and should also help defensively. However, this leaves the Golden Knights top-heavy among their top-six forwards at the expense of their overall roster depth. That should be a familiar situation for Marner, having been part of a similar experience with the Leafs for years.
Snark aside, a lack of overall depth prevented the Golden Knights from repeating as Stanley Cup champions over the last two seasons. Marner’s monster contract will once again leave them with limited cap space, forcing them to try and get creative.
One way is placing veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injury reserve for 2025-26, freeing up his $8.8 million AAV. However, that will be used up mostly for Marner’s cap hit, leaving little wiggle room to boost their depth.
As for the Leafs, they at least get something for Marner rather than losing him to free agency for nothing. Roy, 28, is a big, physical middle-six forward who can play center or wing with two years on his contract at an annual cap hit of $3 million. He’ll provide size, versatility, and experienced skill to their checking lines.
The Edmonton Oilers have signed defenseman Evan Bouchard to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $10.5 million. Bouchard, 25, was slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s getting a significant raise over the $3.9 million AAV of his previous contract. It’s not surprising given how he’s blossomed into a high-scoring puck-moving blueliner.
Bouchard netted a career-best 82 points in 2023-24. His production slipped to 67 points in 2024-25, but he was fifth among defensemen in scoring. He also led all blueliners in postseason scoring this year with seven goals and 23 points.
The Oilers had little choice but to pay Bouchard that much, though at four years it’s a manageable term if his performance drops off. However, they now have nearly $20 million tied up in two defensemen, with Darnell Nurse pulling in $9.25 million annually through 2029-30. It leaves the Oilers with around $550,000 in cap space, which means a cost-cutting trade is coming soon.
The Florida Panthers re-sign Aaron Ekblad to an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $6.1 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad made no secret of his desire to remain with the Panthers. It was assumed he’d have to accept a pay cut on a contract shorter than the eight years ($7.5 million AAV) of his previous deal.
Instead, he gets another maximum eight-year contract with a pay reduction that wasn’t as severe as expected.
The Panthers rewarded Ebklad for not only his loyalty but his years of hard work as the anchor of their defense corps, culminating in back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. However, this is a contract that probably won’t age well.
Now 29, Ekblad has been hampered by injuries since 2020-21, and his performance declined a bit in 2024-25. If this persists, this deal could become a salary-cap headache down the road.
The Detroit Red Wings trade winger Vladimir Tarasenko to the Minnesota Wild for future considerations.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko signed a two-year contract last summer with the Red Wings, but things didn’t work out for him in Motown. After netting 23 goals and 55 points in 2023-24 with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, the 33-year-old winger managed only 11 goals and 33 points with the Wings.
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquire winger Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in 2027.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A skillful playmaking winger, the 24-year-old Maccelli had a career-best performance in 2023-24 with 17 goals and 40 assists for 57 points. However, his production dropped significantly last season as he tumbled down the Mammoth’s depth chart, becoming a healthy scratch in 26 regular-season games. This could turn into a steal for the Leafs if Maccelli regains his form.
The New York Islanders signed defenseman Alexander Romanov to an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million. Romanov, 25, was slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a foregone conclusion after the Islanders traded Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. Romanov’s deal makes him their highest-paid defenseman. He’s not a point-producer like Dobson, but he’s a physical shutdown blueliner who logged over 22 minutes of ice time per game last season.
Looks like Ekbad signs for 8 years, $6.1M.
I saw one site projecting he could get as high as 7 years for $7.5M (a $52.5M total).
The 8 year deal rings in at $48.8M
Marchand seems to be the odd man out. Makes you wonder what he’s asking for
I think it came down more to Zito need D more than O. and loyalty to a long time player. Nate Schmidt is UFA and he’s not working with much cap now.
Very true GoodWood77 – Zito is now down to $4,900,000 in cap space with 2 RFAs still to re-up – RW/C Mackie Samoskevich, no arbitration rights and coming off an E:LC of $925,000, and goalie Daniil Tarasov, who does have arbitration rights, and is coming off an expiring cap hit of $1,050,000.
Puckpedia says Zito’s down to 2.19 with 2 to sign
Are we getting different hits, Yogi?
Maybe something else has been concluded – not shown yet at this link
https://puckpedia.com/team/florida-panthers
Yep – things are happening faster than lightning – according to this link Zito has signed RFA Mackie Samoskevich
https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/news/panthers-mackie-samoskevich-3-million-contract-update-marchand-rumors/adfd21f90284fd9918a07810
Sorry cross eyed, thinking Florida looking at Vegas
4.9 is Florida’s cap. Still not enough to sign Marchand and fill the roster
If Vegas used LTIR for Pietro right now they would only get 6.6 extra cap space not 8.8
Maple Leafs Private Detective Yogi, Golden Knights place Alex Ovechkin on LTIR when the time is right even though leaked Pietrangelo likely out for 2025 / 2026 season. Moot point right now with LTIR extra cap space as signings / trades / transactions yet be determined. Also, during off-season teams allowed go up to 110% of the salary cap.
Actually @Speedkills that comment was a continuation from from the Rumour Mill and yes we all know you can go 10% over during the summer and a team can use the LTIR during the summer. Good nickname though Speedkills
Alex Pietrangelo (my auto spell check likes change words).
So Ekblad will have made 100 million dollars in his career. Not bad fora boy from Canada!
Not bad for a boy from anywhere. Bouchard 4 x 10.5
Marner 8 years, 12 mil per. Sign and trade happening
Here’s one Marner 8×12 no mention of a trade yet
Vegas was obvious where does the best gamer end up ?
Please no, there has to be trade. Please
Being reported here Yogi – no details
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/toronto-maple-leafs-trade-mitch-marner-to-vegas
and here
https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/maple-leafs-pending-ufa-mitch-marner-inks-eight-year-96m-contract-in-sign-and-trade-with-vegas-1.2329411
still need to find out what the Leafs get
Bob McKenzie is reporting that Nick Roy goes to Toronto
Yeah I just saw it George scared me, thought we were stuck with him
Nicolas Roy George
Cripes, more action today than on most UFA Frenzy Days!
There won’t be much left to pick through tomorrow. Then they did predict most of the UFA’s would resign because of the cap increase. Toronto resigned Lorenz 1.35
LOL, Yogi, don’t want to give you a heart attack if you’re out on a boat, but if you go to this Puckpedia link you see they show Marner under Toronto – guess they have to wait until it’s approved before switching … but they do show the $$ – lol
https://puckpedia.com/team/toronto-maple-leafs
Provorov re-signed in Columbus in an $8 mil + deal
Holmberg is a UFA now – the Leafs did not extend a qualifying offer
The weird thing was Treliving was on tv pumping Holmberg’s tires and not saying a word about Lorenz. I’m wondering if Holmberg asking for too much money and he has arbitration rights. A teams better off not qualifying him and trying to sign him as a UFA, much like Docker in Buffalo
Could have had 3 Trent Frederics for that hit.
😉
Yeah , but yeah but 1/4 the points- which player would you want on your team – honestly
Yup. Edmonton now down to $550,834 with 21 committed to (12F 7D 2G – looks like – barring some other move – UFAs Perry, Jeff Skinner, Connor Brown and John Klingberg are history.
Puckpedia STILL not showing the Samoskevich signing.
Friggin Tre. Comes away smelling like roses today. I can’t believe Torontos good fortune.
That’s 2 very good players for a mid draft pick.
Bruins need to trade some guys for picks and pull a No Winnah for McKenna, and sign Eichel next summer.
We’ve lost ground in the arms race.
TSN’s Overdrive is reporting Marner signed 8x$12 and traded to Vegas. They also said Marchand re-signed with Florida.
Habsman67, they’re reporting Montreal dealt goalie Cayden Primeau to Carolina for a 2026 7th round pick
Yep – this just posted on the Web
“Brad Marchand isn’t just staying with the Florida Panthers, he is committing to the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs for six more years. Yes, you read that right. The 37-year-old veteran is signing a six-year contract worth just under $32 million with the Panthers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Monday.”
They have also reportedly signed RFA Samosklevich … but Puckpedia hasn’t caught up yet … can’t wait to see how much they’re in the red on cap … and what they do to resolve it
George, link you posted above is a rumor site. Samosklevich not signed and Marchand deal should put Florida over cap with 19 players signed. Something has to give.
Yeah, thanks Slick62 – actually it’s The Sporting News site … but on closer inspection, they were postulating $3 mil over 2 years
Right now, not counting Samoskevich, Puckpedia shows Florida with 17 committed to (10F 6D 1G and just $1,275,000 to sign 6.
Can’t be done so either there’s a move or two still to come, or they have someone possibly starting the season on LTIR
I can see Panthers trading Rodriguez and Listerinen not because they want to but need cap space.Zitto by far best general manager
Off to visit my wife at long-term care … wouldn’t surprise me to see half a dozen more deals announced when I get back
I hope she’s being well taken care of George. Sincere thoughts to you both.
Thanks Chrisms – it’s one of the better sites in the city – run BY the city actually, and literally 6 or 7 minutes away. Couldn’t have asked for a better location – well run, bright, clean – lots of activities – good, healthy meals – snacks in the evening …
Sens better sign Tanner Jeannot
Well, they might Sensfan11 – they just re-upped RFA goalie Leevi Merilainen – i year bridge @ $1,050,000 (he’s a UFA again next year), and UFA LW Nick Cousins for 1 year @$825,000 – he’s a UFA again next y ear
Staios is now committed to 20 – 11F 7D 2G – with $7,369,286 in reserve with which to sign 3.
How in the world does any member of Buffalo management still have jobs. You give up a 2nd round pick for Docker, a guy who passed through waivers unclaimed earlier in the year then you don’t qualify him. Unbelievable and incompetent asset management.
I don’t like Vegas they are the reason I dislike continued expansion. 34 teams, then 36 ! Do I hear 38?!!!
Can Gary Bettman just go away?!!!
Nobody beats Florida unless of course you physically build a team that can out muscle them. Can’t see that happening unless it’s of course Boston.
Vegas doesn’t have a lot of depth on their D, and would have to clear a lot of space to get Rasmus Andersson. Not sure if Marner takes them over the top because of that lack of depth
Hafilin-Theodore McNabb-Whitecloud Lauzan-Korczak
Oilers should be clearing space this week by trading Arvidsson, who just didn’t work out there. Wonder if they are looking to trade Nurse