The Toronto Maple Leafs were hoping for a better outcome this season with the strongest lineup they’ve had in the last several campaigns, but they were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the Florida Panthers. One of the biggest stroylines for the Panthers this offseason is whether or not they will be able to bring back some of their key pending free agents or if they will haver to look elsewhere and let a couple of them go, and one name that many teams will be keeping an eye on is veteran Brad Marchand.
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At the 2025 Trade Deadline, rumours began to spread that the Boston Bruins could look to trade Marchand, and while many people chalked it up as speculation, it came to fruition. The Panthers and Bruins pulled off a last-minute deal before the deadline, and Marchand became a member of the Panthers. It was the most shocking move of the day, but it worked out quite well for the Panthers, who went on to win their second consecutive championship.
Now, the Panthers have a tough decision to make. They haven’t finalized an extension with Sam Bennett or Aaron Ekblad yet, and they don’t have unlimited money to spend to bring everyone back. Marchand has made it clear he wants to remain a member of the Panthers past this season, but there is no guarantee they would be able to get that done. According to a trusted pundit recently, the Maple Leafs will be a top suitor for Marchand if he ends up hitting the open market on July 1st.
“I don’t know how he doesn’t end up a Maple Leaf, let me put it to you that way.”
– @RealKyper on Brad Marchand 👀@thegoldenmuzzy | @Jay_D_Rosehill
Presented by @CharmDiamonds pic.twitter.com/7V0OajulKu
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) June 20, 2025
That would be something. Marchand, who has been one of the most hated players by Maple Leaf fans for years, could be joining the enemy? Marchand himself added to the speculation by teasing it online while he was in the middle of celebrating his championship win, so there could be a world where he signs with the Maple Leafs. With the expectation that they will lose both Mitchell Marner and John Tavares this summer, Marchand would be a great addition to start bringing in replacements, but would he be enough to bring the Maple Leafs their first Stanley Cup since 1967?
Marchand Likely Looking for Term on Next Contract
The expectation is that Marchand is looking to get some security on his new deal, which could turn some teams away on the open market. However, for a player who can elevate their game in the way Marchand has been able to in the postseason throughout his career, this should be a no-brainer for the Maple Leafs.
They may have to pay around $7.5 million annually over four seasons to bring Marchand in, but again, that’s reasonable. The Maple Leafs have been criticized for their inability to elevate their game in the playoffs, which leads to early exits, so adding a guy who has proven time and time again that he finds another level when the postseason comes around should be no issue for them. It will be a matter of whether they can convince Marchand to join their team when they seem to be in a weird position, losing two of their star players.
Marchand in a Maple Leafs jersey sounds weird to even think about, but if it happens, the Maple Leafs become a much more serious contender heading into the 2025-26 season.
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