The celebrations are raging all over Florida, but the Panthers’ front office still has work to do. Because you see, in a few short days the likes of Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad will hit UFA status. With no contract extensions being signed (yet), questions about their future continue to swirl. While Sam Bennett emphatically announced, “I ain’t f-ing leaving,” during a celebration. Aaron Ekblad hasn’t revealed much, but what about Marchand? Marchand, who with his new NHL team has in 23 games racked up 10 goals, 10 assists, and a total of 20 points, getting plenty of ice time to really give his opponents a hard time.

Looks like general manager Bill Zito is pretty optimistic about retaining the trio plus their other free agents like Nico Sturm and Kaapo Kahkonen. Recently, while talking with the TSN Hockey panel, he said, “I think we can bring them all back.”

But, you know, this is going to be a bit tight. For Florida to bring in Marchand, Bennett, Ekblad and the rest, especially with just $19 million in cap space, is going to take some serious financial finessing.

Zito also talked about the new players Florida picked up during the trade deadline, stating, “As impactful as they are on the ice, the fact that if you came into our room this morning and you’ve never been, you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have been able to tell that those were the new guys, and so the way they’ve figured a way to fit in and the way that their teammates have pulled them in, it’s still the team, the single entity. I think that speaks volumes as far the character of those guys and the character of the room.”

The Panthers GM has put together a team that really plays like a family. Even newcomers have fit in nicely. So, he’s looking for those players to sign an extension after this successful run in 2025. And it seems like Marchand has put in an urgent request. On X, The Hockey News contributor Armando Velez reported that when a reporter asked Brad Marchand, “What do you have to say to Bill Zito?” the NHL star said, “Give me a contract!”

This just highlights how much the 37-year-old wants to keep playing in his new home. Marchand spent 16 seasons with the Bruins, but it seems like he’s not planning to head back to Boston anytime soon. He’s looking to solidify his legacy while making the most of his final hockey seasons with Florida. I mean, why not? He has literally gone from “enemies to lovers” with one of his Panthers teammates.

Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk were embracing an emotional moment

A social media video perfectly showcased the bond between Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk after their Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers. “Love you f***ing brother,” Tkachuk said, to which Marchand responded, “Love you too, baby.” They shared a bunch of pleasant words, congratulating one another and truly enjoying the moment of the Panthers’ second NHL title together. It was obvious how close they had become over the months.

Yeah, their intense rivalry kicked off during the 4 Nations Face-Off. Back then, Tkachuk confidently declared, “It’s our time right now,” and Marchand was quick to respond after Canada clinched the title, stating, “Sometimes when you shoot your mouth off in the media, it bites you.” Their ice battles were super intense, but you could feel the mutual respect beneath all that competitiveness, laying the groundwork for a future brotherhood.

When Marchand was traded from Boston to Florida in March, a familiar rival joined the Panthers’ dressing room. Tkachuk welcomed him with open arms, saying, “It’s been unreal having him in. And he’s got what everybody wants in this league, and that’s that winning pedigree and being a champion and having that experience. And I think that’s what our team’s greatest strength is… we might not be the most skilled team, we might not be the most fast, we might not be the most physical, but we’re a deep team and we have the experience.”

So, Marchand definitely brings a lot of experience to the table, both in the regular season and the playoffs. His addition was really important for the Panthers. And in the end, he snagged his second Stanley Cup of his career.