When Brad Marchand made the switch to the Florida Panthers in early March 2025, it really changed the game for him right away. He was picked up from Boston for a conditional draft choice, and after bouncing back from an injury, he jumped right in and made a noticeable impact. In just ten regular-season games, he blended right into Florida’s lineup and really helped strengthen their offensive depth.

During the playoffs, Marchand really stepped up his game and delivered an extraordinary performance. He racked up 20 points with 10 goals and 10 assists over 23 games, coming through with clutch goals when it mattered most. The forward made NHL history by scoring over five goals in two different Stanley Cup Finals—once with Boston in 2011 and again with Florida in 2025. In the end, he played a key role in helping Florida win back-to-back championships and even made it as a Conn Smythe finalist.

As we approach unrestricted free agency on July 1, 2025, Marchand’s stock is at an all-time high after an impressive performance. The interest in him is already pretty intense. In the latest episode of Real Kyper & Bourne, Canadian NHL legend Nick Kypreos shared why Marchand might lean towards Toronto instead of signing with Florida. He mentioned, “I don’t believe for one second that Florida is going to be willing to offer a fourth year. Like the Leafs can. They might be the only team out there willing to give them four years. Everybody else, I think, can go three, including Florida, but the term and the AAV, I don’t see another team matching what the Leafs can offer him.”

According to Kypreos, the Leafs have the resources necessary to satisfy those expectations, as they can give a term and AAV that Florida simply cannot match. He also mentioned, “And I went on record earlier today saying that he does feel like, you know, under the regime of the Boston Bruins, that they were, he was forced into a long-term contract that the last three or four years undervalued him incredibly. And there’s a catch-up mode right now. And I don’t think the Florida Panthers could match what’s potentially out there for him, particularly with the Leafs.”

It’s really interesting to think about how Kypreos views the Leafs potentially using their cap space in a bold way. He suggests they might even focus on Marchand instead of sticking with their current players, aiming to take full advantage of his experience and success in the postseason.

According to the NHL legend, there’s really no other team that can compete with what Toronto has to offer, which makes it tough to picture Marchand ending up anywhere else this offseason. So, is the star forward looking to join any other franchise?

Brad Marchand requested an urgent deal

Recently, Armando Velez from The Hockey News shared that a reporter asked Brad Marchand, “What do you have to say to Bill Zito?” The NHL star exclaimed, “Give me a contract!” This really shows how eager the 37-year-old is to keep playing in his new home.

Marchand played with the Bruins for 16 seasons, but it looks like he’s not looking to return to Boston anytime soon. Honestly, can you really blame him? Bill Zito has created a team where the players really see each other as family. The GM even expressed interest in bringing Marchand and the other UFAs back, saying, “I think we can bring them all back.” But, you know, it’s not going to be a walk in the park.

Bringing in Marchand, Bennett, Ekblad, and the rest for Florida, especially with only $19 million in cap space, is definitely going to require some clever financial maneuvering. The fate of Marchand is therefore entirely up in the air.