Brad Marchand wasn’t a big fan of how disrespectful Leafs fans were towards the team following their loss in Game 7 against the Panthers. “I think if you look at the heat this team catches, it’s actually really unfortunate. You know, they’ve been working & building something really big here for a while,” the Canadian winger reminded Toronto fans in a press meeting after his squad secured its berth in the Eastern Conference Finals. Well, now it seems like Brad could be the next “really big” thing for the Leafs for the 2025-26 season.

This is, of course, not the first time that the rumor mill has claimed that Brad Marchand could join the Leafs. However, every time the conversation has risen, Sam Bennett has swooped in to hijack it. In fact, just about a couple of weeks ago, NHLonTNT‘s Paul “Biz Nasty” Bissonnette, a Toronto fan himself, joked that he would pay “a few million” to get Bennett to the Maple Leafs locker room. However, it seems like the Leafs might have moved on from that idea.

In a post on X on June 6, Leafslatest shared that Toronto could actually be trying to rope in Brad Marchand as the centerpiece of its offensive line for next season. “According to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, it’s seen as “more realistic” that the Leafs could end up signing Brad Marchand,” the post says, explaining how the ex-Bruins captain could bolster the Leafs’ attacking prowess soon.

Marchand’s contract with the Panthers expires this summer, rendering him an unrestricted free agent after Florida’s title defense campaign comes to an end. “I’ve thought about potential situations. Until you really know what the options are it’s all theoretical. Anything is on the table,” Marchand told Elliotte Friedman after being asked where he would consider playing upon reaching free agency on July 1. He also did not rule anything out when Friedman probed further as to whether he would want to play for a Canadian team.

“I’m going to listen to anything when the time comes and we’ll see what the right fit is,” he added. As a kid in Nova Scotia, Marchand grew up a Maple Leafs fan, so it probably wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if they do come calling. And that wouldn’t be so hard to imagine either. After all, even at the age of 37, the winger has been relentless on the ice, making his opponents sweat.

51 points in the regular season (with the Bruins and the Panthers), and an impressive 15 points so far in the playoffs, Marchand has once again shown for a fact that age is just a number for him. Even in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, it was the hockey star’s shorthand goal that put the Panthers forward by one goal going into the third period. But maybe it wasn’t all him. Probably, we daresay, it was uncertainty at the Leafs’ camp that also helped the rumors about Brad’s possible trade to Toronto.

Brad Marchand’s chance to relocate to Toronto comes at a fateful juncture

With 108 points, just three behind the Conference top seeds (Washington Capitals), the Maple Leafs secured their spot in the playoffs with gusto. Their form looked so good that even NHL pundits seemed sure that the squad would make waves in the postseason. But that hope fell flat on its face. Courtesy of, again, Brad Marchand. In Game 3 between the Panthers and the Leafs, Marchand’s OT goal finally put an end to the Canadian team’s winning spree. The Cats capitalized on the momentum shift and ultimately eliminated Toronto from Stanley Cup contention.

More tremors hit Toronto’s home soon. Rumors of both Mitch Marner and team captain Auston Matthews being in line to leave the camp at the end of the season stirred the pot even more, with many claiming that Brad Marchand could bring both the experience and some much-needed playoff edge to the Leafs camp. And let’s face it, Sam Bennett is not going to come cheap. A proven postseason performer himself, the Panthers center is sitting on top of this year’s postseason goal-scoring charts with 13 goals. Don’t be surprised if he runs away with the Conn Smythe trophy as well.

So yeah, he is not going to settle for anything less than a significant raise from his current $4.4 million AAV, and has done enough to merit anything around twice that number. Not to mention, the Leafs won’t be the only team on the market looking to land his signature, with many US markets (including the Panthers) at a significant advantage to lure him with a lower number, thanks to the absence of state income tax. Considering all that, Brad Marchand is really a much more “realistic” option.