Brad Marchand’s trade to the Florida Panthers during the season ended up being one of the most surprising moves in the NHL season. After joining from the Bruins for a conditional second-round pick, Marchand fit right in on Florida’s third line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen. He brought just the right mix of solid defense and offensive energy. He got the hang of things pretty fast in just 10 regular-season games, but it was really in the playoffs where his impact shone through.

During the postseason, Marchand proved yet again his quality: he racked up 20 points in 23 games, which included 10 goals and 10 assists. He even scored six goals in the final, making history as the first player in the NHL to score five or more goals in multiple Cup finals with different teams. His determination really shows in the advanced stats: he was the Panthers’ leader in high-danger shots and ranked among the best skaters in plus-minus, all while putting in a lot of ice time at 37 years old.

Marchand’s experience, timely scoring, and strong presence were crucial in Florida’s consecutive Stanley Cup wins, drawing a lot of attention and sparking fresh discussions in Boston about their choice to trade him. Indeed, former NHL star Paul Bissonnette said, “That’s why Brad Marchand, who. I don’t know why Boston didn’t just give him the f***ing 7 million per with the way he played. So f*** the Bruins for doing that.” But since he hasn’t signed a contract extension with the Panthers yet, trade rumors are really starting to pile up.

On X, NHL Rumor Report shared, stating, “Nick Kypreos: The Maple Leafs want to make offers on Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad; an Ekblad offer would hinge on being able to convince Morgan Rielly to waive his no move clause – Toronto Star.”

It sounds like the Leafs are gearing up to make some big moves, aiming to snag at least one, maybe even two, hitters to shake things up for their playoff chances. However it’s not as though the Panthers—fresh off a second Cup in a row—will be eager to part ways with any of their stars.

There’s still hope that Brad Marchand will stay with the Panthers

“We’re going to spend to the cap. The Viola family ownership has empowered us to try to do everything we can to have the best team we can. So we’re going to spend it all,” Bill Zito said on the Pat McAfee Show. He shared this confession about not holding back on the salary cap after TSN asked him a similar question following the Stanley Cup victory.

James Duthie was curious if the GM has plans to bring all three of his free agents back into the mix. “I think we can bring them all back,” the Panthers GM said to the sportscaster. But, you know, that might be a bit trickier.

It’s pretty clear that Marchand, Ekblad, and Bennett would want to stick around with a team that’s shaping up to be a lasting legacy. It’s a bit of a challenge for the Panthers since they’re not swimming in cash, especially with salary caps in play. Managing around $19 million in cap space is going to be tricky for them.