Brad Marchand isn't a passenger on the Florida Panthers' journey toward another Stanley Cup title. He's playing a leading role.
The veteran left wing, who was traded from the Boston Bruins to the Panthers at the NHL trade deadline in March, has tallied 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 18 games during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He also scored a goal in the Panthers' 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night.
Marchand arrived to the Panthers with an upper body injury and didn't make his debut for Florida until March 28 -- three weeks after he was dealt from Boston.
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SIGN UP HERE Marchand turned 37 years old a few weeks ago, but in many ways he's still a top-tier player, and that has been evident in this postseason run.
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His value in free agency could rise quite a bit as a result.
The Athletic's Chris Johnston wrote Wednesday that "multiple league sources said they believe that Marchand will command as much as $8 million on his next contract, which means he’s in line for a nice raise on the $6.125 million he’d been earning on the eight-year extension he signed with the Bruins in 2016. Don’t be surprised if his next contract runs beyond his 40th birthday, too."
The Bruins traded Marchand after the two sides weren't able to reach an agreement on a contract extension. B's general manager Don Sweeney said in his post-trade deadline press conference that there was a "gap" in the negotiations.
Has Marchand thought about his future? He was asked in a recent interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
"I have over the past months. I've thought about potential situations. but until you really know what the options are, it's all theoretical," Marchand told Friedman. "So I've kind of parked all that, especially right now, just being in the moment and enjoying it. I don't want anything to take away from it. Just having fun. After the playoffs, it's going to come fast, but there will be a time and place for that."
An $8 million price for Marchand might sound steep. But with the salary cap for next season set at $95.5 million and expected to go higher in subsequent years, an $8 million per year contract for Marchand isn't crazy at all.
His offensive skill, defense, power play ability, penalty killing, leadership and championship experience make him an ideal free agent candidate for any team that's on the cusp of being a real Stanley Cup contender.
And in a relatively weak free agent class, Marchand could potentially be a popular player if he hits the open market.