“I don’t know what the future brings in terms of how it plays out in the summertime. I know it didn’t come together now. Can things change down the road? Potentially, but that’s to be seen,” Brad Marchand told reporters in Boston in March after his first practice as a Florida Panther. While the Panthers were in town to play against the Bruins, an upper-body injury mercifully spared Marchand the fate of making his debut as the Cats’ forward against his home team for 16 years.
Marchand’s words still echo, now that the Panthers have won the Stanley Cup for a second year in a row. However, those echoes only remind the Bruins faithful of their misstep of trading Marchand during the NHL trade deadline. Yet, with the 37-year-old still negotiating a contract with the Cats, wishful theories of Marchand returning to the Bruins have found some wind. So what does Bruins GM Don Sweeney think about that possibility?
Well, when one reporter directly asked the Bruins’ general manager about Brad Marchand’s return, he said nothing. While he did admit to communicating with the former Boston Bruins captain, the GM didn’t comment on any other developments with the Bruins or otherwise. “So, my only comment that I’ll make is [that] I’ve exchanged texts to congratulate Brad,” Don Sweeney told the press.
“Beyond that, he’s a player on another team, so I have zero comment on that regard. You know? He deserves congratulations along with the Florida Panthers,” the Boston Bruins GM said. In hindsight, what truly stands out about Marchand’s fate with the Bruins was that he didn’t intend to leave. Before the trade, the former Bruin had a $6.13 million AAV and hoped for a hike.
NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Stanley Cup Final-Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers Jun 6, 2025 Edmonton, Alberta, CAN Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand 63 reacts after scoring a goal on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner 74 during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Edmonton Rogers Place Alberta CAN, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xWalterxTychnowiczx 20250606_mcd_tb1_80
However, that’s where Brad Marchand and Boston’s bookmakers couldn’t reach a deal. The result? A shocking last-minute transfer. And while you’d think the sudden transfer to a team he had seen as rivals for 16 years, that too, with barely two months left until the playoffs, would be like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yet, 10 goals, 10 assists, and 20 NHL playoff points later, Marchand now stands to get an even better deal.
Have the Florida Panthers locked Brad Marchand?
When NHL on TNT host Jackie Redmond caught just moments of Marchand after he won his second Stanley Cup, she asked him if he’ll be back next season wearing a Cats jersey. However, the 37-year-old only dropped a hint. “We’re going to see what happens here soon,” he told the hockey reporter. However, as the date of unrestricted free agency approaches, that hint has only become more concrete.
The experts speculated how the Florida Panthers would navigate their $19 million salary cap to re-sign Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad. However, the Rat King himself dropped a massive hint during the Panthers’ victory celebration at the Elbo Room. The FLA Cats Hockey Podcast host, David Rodriguez, shared a clip where Marchand revealed a big detail about the contract negotiations.
NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Stanley Cup Final-Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers Jun 17, 2025 Sunrise, Florida, USA Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand 63 hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Sunrise Amerant Bank Arena Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSamxNavarrox 20250617_hlf_na2_129
The clip showed Marchand saying, “‘I’m not f—— leaving,’ and someone says one more year, and he shakes his head and raises 4 fingers,” as per David Rodriguez. What’s more? This lined up with what many experts were already speculating. The Athletic’s Chris Johnston explained that Marchand could reportedly sign a four-year, $32 million deal ($8 million AAV) with the Cats.
Now that would be even better than what Brad Marchand reportedly asked from the Boston Bruins, as per Paul Bissonnette. In fact, Biz Nasty didn’t hold back when describing what he thought of the Bruins losing Marchand. “I don’t know why Boston didn’t just give him the f—— 7 million per with the way he played. So f— the Bruins for doing that,” said the former NHL star. That being said, while Marchand’s future with the Cats looks promising, nothing is official yet. Yet.
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