Brad Marchand Breaks Silence on Possibility of Playing in Canada Next Season
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Florida Panthers forward and pending free agent Brad Marchand said playing in Canada wasn't out of the question as he decides where to play next season.
Expected to have a lot of potential interested teams, Brad Marchand is looking to get paid, and if reports are to be believed; he's going to. But where he ends up is anyone's guess, and it's likely most teams will have some vested interest in him.
Canada; specifically the Maple Leafs, could be a landing spot for Brad Marchand
Speaking in a sit-down interview with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman for Sportsnet, Marchand was asked about if he had give thoughts to his future and his comments might leave some a bit surprised:
I have over the past few months, I've thought about you know, potential situations but until you know what your options are it's all theoretical.
So I kind of parked all that and just, especially right now just being in the moment, I don't want anything to take away from that, I'm just having fun.
After playoffs you're gonna look at it, and it's gonna come fast. There will be a time and place for that.
So I kind of parked all that and just, especially right now just being in the moment, I don't want anything to take away from that, I'm just having fun.
After playoffs you're gonna look at it, and it's gonna come fast. There will be a time and place for that.
Friedman finished up mentioning that the broadcast was entitled Hockey Night in Canada, so could Marchand end up seeing himself playing in his home country?
Anything's on the table, I'm willing to listen to anything. We'll deal with it when the time comes and we'll see what the right fit is. - Brad Marchand
However, it seems that perhaps Friedman and Sportsnet were buttering him up for a potential Maple Leafs venture with the insider quoting "You'll probably get tired of us really quick."
To which Marchand excitedly exclaimed:
No! How could I? You guys have donuts!
Besides the promise of endless pastries for the veteran forward, could this mean the Maple Leafs have a chance?
Brad Marchand could end up wearing blue and white in 2025
With the news that Marchand is also expected to get a bit of a raise this upcoming summer, it's hard to imagine that the Maple Leafs can afford it on top of re-signing Matthew Knies and John Tavares.
However, there is also the fact that Tavares might sign for a discounted price, and a steep one at that. Saving that amount of money to give Marchand the extra $1-2M for his services is well worth the price.
Besides being a veteran of 1,100 NHL games and having nearly 1,000 points, it's Marchand and his playoff production that Toronto really wants him for. His 153 points in 175 games (61G, 92A) are phenomenal, and he's still making a difference to this day.
Plus, he offers those intangibles which Toronto desperately needs. A master manipulator and mind games expert, he knows how to get under the opponents' skin and gets away with it, and he makes people mad, and therefore make more mistakes.
If he's open to playing for a Canadian team, that's good news for all seven of those clubs, considering how good he would be for every club (yes, Edmonton included).
We know how passionate Marchand is about his home country, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him sign here; the only question is where.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 5 | 544 ANSWERS Brad Marchand Breaks Silence on Possibility of Playing in Canada Next Season Do you think Brad Marchand should sign with the Maple Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 403 | 74.1 % |
| No | 141 | 25.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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