Most Boston Bruins fans were likely holding out hope that Brad Marchand would go win a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers and then return to the team where he spent his entire career. There aren't many fans who hold ill will toward him for chasing another championship, but it'd be a hard pill to swallow if he chose a team over the Bruins in free agency.
The pill got even harder to swallow when rumors emerged that the Toronto Maple Leafs could be a team that would attempt to sign the former captain. Then, after the Panthers eliminated the Maple Leafs in the second round, Marchand talked about how he was a Toronto fan growing up and the pressure of playing there. It felt like his way of easing into the idea of joining Toronto in free agency.
On the Chris Johnston show on Thursday afternoon, the insider revealed some interesting details about Marchand's upcoming free agency. It seems like Marchand's play with the Panthers has put him in line for a raise, with Johnston pulling out an annual average value of over $8 million on a deal that stretches four years.
Marchand's value to the Bruins organization cannot be overstated. He was a favorite of a large portion of the fanbase, including mine, but giving him a four-year, $32 million deal at this point in his career would be a massive mistake for the front office. Take away all he has done for the team, and you'll find that wasting that much cap room will get the Bruins nowhere on their journey back to contention.
Brad Marchand's form in recent years
Marchand will receive a raise from some team in the offseason due to his performance for the Panthers. If Florida won the cup and Bennett hadn't been such a force, there would be people voting Marchand for the Conn Smythe. Depending on how the next 2-4 games go, the voters might still go with him. However, that means nothing for how the next four years would unfold.
Marchand had some disappointing moments for the Bruins over the past couple of seasons. He was still the heart and soul, but you can't forget the nights when he looked slow and the injuries he battled heading into every offseason. It has been a grind of a career for him, and there's no telling how he'll look in four years.
Marchand was able to turn back the clock for two months with his second championship within his fingertips. The competitive spirit will never leave him, but I'd be more reluctant to say he can replicate this performance ever again. We're currently seeing a Marchand that resembles him in his prime, and that doesn't usually happen for a player that will be 38 in next year's playoffs.
As much as it pains to say, if the Leafs want to give Marchand that contract, they should go ahead. While it'll hurt initially, it'll be a contract Bruins fans will laugh at in a couple of years, as we've done with all the other Leafs contract mistakes over the past decade.