3 teams that desperately need to sign Panthers’ Brad Marchand in free agency

Coming off a Stanley Cup win with the Florida Panthers, Brad Marchand will be a highly sought after free agent. With the end of his contract nearing, his longtime team, the Boston Bruins, traded him to the Panthers ahead of this year's trade deadline. He fit right in and was a big contributor for the Panthers en route to a second straight title.

At 37 years old, Marchand has proven he still has plenty left to offer. He scored 10 goals with the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with six of them coming during the Stanley Cup Final. Rumors have swirled about potential landing spots, with many teams on the list. But it could be hard to pry him away from Florida if the Panthers are committed to keeping him around.

Will the Panthers find a way to keep him following their Cup victory? Is it possible he’ll reunite with the Bruins? Or will Marchand find himself in another city this fall? Here are three NHL teams that desperately need to sign Marchand in free agency.

3. Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes should want to sign Marchand. This team has been very good the past several years and just needs a little something to get them over the hump to make it past the Conference Finals. Marchand could help them get there.

After trading for Mikko Rantanen from Colorado, the Hurricanes couldn't get a long-term deal done, flipping the winger over to the Dallas Stars to avoid losing him for nothing. After failing to keep Rantanen, this team needs another scorer. They could benefit from a veteran winger like Marchand, someone who gets under opponents’ skin. He would fit in well with the Canes’ dump and chase system.

Cap space is not a problem for the Canes. With more than $28 million expected to be available, they have flexibility and the ability to have a big offseason; this is a team to keep an eye on this summer. The Hurricanes have the room and the need, so they should be in on Marchand.

2. Colorado Avalanche

Another team that could use Marchand next season is the Colorado Avalanche. Since winning the Cup in 2022, this team has struggled in the playoffs the past three seasons, winning just one playoff series in 2024. The Avalanche need to make strategic moves this summer to get them ready for a deeper playoff run.

After the Rantanen trade, the Avalanche were left with a need for more scoring. It was fitting that they were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Dallas Stars in large part thanks to Rantanen. Enter Marchand, a veteran who has a proven playoff track record and Stanley Cup wins with two different teams.

Marchand would be a wise choice to fill the hole left behind by Rantanen. He’s already been linked to the Avalanche in trade rumors. The team could benefit not only from his leadership but also from his scoring ability and aggressiveness.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs should sign Marchand. Again, this is a team with a string of playoff disappointments that could benefit from Marchand’s playoff success. They haven’t made it to the Conference Finals since 2002. The Maple Leafs are in for an offseason of change, starting with Mitch Marner's expected departure in free agency.

With the organization’s desire to change things up, Marchand could fit into those new plans. There has been a lot of speculation about him ending up in Toronto, with many people thinking this is the most likely destination. He even commented on the rumors himself.

Given what he showed during the playoffs, Marchand is not going to come cheap. With Marner coming off the books, the Maple Leafs can pay him. A lot of other teams have salary cap challenges. If Marchand wants to sign with another contender, Toronto makes a whole lot of sense.