Around the NHL: Panthers’ Marchand considering re-signing, Wild shopping Rossi, Red Wings’ Holl named buyout candidate

The Florida Panthers took Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers as the two teams split the first two games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As expected, the first two games of the final were an absolute track meet, with high intensity, tons of action, and a slew of bad blood.

Off the ice, the NHL Draft is just around the corner, and free agency opens in roughly three weeks. This offseason is setting up to be a very busy and entertaining one to follow, as the Maple Leafs are certainly going to be one of the many teams that make a series of changes this summer.

Here’s the very latest from around the NHL:

Panthers’ Brad Marchand considering staying in Florida

While Brad Marchand is doing his best to live in the moment and enjoy another Stanley Cup run, as a pending unrestricted free agent, it’s hard not to let thoughts about your future seep in when the offseason hits. Marchand spoke to reporters over the weekend and admitted he’s considering staying on with the Panthers.

“I mean, yeah, I’ve thought about it. But we’ll deal with that in the future. The longest you can go (in the Stanley Cup Final) is two weeks, so you’re in the moment that entire time. You can’t have your mind in any other place other than right here and now. I’ve said it so often during this run, you have to enjoy these moments. They don’t come often. There’s no other thought in my mind right now.”

Marchand sits second on the Panthers in playoff scoring, with 17 points in 19 postseason games. The Panthers are projected to have $19 million in cap space to work with this summer, with leading playoff scorer Sam Bennett also set to hit the open market, along with defenceman Aaron Ekblad.

While it would be quite the turn of events, don’t count out the Maple Leafs as a contender to sign Marchand to a contract if July 1st comes around and he doesn’t have an extension completed with the Panthers.

Minnesota Wild shopping Marco Rossi, Vancouver Canucks reportedly interested

According to multiple reports, the Minnesota Wild are considering trading forward Marco Rossi this offseason. The 23-year-old forward is a pending restricted free agent who posted 24 goals and 60 points in 82 games, good for second on the Wild last season.

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli has Rossi sitting #3 on his offseason trade board, and according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo, the Vancouver Canucks are a team to watch in trade talks.

“I definitely hear from really good sources that Vancouver really likes Marco and is very interested in Marco,” Russo said. “Does that mean a trade? Does that mean an offer sheet? One or the other? Who knows.” The trade talks heated up on Rossi once the Wild weren’t utilizing him during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and for now, his agent has suggested a bridge deal is something Rossi is no longer interested in with the Wild.

“We’ll see where it goes,” Russo mentioned on June 5. “But I definitely get the impression that we’re going to see him getting a new change of address here by the end of the month.”

Former Maple Leafs headline buyout candidates to watch this offseason

Seravalli recently released his buyout candidates to watch this month, with a number of former Maple Leafs making the list. Chicago Blackhawks defenceman T.J. Brodie was among the top of the list, along with New York Islanders winger Pierre Engvall and Detroit Red Wings defenceman Justin Holl.

Brodie has one year remaining on his contract at $3.75 million AAV, and a buyout would cost the Blackhawks a cap hit of $3.23 million in the first season, and just $258,000 in 2026-27. Engvall has a whopping five years remaining on his current contract on Long Island, making $3 million AAV, and a buyout would mean the Islanders would have $1 million in dead cap space for the next 10 seasons. As for Holl, he’s struggled since he joined the Red Wings a couple of seasons ago, and with his one year remaining at $3.4 million AAV, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman would have a dead cap hit for two seasons at $1.13 million AAV.

For now, it doesn’t appear the Maple Leafs will be considering buying out any of their current players, which includes David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok, who many felt should be under consideration.

Quick hits from around the NHL:

• Edmonton Oilers‘ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ status is uncertain for Monday’s Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. RNH missed Sunday’s practice for unknown reasons.
• Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer shot down rumours that the team is going to trade forward Drake Batherson this offseason.
• Colorado Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor underwent successful hip surgery and is expected to miss the next five or six months.
• Dallas Stars fired head coach Pete DeBoer, despite reaching the Western Conference Final each of the last three seasons.
• Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman feels the Canucks are ‘on the clock’ when it comes to the future of star defenceman Quinn Hughes.
• The Avalanche re-signed trade-deadline acquisition Brock Nelson to a three-year contract extension. Nelson was expected to have serious interest from the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild in free agency.