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NHL Insider Reveals Brad Marchand's Free Agency Expectations

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 9:11 AM ET

Brad Marchand remains a key piece in the Florida Panthers' postseason run, but his long-term future with the Panthers is in question.

Marchand is set to enter unrestricted free agency on July 1, the date when he will complete the eight-year, $49 million contract he signed with the Boston Bruins in 2016.

According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, reporting during Monday's episode of "The Chris Johnston Show," the veteran forward is expected to test free agency this summer—and he’ll be aiming for a multi-year deal.

“I think he’s going to have a lot of bidders that are willing to do that,” Johnston said. “I’m not saying his time in Florida is definitely up.”

The Panthers acquired Marchand from the Bruins at the trade deadline. Even though he's already 37 and approaching the end of his career, the winger has scored 18 points in 20 playoff games through Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Despite that production, Johnston noted that Florida may choose to focus on re-signing younger players like fellow forward Sam Bennett or defenseman Aaron Ekblad.

“I think it’s not likely they keep Marchand,” Johnston said. “But the door isn’t closed.

“It’s not like he doesn’t love it there. It just really is going to come down to just, unfortunately, cold, hard business.”

According to PuckPedia, the Panthers have $19 million in projected cap space this offseason, and signing Marchand could take around a third of that space off Florida's cap room.

That aligns with Johnston's commets, saying that Marchand still wants to play for a few years and expects a strong offer.

“He’s at a stage where he’s looking to make pretty good money,” Johnston said. “And I think the market is going to have it out there for him, probably on guaranteed contracts that are lasting three years or four years.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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