Florida Panthers
Brad Marchand is Back to Sweet-Talking the Toronto Maple Leafs
Ahead of their first matchup this season, Brad Marchand is once again going to bat for the Toronto Maple Leafs against their critics.
There hasn’t been a bigger thorn in the sides of the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fans over the last 20 years than Brad Marchand.
First, it was with the Boston Bruins, with whom he went 4-0 in Game 7s against the Maple Leafs, and then it translated right over to the Florida Panthers, who crushed them in front of their home fans in Game 7 last May.
Marchand was, of course, a major factor in the clincher, tallying three points (one goal, two assists) in the 6-1 win, finishing with a total of eight points (three goals, five assists) in the seven-game series.
Toronto took it on the chin, not only courtesy of the Panthers, but also their own fans, who were as frustrated as ever after another playoff failure, and for good reason. However, as we all remember, Marchand was quick to come to their defense after Game 7, and as the two teams get set to match up for the first time in 2025-26, the veteran was once again very supportive of the reeling Maple Leafs, or so he says.
“If people are thinking they’re out of a playoff spot for the season they got to find a new job …with the media attention and the fan support they have things get blown way out of proportion … They’re still a good contending team,”
Despite rumoured interest from the Maple Leafs, among others, the 37-year-old found a way to stay in Florida, signing a six-year, $31.5 million extension just prior to free agency.
The Maple Leafs Could’ve Used Brad Marchand Right Now
The number one free agent on the Maple Leafs’ wishlist this summer was Marchand, and with not only the way he’s played, but also with how things have gone in Toronto, their fans have to be wishing it had come to fruition.
Marchand has kept the Panthers afloat amidst all of their injuries, racking up 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in just 23 games so far this season, producing at his best per-game rate since the 2020-21 campaign.
On the flip side, the Maple Leafs have lacked consistency, and it shows in their 11-11-3 record, which actually has them tied at 25 points with Florida ahead of Tuesday’s game.
Neither team is where they want to be right now, but Toronto is the group that’s yet to find an identity, and Marchand is the exact type of player that wouldn’t have let that happen if he were a part of it.
Next: Could Maple Leafs Goaltender be a Surprise Trade Candidate?
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