Brad Marchand doesn't want to come to the Detroit Red Wings.
Brad Marchand is past the rebuild stage
We don't like being the disseminator of bad news, but it's time to pour some cold water on this idea of Marchand coming to Detroit in free agency this offseason.
Undoubtedly, the Red Wings have a talented core of players and could have a bright future if things continue to trend in the right direction, but Marchand has no interest in instability. He spent most of his career with the Boston Bruins, winning a Stanley Cup in 2011 and making it to the big dance on two other occasions. Although he pleaded with Boston to find a way to keep him there for life, he was traded to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick. Marchand had a slow start with his new team but has become a critical piece of their Stanley Cup run. Marchand has scored four points in three games for the Panthers, including an overtime winner in Game 3 of their Second Round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, helping to fend off a potential four-game sweep.
Although Marchand is technically a rental for the Panthers, the thought of him going from the reigning champs and a current title contender to a team that hasn't made the playoffs in nearly a decade seems too far-fetched. Undoubtedly, his leadership and experience would be a difference-maker for the Wings, but does Marchand actually want to play for Detroit? That's the big question. You can't force him to come over here.
As far as the salary cap is concerned, that shouldn't be an issue. The Red Wings have about $21.3 million in cap space for the 2025-26 season. While that seems like a great number, it really isn't in the grand scheme of things. There are 16 other NHL teams with more cap space, and a good number of them are in the playoffs and doing well, including the Winnipeg Jets and the Toronto Maple Leafs. On the other hand, the salary cap is rising from $88 million in the current season to $113.5 million by the 2027-28 season.
Detroit Red Wings need more than just Marchand
Detroit's penalty kill (PK) last season was the fourth-worst PK in the history of the NHL. Only the 1978-79 Washington Capitals, the 1979-80 Los Angeles Kings, and the 1982-83 Kings performed worse. The Wings have been criticized for the last several seasons for relying on one player to change their destiny. Dylan Larkin is tired of carrying the team on his back, and rightfully so.
If the Wings somehow sign Marchand and don't make any other significant changes or upgrades, it would exemplify that this organization hasn't learned a thing. Marchand is historically a beast on the penalty kill and is known for making shorthanded goals, but is the team seriously considering signing a guy who just turned 37 years old to rewrite the ship? Let's be realistic.
Marchand wants to end his career on a championship contender, and the Wings aren't there yet, despite the talent on this roster.
Marchand isn't Patrick Kane
Some could argue that Detroit was able to convince Patrick Kane to come to town, but that's correct. He won three Stanley Cup titles with the Chicago Blackhawks and will eventually be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He's also publicly stated his intentions to remain with the Red Wings, and that's good.
However, what's being left out is that Chicago was a mess towards the end of his tenure there, and they failed to make the playoffs in five out of his last six seasons with the team. At this point, Kane is happy to play hockey, but Marchand has yet to experience that type of low. It's unlikely that he'll even want to entertain the idea this late in his career.
Steve Yzerman will be a busy man at the draft, and we can expect him to ramp up the defense.
