May 14, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) and forward John Tavares (91) and Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand (63) battle for a puck during the second period of game five of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
On the latest episode of 32 Thoughts the Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that he believes the Toronto Maple Leafs will take a run at signing Brad Marchand this summer. The conversation started when him and co-host Kyle Bukauskas were talking about Marchand’s post-series comments after the Florida Panthers eliminated the Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the second round.
“Watching Brad Marchand fence, doing his fencing with the media at the end of the game.
I wonder if they’re going to take a run at him this summer.”
Those two lines sent shockwaves across all of Leafs Nation. The real question is, will the Maple Leafs?
If Marchand’s On Your Team, He Can’t Beat You… Right?
There is an old saying, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” Well, for the Maple Leafs this may be exactly what they need to do to finally go on a run in the playoffs. Marchand has beaten Toronto in five straight Game 7’s as a member of the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers. In all of these Game 7’s he has been an impact player. So would it not make sense for the Maple Leafs to push to sign him and help break the playoff curse? To me, yes, obviously to Friedman it does. But does it make sense to Toronto’s general manager Brad Treliving?
It should, truthfully, it should make a ton of sense. Losing to him aside, he has been a very good player during his career and adding that to a Maple Leafs team that is desperate for a long playoff run, it would make sense to add more players who are proven playoff performers. Plus, Marchand mentioned in his postgame press conference that he grew up a Maple Leafs fan, so that could be a reason for him to want to join the team and try and be the reason for them finally getting over the hump.
How ironic would that be? The Maple Leafs’ biggest enemy in the last 15 years, joins the organization and goes on to help them win the Stanley Cup? He would go from an arch-enemy to the most beloved Maple Leafs in just one season.
Maple Leafs Should Sign Marchand If He’s Interested
Five words that I personally never thought that I’d say were “Maple Leafs Should Sign Marchand”. However, after watching the organization struggle to get it done in the playoffs, year after year, and so many potential changes happening. Why not? He would fit in well on a line with William Nylander and John Tavares (if they re-sign him) or even with Max Domi on the third line. After being a part of the perfection line for years in Boston, he showed this year with the Panthers that he can adapt and play on a line with less talented players and make it work. That’s not to say that Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen aren’t highly skilled forwards, they are. But they aren’t on the same level as Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. Regardless, he made it work and has been an impact player for the Panthers throughout the entire playoffs.
That said, the reason why my mind jumped right to a Marchand, Tavares and Nylander line is because that best replicates the perfection line. Nylander and Pastrnak would be the goal scorers, Tavares and Bergeron are the face-off kings and two-way centers and Marchand, although older now, would still bring his game to that line. That trio could find some fast success and bring even more scoring to the Maple Leafs team that at times needs a clutch goal or two, especially in the playoffs. In fact, Marchand may be the missing piece on that line that takes them from good to great, or above average to elite in the NHL. Adding Marchand could very well give the Maple Leafs their own version of the perfection line.
Marchand signing with the Maple Leafs would be fully dependent on their cap situation. They still need to sign Matthew Knies and try to extend Tavares and Mitch Marner, if they got all three done, there wouldn’t be a ton of cap left. But with the reports that Marner will test free agency and how the organization wants to make some changes, they may just find the cap space to get a deal done with him. Nevertheless, there will still be at least half a dozen suitors for him, including the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche where his two best buddies play. Only time will tell, but how wild would it be if he did land in Toronto?
