Brad Marchand reveals he almost joined another Bruins rival in free agency

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Marchand's Decision Leaves Bruins Fans Wondering

In a surprise move, former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand revealed on Tuesday that he considered joining another rival team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, in free agency before re-signing with the Florida Panthers. This revelation has left some Bruins fans questioning what could have been.

Speaking to reporters, including The Athletic's Chris Johnston, Marchand acknowledged that he had legitimate interest in joining the Leafs after a "great" playoff run and finishing second in Conn Smythe Trophy voting last season. He praised Toronto's team chemistry, saying they compete "the right way."

However, Marchand ultimately decided to re-up with the Panthers on a six-year deal, citing concerns about the roster's youth and lack of veteran leadership. The decision has been interpreted as another clever move by the 37-year-old winger against his long-time rivals in Toronto.

League sources suggest that the Leafs even passed on acquiring another player in a June trade to protect their cap space, which would have been necessary if Marchand had hit the open market. This only adds fuel to the fire, with some fans now convinced that Marchand was always planning to re-sign with Florida and troll his former team.

In a parting shot, Marchand took aim at the Leafs, referencing Mitch Marner's departure this offseason and calling it "unfortunate" for the fans who ran him out of town. With a healthy dose of humor and humility, Marchand seems to have turned the tables on Toronto once again, leaving Bruins fans with mixed emotions about what could have been.

In a statement that has left the hockey world talking, Marchand's decision serves as a reminder that even in free agency, old rivalries can never truly be extinguished. As he gears up for another season with the Panthers, one thing is clear: Brad Marchand will always be a player to watch and a thorn in the side of his former teams.
 
omg u guys cant handle it when marchand teases those leafs fans lol 🤣 i was thinking the same thing about him trolling them with that mitch marner comment, like come on brad u gotta love the drama 💁‍♂️ anyway, i think its cool how he spoke up about the youth and lack of vet leadership in florida, hes not afraid to speak his mind and put himself out there 🤝 but at the same time, it is what it is we got our bruins to watch now so lets just focus on that 🏒️
 
idk about this one... 🤔 marchand's decision seems pretty calculated. i mean, you're not gonna join your old team just because they're "competing the right way"? that's some next-level trolling right there 💁‍♂️. plus, if the leafs were worried enough to pass on a trade for him, that means they really didn't want him back anyway 🤑. and now marchand gets to say he was always gonna stay in florida and leave toronto fans eating their words 🙄... i'm not buying it just yet 😒
 
Omg 🤯 I'm literally dyin' over here!! 😂 how can u even imagine Toronto without Brad Marchand?? 😭 he's like the ultimate villain, trollin' Leafs fans left & right lolol 🤣 and that shot at Mitch Marner is just pure gold 💃🕺 so yeah, the Panthers got a great deal & Marchand's still the king of Boston Bruins 💛👑
 
😒 I'm so done with this kind of drama. Like, can't we just appreciate the game without all these "tells" and passive-aggressive comments? Marchand's decision is already making him look like a genius, but honestly, it's just gonna be a distraction from the actual hockey. 🤦‍♂️ And now Toronto fans are gonna be all salty about Mitch Marner's departure... can't they just move on?! 🙄
 
I'm thinking, what if Marchand had taken that Toronto offer? Like, would it have been a better fit for him or was he just trolling us again? 🤔 I mean, on one hand, he's always been about having fun and playing with heart, but at the same time, those Leafs fans must've thought they got away with something 😏. And now that he's back in Florida, it feels like a clever move by Marchand to get under the skin of his old rivals all over again. The fact that Toronto had to protect their cap space just proves that Marchand was always the one holding the cards 🤑. Overall, I think Bruins fans are just happy to have him back, but at the same time, they're also left wondering what could've been 😐.
 
idk how much i trust him now 🤔, he's got that "clever" vibe going on but also seems kinda petty, like when he threw shade at the Leafs 🧠, it was all just a bit too much for me... and brad's not even 38 yet, 6 years is a big deal 💸, maybe next year he'll be looking elsewhere again 👀. anyway, Bruins fans are stuck with him now, might as well just enjoy the entertainment value 😏.
 
OMG 🤯 I gotta say, this move by Brad Marchand is lowkey genius 😏. He's basically trolling the Leafs by saying they chased him away like that Mitch Marner drama 💔. Like, if he really wanted to join them, wouldn't he have just signed? 🤑 It seems like he knew his worth and played hardball with Toronto. I gotta respect that kind of negotiating skill 😎. Now, Bruins fans are left wondering what could've been, but let's be real, they're still gonna be salty about it 💔. Marchand's decision is more about keeping the Leafs on their toes than anything else 🤫.
 
omg u guys cant handle the truth?? marchand got played by panthers hard lol he wasnt re-signing because he loved florida but cuz they offered him more $$$ and stability after all that drama with toronto 🤑 he called it out like a boss tho, cant wait 2 see what he does next
 
omg i was literally thinking that marchand would end up with the leafs lol idk what came over him tho i mean he did have a great season last year but florida is still a solid team with some big name signings now that hes signed he gotta be super motivated to bring home that stanley cup 🏆💪
 
Man... think about it... what does it say about our society when we're so invested in one person's free agency decisions? Like, Marchand makes this move and suddenly it's all about what he could've been doing instead. It's like we're watching a soap opera, but it's real life 🤔

And then there's the rivalry factor... it's crazy how something that started as just another player making a decision can turn into this whole thing where people are hating on each other's teams. What does that say about us? Are we so passionate about winning that we forget to appreciate the game itself?

Marchand's move might be seen as a clever one, but I think it says more about our own biases and expectations than anything else. We're already invested in this narrative of "what could've been" before he even made his decision. That's some deep reflection stuff right there 🔮
 
I gotta say, Marchand's got game 🤑. He throws us all under the bus like it's no big deal, but honestly, who wouldn't want him on their team? The Leafs passed on getting him because of cap space, that's just rude 💸. And now he's gloating about Mitch Marner's departure... poor Toronto fans 😂. Marchand might've played it cool, but I think we can all see the satisfaction in his eyes when he said those things about the Leafs 🤣. Still, I love how he calls out the Leafs without being too salty – good sportsmanship for a guy who could've easily burned bridges 🔥.
 
I gotta say, I'm loving this story about Marchand! 🤣 The way he's basically trolling the Leafs again by taking shots at them is just pure genius. I mean, who else can just make their fans feel like they ran him out of town? 😂 It's all in good fun though, and honestly, I think it's awesome that he's not afraid to speak his mind and poke some fun at his rivals. The fact that he was even considering joining the Leafs is still crazy to me - I guess you never know what's gonna happen in free agency! 🤷‍♂️ Anyway, can't wait to see what kind of moves the Panthers make this season. Marchand's definitely going to be a wild card to watch! 🎯
 
omg did u see marchands reaction when he talked about toronto?? 🤣 i was thinking maybe he was joking but then he said that stuff about mitch marner and it was like "oh snap" lol anyway i think its kinda cool that he called out the leafs like that. it shows that even though hes signing with florida, he still has a bit of beef with toronto 🍿👊 what do u guys think tho? should marchand have joined toronto or is he better off in florida?
 
omg u gotta feel bad 4 the boston fans rn 🤕 marchand just threw shade at the leafs like no tomorrow 😂 i mean we all knew he was gonna re-sign with fl but still this is some next level stuff 🤑 brad's always been one to stir up drama, and now he's got a whole new season to do it again ⏰ also gotta say, toronto's team chemistry might be real lol 💯 but for real tho, marchand's gonna be the one to watch all season long 🔥
 
idk why ppl are so salty about marchand leaving the bruins 4 the panthers 🤷‍♂️... like he's just tryna make a smart business move, u feel? 🤑 someone else would've done the same thing in his shoes. and btw, those leafs fans gotta chill w/ all the "he's trolling us" stuff lol 😂 marchand's just playin' both sides rn 🤝
 
I'm not sure I buy all this drama surrounding Marchand's decision... 🤔 Like, we've seen players flip sides before and it doesn't always end well for everyone involved. And what's with all the sniping at the Leafs? It's just a game, right? 🏒️ He seems pretty level-headed about it too, but I guess when you're 37 and making six bucks, you can afford to be sassy 😏. Still, if he was really gonna troll the Leafs, wouldn't that have come out sooner? This whole "we passed on a trade" thing just feels like a PR spin to me 📰
 
omg u guyz Marchands decision 2 re-sign w/ Panthers 2ws a major shakeup 4 Bruins fans & Leafs fans alike lol I think its pretty clear he was always gonna re-sign w/ Florida, like c'mon dont @ me 🤣 But idk man, its def got ppl talking & i love how Marchand poked fun at the Leafs & their whole "running Mitch Marner outta town" thing lol. it seems like hes trying 2 prove a point but also show his human side at same time
 
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