Marchand Weighs in on Near-Miss with Leafs, Says Re-signing with Panthers was a Long Shot.
Boston Bruins legend Brad Marchand revealed Tuesday that he considered joining the Toronto Maple Leafs this past offseason before ultimately re-upping with the Florida Panthers. The 37-year-old winger admitted that, despite having interest in signing with the Leafs, it seemed like an unlikely possibility.
"I mean, ultimately, I never even thought it was even possible to re-sign in Florida," Marchand stated during a press conference ahead of a matchup against his former team. "I really didn’t. Just with the guys that we had up and stuff like that."
The Bruins legend hinted at Toronto's willingness to make a push for him by mentioning the possibility of them passing on acquiring another player in a June trade to protect cap space, which would have been needed to bring Marchand aboard.
Toronto was reportedly ready to be aggressive if Marchand hit free agency after an impressive playoff run in which he finished second in the Conn Smythe Trophy voting. However, it appears that Marchand ultimately decided against joining the Leafs and instead signed a six-year deal with the Panthers.
In typical form, Marchand couldn't resist taking a jab at his former team, stating that leaving Mitch Marner behind was "unfortunate for their group," highlighting Marner's significant impact on the Leafs' performance.
Boston Bruins legend Brad Marchand revealed Tuesday that he considered joining the Toronto Maple Leafs this past offseason before ultimately re-upping with the Florida Panthers. The 37-year-old winger admitted that, despite having interest in signing with the Leafs, it seemed like an unlikely possibility.
"I mean, ultimately, I never even thought it was even possible to re-sign in Florida," Marchand stated during a press conference ahead of a matchup against his former team. "I really didn’t. Just with the guys that we had up and stuff like that."
The Bruins legend hinted at Toronto's willingness to make a push for him by mentioning the possibility of them passing on acquiring another player in a June trade to protect cap space, which would have been needed to bring Marchand aboard.
Toronto was reportedly ready to be aggressive if Marchand hit free agency after an impressive playoff run in which he finished second in the Conn Smythe Trophy voting. However, it appears that Marchand ultimately decided against joining the Leafs and instead signed a six-year deal with the Panthers.
In typical form, Marchand couldn't resist taking a jab at his former team, stating that leaving Mitch Marner behind was "unfortunate for their group," highlighting Marner's significant impact on the Leafs' performance.
, and I respect that about him. He's not afraid to speak his mind, even if it means throwing some shade at the Leafs 
. But for real, it's cool that he stuck with the Panthers - they're a young team on the rise, and having Marchand as a top line player could really make a difference 
. And I gotta say, Mitch Marner's impact on the Leafs can't be understated 
- he's one of those players who elevates everyone around him to new heights 
. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how Marchand and his Panthers teammates work together this season 
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The Leafs were definitely all in, but you gotta feel bad for Mitch and the guys there. That trade that was supposedly gonna happen never materialized so it's hard to blame 'em for not makin' a move. Marchand played it cool, but we know he's got some love-hate relationships with teams he leaves behind... like my old man used to say, "You can't have your cake and eat it too"... or in this case, you can't re-sign with Toronto and expect them not to try and make a trade for ya! 
they thought they could just pass on gettin another player in a trade 2 make room 4 him lol what a joke. and that jab at mitch marner btw? pure shade 
marchand's all like "leaving u behind was unfortunate for ur group" yeah sure bro, sounds like u were actually interested in joinin the leafs but didn't wanna admit it 
. I mean, they seemed really keen on getting him, but it's not like he's a free agent forever or anything. Marchand's right, though, leaving Mitch Marner behind was a major blow for the Leafs - that kid's been carrying them for years now. On one hand, I get why Brad would want to stay in Florida, they've got a great young core and it looks like they're building something special down there 
️. But on the other hand, joining the Leafs would've given him some amazing scoring chances... guess you could say he took the safe route this time 
. But it does make me wonder, what's Mitch Marner gonna do next? The Leafs are definitely gonna miss their superstar winger 
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he did have an incredible season and it's no surprise the Leafs were interested in re-signing him. Marchand's jab at Toronto stings a bit, but we all know he loves to speak his mind 
. On a more serious note, I think it's good that Marchand decided on the Panthers – they've got a solid team and a great coach. He's still gonna be a key player for them, no doubt about it 
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. It's interesting how he downplayed it himself, almost like he was trying to play it cool 
. Leaving Mitch Marner behind stings, but I guess that just shows how big of an impact Marner has on the team 
️. Panthers' cap situation must have been attractive enough for him though 
, 6 years is a long time, only if they can keep their core intact 
... marchand knows how much those guys rely on each other on the ice, and to diss them like that? not cool, brad 
. i think he was just trying to get under their skin, but at the end of the day, it's just hockey 
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. But what really got me was him saying that the Leafs were willing to pass on getting another player just to make room for him. That's some next-level thinking right there