George Richards, FHN Publisher
When it comes to free agents the Florida Panthers want to keep moving forward, Mason Marchment can get lost in the shuffle.
That does not mean he is not a high priority for the Panthers.
Marchment may not have the name cache of Claude Giroux nor Ben Chiarot, but his importance to the Panthers this past season cannot be overlooked.
At 27, Marchment has just come into his own as an NHL player.
His numbers took off like a rocket this past season but, as an unrestricted free agent, can the Panthers afford to keep him moving forward?
They are going to try.
A few years ago, it would be hard to envision the Panthers having to put up a fight to keep Marchment on their roster.
An undrafted player who spent a lot of time in the Toronto system, Marchment was traded to the Panthers in 2020 for Denis Malgin.
He did not play with Florida that season due to the Covid shutdown, but spent the summer training camp with the team and was with the Panthers for the postseason bubble in Toronto.
Marchment did not initially make the team out of that following training camp, but stuck around on the taxi squad.
Good for both him and the Panthers that he did.
Marchment got a chance to play as the abbreviated 2021 season rolled along and ended up being a counted on player heading into the playoffs — finding substantial time on the top line with Sasha Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe.
If 2021 was an opportunity, this season was one for Marchment to really shine.
Although hampered by injury and Covid, Marchment had the kind of season which would leave one to believe he is about to sign a nice contract somewhere.
As it stands right now, the Panthers will not be that team.
Florida, as we know, are about $4 million under next season’s $82.5 million salary cap.
Marchment has been making just under $1 million per season — and is due a serious raise.
This season, Marchment scored 18 goals and came close to being a point-a-game player with 47 in 54 games.
One of those stat-building games was an 8-4 win in Columbus on Jan. 31 when he tied Barkov with a franchise-record six-point game.
Marchment had two goals and four assists in a game linemate Sam Reinhart got a hat trick in.
“Everything he touched went in the net it seemed,” said Reinhart.
Marchment, the son of former NHL enforcer Bryan, was a big part of that third line along with Reinhart and rookie Anton Lundell.
Those three were put together fairly early in the season and all played together save for various injuries to either Marchment or to Lundell.
“What impresses me is his tenacity on the puck, his puck strength and how slippery and elusive he is,” Andrew Brunette said.
“With his foot speed, he doesn’t look the prettiest, but he is deceptive. He is slippery. I think he has really worked hard on his game the last year. We weren’t really sure what we were getting. I saw him in the American League and liked him there but didn’t know (about) this level.
”He is so confident and believed he could play. He took the opportunity and ran with it. It’s a real great story to see. He has had a tremendous year.”
Marchment had a goal in four games of the opening-round series against Washington and, after playing 18 minutes in Game 4, did not return.
He was considered day-to-day and missed the final two games against the Capitals and all four games against Tampa Bay.
The injury has not been disclosed.
Florida definitely could have used him against the Lightning.
The Panthers would like to keep him moving forward.
Again, can they afford him?
Right this moment, no.
With the kind of numbers put up and the style Marchment plays, he is going to be a hot commodity on the free agent market.
And, for the first time in his career, he is not only going to get paid big money but should get the piece of mind that comes with some term.
Florida cannot be the team that gives it to him — unless Zito works some magic on the trade market.
If Marchment wants to stick it out with the team that gave him a chance to be a full-time NHL player and try to complete what the Panthers have started, perhaps there is some sort of discount to come.
But do not expect it to be much.
There is simply too much at stake for his career right now.
“When the staff believes in you and put you in a spot where they think you can succeed … I came into this year trying to be that same player,” Marchment said last season.
“I tried to get back on the top line, kept pushing and playing hard. Having confidence in yourself is definitely huge.”
Florida Panthers’ Roll Call will be a recurring feature at Florida Hockey Now leading into the start of trade and free agent season.