2025 Stanley Cup Champions
Signed All Three: Brad Marchand Stays with the Florida Panthers
Brad Marchand is staying with the Florida Panthers.
The former captain of the Boston Bruins will run it back in Sunrise after agreeing to a six-year deal with the Panthers.
Elliotte Friedman reports the contract is for an average of about $5.3 million per season.
The Panthers, after signing Aaron Ekblad to an eight-year deal earlier in the day, were $4.9 million under the salary cap.
More information on this contract to come.
The Panthers are now over the salary cap for next season but are allowed to carry an extra 10 percent through the summer.
Marchand, 37, spent the first 16 seasons of his NHL career with the Bruins, including the past two as their captain, before the Panthers acquired him at the trade deadline on March 7.
He joined Floridaโs third line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen and excelled in the playoffs, finishing second in the Conn Smythe Trophy voting to Sam Bennett.
Bennett, like Ekblad, also signed an eight-year deal with the Panthers instead of testing NHL free agency.
General manager Bill Zito said after the Panthers won the Stanley Cup for the second straight year that he thought he could sign all three of Floridaโs top free agents.
He was right.
2024 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS 2025
FLORIDA PANTHERS
UP NEXT
- Start of NHL Free Agency: Tuesday, noon
- Panthers Development Camp, Fort Lauderdale IcePlex: Today-Thursday
- Panthers Rookie Camp, Fort Lauderdale IcePlex: Early September
- Prospect Showcase @ Tampa Bay Lightning: Early September, Wesley Chapel
- Training Camp: Mid-September
- Exhibition Games: Starts Sept. 21 @ Nashville (doubleheader)
- Opening Night: Oct 7-9 (opponent, time, date TBA)
Unbelievable!!
YUP
Time to buy the jersey!!!!
I really hate to rain on this parade because you guys know me, I’m as happy as anybody that we signed Brad but the numbers don’t work, something tells me Tkachuk is going to spend a big chunk the season on LTIR, as it stands , with the Marchand signing, we’re a little more than a million over the cap, and we still haven’t come to terms with our backup goalie AND we need a 4th line center. Even if we get the league minimum on the two guys that we still have to sign we’re going to be almost… Read more »
I forgot about A-Rod, I guess trading Rodriguez is also an option, that too would free up the needed cap space.
Rodriguez was my thought. Has 2 more years at 3 mil, but hate to lose him as an inexpensive top 6. If Tkachuck does go into LTIR, it will free up enough to sign everyone including Mackie or anyone else we need. They can roll the dice and see if anyone else gets injured by the time Tkachuck comes back or deal with the overage then and trade someone for some assets (picks)? Either way, it’s incredible that he got all three.