Brad Marchand opens up on near-move to the Maple Leafs last summer

The Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers are in Toronto tonight to face the Maple Leafs, and Panthers star Brad Marchand was front and center at this morning’s media session. At 37, Marchand is never short of entertaining quotes, and he didn’t disappoint when asked about his offseason decision to re-sign with Florida.

Marchand revealed that his free agency options boiled down to just two teams: the Panthers and the Maple Leafs. For a brief moment, he genuinely believed he might end up in Toronto.

“It was between Florida and Toronto for where I was going to go. I never thought it was even possible to re-sign with Florida, I really didn’t,” Marchand told reporters.

Although it may be surprising, his reasoning makes sense. Marchand didn’t expect to remain in Florida, even after helping the team win the Stanley Cup, due to salary cap concerns. Ultimately, though, the Panthers managed to make it work, and Marchand agreed to a six-year contract worth $5.25 million per season.

The Leafs were reportedly exploring a new direction, and signing Marchand could have marked a major shift for the franchise, especially as they look to move on from players like Mitch Marner.

In the end, Marchand likely made the best choice for himself. He has seamlessly fit into the Panthers lineup since arriving last season and continues to perform at a high level, showing no sign of slowing down despite his age.

Still, you can’t fault the Maple Leafs for making a play.