Brad Marchand hints at 'potentially' returning to Boston Bruins in July following shocking Panthers trade

By Jackson Weber

Modified Mar 11, 2025 19:59 GMT

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Brad Marchand's time in Boston is over for now. The former Bruins captain was dealt to Florida in a shocking move in the final minutes before Friday's 3 p.m. ET NHL trade deadline.

His preference was to sign an extension to remain a Bruin for life. However, negotiations were too far apart, and the team decided it was best to move on from the pending unrestricted free agent and gain an asset in return. That asset turned out to be a 2027 conditional second-round pick, which could become a first-round pick if Florida wins two rounds in this year's playoffs and Marchand plays in over 50 percent of those games.

Marchand spoke for the first time as a Florida Panther on Monday, and on Tuesday, he was asked whether a return to Boston could happen in the offseason.

“I mean, I can’t, I don’t know. I guess is how I would respond. I don’t know what the future brings in terms of how it plays out in the summertime. I know it didn’t come together now. Can things change down the road? Potentially, but that’s to be seen," Marchand said. (7:15)

"I’m sure we’ll have a conversation down the road, but I don’t know where that goes. ... It doesn’t change my love for the city and the will to want to be here has never changed. I don’t think that it will ever change. It’s just like a meeting of the minds and kind of come together, but we see."

He certainly didn't rule out the possibility of a return to Boston in free agency. As a pending UFA, Brad Marchand is in the final season of an eight-year, $49,000,000 contract signed with the Bruins in 2016.

Boston Bruins will have plenty of cap space to sign Brad Marchand this summer

Should the Boston Bruins want to re-sign Brad Marchand, there won't be anything holding them back.

The Bruins are projected to have over $28 million in cap space this offseason. Marchand will likely seek somewhere in the $5 million to $6 million range per season on his next deal, something Boston can definitely afford. It will be interesting to see whether general manager Don Sweeney pursues Marchand should he hit free agency on July 1.

The 36-year-old is still a productive player, having amassed 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists) in 61 games this season, on pace for his 10th consecutive campaign with more than 60 points.

Marchand remains out of the lineup when the Panthers face his former team on Tuesday night in Boston. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden.