Marchand mulling Florida return, but focus on Cup

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Brad Marchand said he's considered re-signing with the Florida Panthers this offseason but stressed that his absorption remains connected winning the Stanley Cup earlier making immoderate escaped bureau decisions.

"Yeah, I've thought astir it. But we'll woody with that successful the future," said Marchand.

The Panthers acquired Marchand from Boston aft helium and the Bruins were incapable to travel to presumption connected a declaration extension. Marchand becomes an unrestricted escaped cause connected July 1. Next play volition beryllium his 17th successful the NHL.

The 37-year-old near helping could beryllium a coveted seasoned subordinate connected the free-agent market, having scored 23 goals with 28 assists successful 71 games this season. He remains a coagulated two-way subordinate who plays a tenacious, agitating game. But his banal has lone risen successful this tally to the Stanley Cup Final with the Panthers successful which Marchand has 17 points successful 19 games with 7 goals -- 2 of them scored successful Florida's Game 2 triumph successful Edmonton, including the game-winner successful double-overtime.

"I didn't admit however bully his hands are. They're benignant of successful that Matthew Tkachuk mode. That's a acceptable of hands that's astatine the apical end. Those guys are special," said manager Paul Maurice of Marchand. "He's an exceptional man. Really bask having him."

Marchand said he's tried to support thoughts astir his aboriginal retired of his mindset, with the Panthers tied 1-1 with the Oilers successful the Stanley Cup Final.

"The longest you tin spell is 2 weeks, truthful you're successful the infinitesimal that full time. You can't person your caput successful immoderate different spot different than close present and now," helium said. "I've said it truthful often during this run: You person to bask these moments. They don't travel often. There's nary different thought successful my caput close now."

When the postseason wraps up and Marchand turns his attraction to escaped agency, the Panthers would look to person an vantage to clasp him. Not lone person the Panthers precocious to the Stanley Cup Final for 3 consecutive seasons -- and Marchand has praised the organization's professionalism down the scenes -- but Florida is 1 of six U.S.-based teams that person nary authorities income taxes. The Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights person each won Stanley Cups and person been to aggregate Cup Finals since 2020. The Dallas Stars person made 3 consecutive Western Conference Finals.

While different teams and their instrumentality bases person protested astir this vantage successful a wage capped league, NHL lawman commissioner Bill Daly precocious said the league and the players aren't looking to code the contented successful their adjacent Collective Bargaining Agreement.

"These imbalances person existed forever," said Daly. "There's thing caller here. There are truthful galore reasons wherefore a subordinate tin take to play successful a peculiar determination for a peculiar squad that person thing to bash with the taxation concern successful that market. So I don't expect it's thing we're going to code proactively arsenic portion of this corporate bargaining negotiation."

Marchand indicated that, arsenic a seasoned player, the section taxation advantages volition play into his escaped cause thinking.

"There are teams wherever that perfectly matters. It doesn't substance for each player, but erstwhile you're dealing with guys that person prime betwixt aggregate teams, it perfectly plays a part," said Marchand. "If you person 2 teams that are offering the aforesaid contract, you're going to prime the squad with little tax."

Marchand said teams without that income taxation vantage typically person to wage players more, which impacts their headdress abstraction and their quality to support a palmy team.

"Most contending teams don't person a batch of headdress space," helium said. "When you look astatine Canadian teams, astir of them person an highly precocious taxation rate. Then the California teams, aforesaid thing. So those teams are going to person to wage much wealth to get definite players than others."

Game 3 is scheduled for Monday nighttime successful Sunrise.