There hasn’t been a bigger thorn in the side of the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fans over the past two decades than Brad Marchand.
First it was against the Boston Bruins, with whom he went 4-0 in Game 7s against the Maple Leafs, and then it translated right to the Florida Panthers, who crushed them in Game 7 in front of their home fans last May.
Marchand was obviously a major factor in the decider, scoring three points (one goal, two assists) in the 6-1 win and finishing with a total of eight points (three goals, five assists) in the seven-game series.
Toronto took it on the chin, thanks not only to the Panthers, but also to their own fans, who were as frustrated as ever after another playoff failure, and for good reason. However, as we all remember, Marchand quickly came on the defensive after Game 7, and as the two teams matched up for the first time in 2025-26, the veteran was once again a big supporter of the reeling Maple Leafs, he says.
Marchand said:
“If people think they’re out of a play-off spot this season, they need to find a new job… with the media attention and fan support, things are blown way out of proportion… They’re still a good competing team,”
Despite rumors of interest from the likes of the Maple Leafs, the 37-year-old found a way to stay in Florida, signing a six-year, $31.5 million extension just before release.
The Maple Leafs could have used Brad Marchand right now
The number one free agent on the Maple Leafs’ wish list this summer was Marchand, and not only because of the way he has played, but because of the way things have turned out in Toronto, their fans should be wishing that had become a reality.
Marchand has kept the Panthers afloat amid all their injuries. He has scored 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in just 23 games so far this season, achieving his best per-game performance since the 2020-21 season.
On the other hand, the Maple Leafs have a lack of consistency, and it shows in their 11-11-3 record, which has them tied with Florida at 25 points heading into Tuesday’s game.
Neither team is where they want to be right now, but Toronto is the group that has yet to find an identity, and Marchand is exactly the type of player who wouldn’t have let that happen if he was part of it.
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