Brad Marchand's New, Inflated Price Has Been Set, and it May Be Too Lofty for the Leafs

As Brad Marchand celebrates the second Stanley Cup win of his career, analysts are already discussing the veteran's next move.

There has been plenty of talk about the Maple Leafs potentially landing Marchand in free agency as the team can offer him a unique opportunity when it comes to endorsements.

However, the contract money still needs to be there, and the latest report on Marchand's asking price just might be out of reach for Leafs GM Brad Treliving.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Marchand's camp is looking for a three-to-four year deal that carries an annual cap hit of around $8.5 million.

While Marchand certainly has the skills and resumè to be a big addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs, $8.5 million for a 37-year-old player is, quite frankly, a lot. Sidney Crosby's last contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, signed in 2024, carries an $8.7 million AAV, just $200,000 more than Marchand's camp reportedly wants.

There's also, of course, the Florida Panthers to contend with. Both the team's GM and assistant captain Matthew Tkachuk are hoping to bring everyone from the Cup winning team back, including Marchand.

With Mitch Marner seemingly intent on leaving the Maple Leafs in free agency, Treliving will have cap space to play with over the summer. At the same time, it must be used wisely in order to ensure the team remains competitive.