The Florida Panthers pulled off a huge sweep before NHL Free Agency last month. The Panthers re-signed Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand to various contracts. This kept the high-performing trio from reaching the open market when it opened back on July 1.
The Panthers are coming off their second straight Stanley Cup. Florida, once again, defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the Final. At this point, it seems as if Florida has the makings of a dynasty. And keeping Marchand, Ekblad, and Bennett around gives them a much better chance of achieving that status.
Marchand is an interesting case. He spent his entire career with the Boston Bruins before this past season. In fact, he faced Florida in the postseason in each of the last two postseasons. However, the Bruins sent the future Hall of Famer to Sunrise at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
The veteran winger could have earned a major payday on the open market. Instead, he elected to remain with the Panthers on a six-year contract. And, in an exclusive interview with RG.org contributor DJ Siddiqi, he revealed that Florida’s other moves were a major reason why.
“Bennett and E coming back were huge factors in me staying,” Marchand told Siddiqi. “Those guys are awesome, guys that I really vibe with well, and I really wanted to stay there. I just didn’t really think it was going to be possible. I didn’t pay a ton of attention to the cap situation they were in, but I knew that we were up against it.”
Brad Marchand Wants to End Career With Panthers
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesBrad Marchand signed an eye-opening six-year contract with the Florida Panthers.
Marchand’s contract is very intriguing for various reasons. However, the point of most intrigue stems from the term. The Panthers star signed on for six years, which means the future Hall of Famer will next be a free agent when he’s 43 years old.
Many are wondering whether Marchand will play out this contract. It may seem unlikely, especially if Florida continues playing deep into May and June. However, the Panthers star is motivated to play as much as he can in South Florida.
“This contract solidifies that I’m going to play for a long time here, and I have every intention of playing it out,” Marchand told Siddiqi. “Hopefully I can keep up with the young guys here in the next number of years here. It’s something I want to hold on to as long as I can. My family loves it.”
Marchand Hoping to Play as Long as He Can
There are certainly examples of awe-inspiring longevity in sports, especially hockey. Gordie Howe played in parts of four decades, for instance. His final game came in 1980 at the age of 51.
Of course, Howe is an extreme example. Nowadays, players barely get to 40 years old. In fact, many retire in their early to mid-30s. Marchand, though, is motivated to play for many years to come.
The longer you play, you realize how close you are to the finish. It’s like you want to hold on to that as long as you can. That was always my mindset, and it is today. I want to play as long as I possibly can,” the Panthers star told Siddiqi.
Marchand and the Panthers begin their quest for a three-peat on October 7th against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Brad Marchand Reveals ‘Huge Factors’ in Staying With Panthers