After winning the Stanley Cup for the second time, Brad Marchand was asked a simple yet tricky question. NHL reporters wanted to know what he had to say to the Panthers’ front office or Bill Zito. His reply was short and bold: “Give me a contract.” Not long after, Bleacher Report provided everyone waiting with baited breath an update: Marchand is expected to sign a deal in the range of four years and $32 million ($8 million AAV) in free agency. But hold on a second, folks…
Marchand’s future in Florida still revolves around two important questions: if and when. ‘If’ was a more prevalent question till June 27 before Sam Bennett got an eight-year, $64 million contract. But as Hockey World thinks that Marchand should get a good deal from the Panthers, what does Bill Zito think about the same? In a recent press conference, Zito, talked about Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand’s future with the team.
He said, “Yeah. I have an idea. If what I think isn’t accurate, and it might not be, okay. You know, we have a Plan B and a Plan C. But my preference, and maybe I’m hoping, is that there’s enough for guys to want to stay to be part of this and be treated fairly and be happy, and that’s the most important thing.”
But when asked, “Do you feel like you’re getting that vibe?” Zito hesitated a bit and replied, “I don’t really. I don’t know how to comment on it. And I don’t know if it would be accurate, so… Sorry.” Also, a few days after winning the cup, Zito told Sportsnet and ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show that there was a way to keep Ekblad, Bennett, and Marchand.
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Now that the Bennett’s contract situation has been resolved with an 8-Year, $64 Million deal, two tough financial decisions loom regarding keeping forward Brad Marchand and defenseman Aaron Ekblad. But the problem is that the Panthers have only $11,000,000 in cap space, per Puck Pedia. We all know Zito wants to add both players, but the lack of cap space complicates matters.
However, there is a way. Per NHL.com, “Zito, of all people, knows the Panthers do not have the most money to offer his pending free agents due to salary cap constraints. But he also figures the Panthers have something special brewing, which does not come around often.” A bigger paycheck vs. the opportunity to be part of a budding Panthers dynasty – that is the tradeoff that Ekblad and Marchand will be contending with. But what’s next for the two if they decide the paycut isn’t worth it?
Top landing spots for Brad Marchand and Ekblad
As both players are on the verge of hitting the free agency, quite a lot of teams are there who are taking interest in Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad. Ekblad expected that the franchise would keep him after 11 years of service to the organization. But he also added, “Conversations have been had, obviously nothing material yet, but they’ll be working on it. Things like to seem to come down to the last minute here.” Which is to say that nothing is still concrete.
“Aaron Ekblad, I think, is the pending UFA that ends up going to market,” is what NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun said while talking about Ekblad. The team drafted him in 2014, and he has been with them ever since. In these 11 years, he has played 732 games and scored 380 points. However, according to experts, he might have to wait. And to talk about the most interested teams, per Pierre LeBrun, the Utah Mammoth and the Dallas Stars could be some of the most suitable teams, as they could use the services of a defenseman of Ekblad’s caliber.
NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Florida Panthers – Stanley Cup Championship Parade Jun 22, 2025 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, UNITED STATES Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand 63 celebrates during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. Fort Lauderdale Las Olas Boulevard Florida UNITED STATES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSamxNavarrox 20250622_SN_na2_0033
But in Brad Marchand’s case, it’s different. With the $11,000,000 in cap space, according to The Athletic, the Panthers are looking to keep Brad Marchand. According to Chris Johnston, given Marchand’s resurgence toward the end of the season, he might now be in the range of a contract with an $8 million AAV.
But if he’s unable to reach an agreement with Florida, according to Sportsnet, the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Los Angeles Kings, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Utah Mammoth are the top landing spots. So, let’s see what will happen in the near future if Bill Zito keeps both players, just one, or none.
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