The hockey world is waiting to find out where Brad Marchand decides to lace up his skates next season and beyond.

As it stands, the 37-year-old unrestricted free agent could very well end up re-signing with the Florida Panthers.

Florida acquired Marchand at last season’s Trade Deadline in exchange for what ended up being a first round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

It’s a price that the Panthers are surely pleased to have paid, as Marchand played an instrumental role in Florida’s winning their second straight Stanley Cup.

Marchand was a close second to teammate Sam Bennett in the race for the Conn Smythe Trophy. He racked up 10 goals and 20 points in 23 postseason games, including six goals during the Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton.

Two of those six goals against the Oilers were game-winners.

So yeah, Marchand was electric for the Panthers, and what appeared to be a match made in heaven could potentially go on for the next several seasons depending on how things shake out in free agency.

While we still have a few days to wait for those decisions to start coming in, there was another interesting stat from Marchand’s playoff run that felt important to highlight.

As a team, the Panthers proved to be incredibly strong when it came to bouncing back after a loss.

During Florida’s 23-game playoff run, they only lost back-to-back outings one time: Games 1 and 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Panthers held a 6-1 record after a defeat, outscoring teams 33-20 during those seven outings.

It’s what Marchand did during those seven games that really jumps off the page.

First off, Marchand had at least a point in every one of Florida’s games after a loss.

In fact, he racked up seven goals and 11 points on 22 shots in those seven post-defeat outings, skating to a plus-14 on-ice rating.

Considering Florida’s ability to bounce back and not have to endure any extended periods of losing was a key element to their Stanley Cup victory, it’s clear Marchand played a monumental role in making sure that remained a strength that the team possessed throughout their march to the Cup.

It’s just something else to keep in mind as we inch close to July 1.

Of course, Marchand and the Panthers could always agree to an extension before that.

Stay tuned.

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Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images)

Coming out of the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month, the Buffalo Sabres got the lowdown on a number of prospects that could be their with the ninth selection at the 2025 Draft in Los Angeles this week, but barring a trade up they will have to rely on the player they want slipping through the cracks.  

The NY Islanders are likely to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the top overall pick, but there is no accurate read on how the remaining seven picks will break. That seems to be reflected in various mock drafts that have emerged since the combine. After Schaefer, names like Michael Misa, Caleb Desnoyers, and rising star Anton Frondell are likely to go in the top five, but at that point, any of a number of players could be there for the Sabres at #9.  

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Justin Carbonneau is a player who is ranked just outside of the top 10 on many mock drafts, but has the combination of physicality and skill that might intrigue the Sabres at #9. The 18-year-old debuted in the QMJHL at 16 and in his second season with Blainville-Boisbriand scored 31 goals. Last season, the 6’1”, 192 lb. winger led the Armada in goals (46), assists (43) and points (89).

According to the Hockey News Draft Preview, Carbonneau is a power forward who put up impressive offensive numbers but has issues with consistency. If he can get a handle on that, he’ll have a solid future in the NHL. Some scouts struggle to see a clear identity, but Carbonneau is a good skater, can hit, win puck battles and go to the net, which NHL clubs are looking for, especially in a copycat league where the Florida Panthers have won a pair of Stanley Cups. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks have options with the third overall pick. The consensus top two picks are defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters and Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit. The New York Islanders and San Jose Sharks have the first and second picks, respectively. 

With those two seemingly off the board, at least we thought, that leaves a group of good but raw, talented forwards to consider. James Hagens, Porter Martone, Caleb Desnoyer, and Anton Frondell are the players in question. Chicago wants Misa, but trading up in this draft doesn’t seem possible. 

However, there are new conflicting reports that the San Jose Sharks are incredibly interested in Frondell as the second overall pick. If the Islanders don’t shock the world and avoid taking Schaefer, and the Sharks go with Frondell, that would leave Misa for the Hawks to select third. 

If that were to be the case, Chicago would be getting their guy. Misa is a high-end offensive talent who has the ceiling of an NHL star. 

During the 2024-25 season, Misa had a huge year for the Spirit, who play in the OHL. In 65 games played, he scored 62 goals and had 72 assists for 134 points. Even in the OHL, that's a lot of goals and points. 

Misa is 6'1"/183 lbs and is a center who may end up being a winger in the NHL. Regardless of what position he sticks with, Misa will be an offensive force. Whether it's at even strength or on the power play, he can expect time with Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar once he reaches the NHL. 

Will Misa become the game-breaker in the NHL that he was in the OHL? Only time will tell, but he will certainly get the chance wherever he goes. If he has a strong training camp/preseason, he could be the first from his class to debut in the NHL. 

Misa already plays with a chip on his shoulder. He wasn't even invited to try and be on Canada's World Junior team last season. They failed to meet expectations in the tournament without him there, too, which makes it that much more disappointing for him. 

TSN (@TSN_Sports) on X2025 NHL Draft Prospect Michael Misa opens up on not being invited to Canada’s World Junior camp: (via: @JClipperton_CP)

Is it realistic to expect the San Jose Sharks to pass on Misa? It didn't feel that way a few weeks ago, but now it feels like a real possibility. With Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith already there, they probably would rather have Schaefer over everybody, but the Islanders will likely select him. Maybe the feel that Frondell gives them more of what they need down the middle. 

Chicago doesn't care if it gets stronger at center or on the wing. They need scoring forwards in the pipeline, as their defense is already deep in the organization. Once they start adding more snipers to the lineup, they will increase their chances of finishing off the rebuild. It will likely take some luck to get Misa, but he would be a great fit. 

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Insider reports say veteran winger Patrick Kane is interested in return to Detroit.

The Red Wings are looking to re-up their near-60 point player in Patrick Kane with more and more reports indicating that a deal should be almost done between both sides. 

We had looked at several reports from insiders recently on how It's believed that Kane will be staying in Detroit with NHL Insider Chris Johnston adding to the conversation, saying he believes Kane and his camp has expressed interest to come back. 

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The three-time Stanley Cup champion has proven to still have some juice left in the tank after recording 59 points through 72 games at 36 years old last season. Reports have indicated that Kane has been able to work as a mentor for the younger players like Marco Kasper to help them grow their game. 

Kane still has a lot to offer as his 0.82 point-per-game average last season had him in line with the likes of Connor Bedard, Nazem Kadri and Dylan Holloway. 

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The cap hit will likely be around $4 million a year, since that’s what he signed for with the Red Wings before. The deal might also include a trade clause, since he asked for one in his last contract.

As for term, Kane spoke to the fact that he would like to finish his NHL career with over 1,500 games played and for a three-year long deal he would have the opportunity to do that in the Motor City. 

The cap is going up and Detroit has $21.3 million in cap space heading into free agency so they would have more than enough room to bring back Kane on a agreed-upon deal as well as continuing to fish for a big ticket free agent.

The Red Wings have been linked to Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad so far but most insider reports indicate that the team is interested in acquiring goaltending depth. 

Other pending free agents with the Red Wings are Alex Lyon, Jeff Petry and key depth forward Tyler Motte among others. 

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The San Jose Sharks have been expected to make some roster changes this summer, and one of them came in the form of a buyout on Thursday (Jun. 26) when they placed Marc-Édouard Vlasic on waivers for the purpose of a buyout.

Vlasic, who is 38 years old, played 1323 games with the Sharks, scoring 84 goals and adding 295 assists for 379 points. He had spent his entire career as a Shark and now enters free agency looking for a new team for the first time in his career.

The Sharks will save some money this season as Vlasic's cap hit drops to $4.67 million, and they'll pay him $1.17 million in the 2026-27 season before he comes off the books. The Sharks now have just over $44 million in cap space heading into the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and free agency.

Sharks Expected To Make Pick At #2 In 2025 NHL DraftAccording to Sheng Peng from NBC Sports Bay Area, he has reported that GM Mike Grier is in fact planning on making a selection with the second overall pick.

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San Jose Sharks 2025 Draft Target: Anton FrondellThe NHL Draft is just days away and after an interesting story on the 32 Thoughts podcast, about the San Jose Sharks potentially leaning towards drafting Anton Frondell. It got me thinking, we hadn't yet written about him as a draft target for the Sharks.

With the 2025 NHL Draft rapidly approaching, the chatter around Brady Martin and the Philadelphia Flyers has seemingly increased tenfold. While he's a good prospect, the Flyers must pass on Martin with the sixth overall pick.

Martin, 18, endeared himself to NHL front offices with a dazzling performance at the 2025 U18 World Juniors with Canada, scoring three goals, eight assists, and 11 points in seven games whilst stuffing the stat sheet with 29 penalty minutes and a +15 rating.

Martin, alongside fellow top draft prospects Braden Cootes, Lev Katzin, Cole Reschny, Ben Kindel, and Jackson Smith, won gold with Canada at the tournament.

So, why would the Flyers have to pass on Martin? The answer is simple: they can find a more talented player that early in the draft... but this is not to say that they shouldn't target him again soon after.

For instance, the Flyers have been heavily linked to elite offensive talents like James Hagens, Porter Martone, and Jake O'Brien in recent weeks. It's implied that the Flyers will favor a center, given their needs, like Hagens or O'Brien.

On the other hand, there are some concerns as to whether Martin can play center at the NHL level and if he has the hockey IQ to become productive offensively at the level necessary to justify his potential draft position. This is one of the traits Flyers assistant GM Brent Flahr and his group of scouts values the most.

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And if the Flyers ultimately draft a winger, they would be much better off taking a Martone or a Victor Eklund, Martin's leadership and playstyle notwithstanding.

The Soo Greyhounds ace is currently ranked 10th on EliteProspects' consolidated rankings, which would make him a far more attractive prime trade-up target instead of the borderline top-5 selection that many believe he will be.

For example, let's assume that the Flyers draft Hagens sixth, making him the No. 1 center of their future.

That leaves the Flyers with the 22nd and 31st picks to find a deal to move up for Martin, which may exist with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens hold the 11th and 12th picks after the New York Rangers officially transferred their 2025 first-round pick to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Suddenly, the Flyers would have a long-term center core of Trevor Zegras, Hagens, Jett Luchanko, and Martin, with Martin and Zegras having the flexibility to play wing if needed.

Martin finds himself highly coveted around the NHL due to his playstyle, which has drawn some comparisons to Sam Bennett. With Florida winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, everyone is convinced that they must have a Sam Bennett to be a good hockey team.

There may be some truth to that, certainly, but the Flyers cannot acquire the "playoff-type" player at the expense of raw talent and upside.

But, if you can form two long-term duos with, say, Hagens and Matvei Michkov (Line 1) and Zegras and Martin (Line 2), pulling the trigger and helping out a youth-starved team like the Penguins may very well prove beneficial down the road.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have acquired Brendan Gaunce from the Minnesota Wild today in exchange for forward Cameron Butler. 

This is Gaunce's second stint with the Jackets.

Gaunce played a total of 59 games for the CBJ from 2021-24, scoring 7 goals and totaling 12 points. For the Cleveland Monsters, he scored 42 goals and had 85 points. 

Cameron Butler played one career game for Columbus, but spent most of his time in Cleveland. He played 91 games and 11 points. 

This is second move today as Columbus also sent Daniil Tarasov to Florida. 

What else is Don Waddell planning?

Let us know what you think below.

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Daniil Tarasov Traded To Florida PanthersPierre LeBrun has reported that goalie Daniil Tarasov has been traded to the Florida Panthers today. 

REPORT: NHL, NHLPA Set To Announce New CBA On FridayIf you're an old NHL fan like me, when CBA's are brought up, it immediately gives me anxiety. In 2004, an NHL lockout resulted in the cancellation of the entire season, which revolved around a salary cap. That lockout is the reason the Blue Jackets are celebrating their 25th anniversary in 25-26, instead of last season. 

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