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Greg Wyshynski
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Brad Marchand mentioned he has thought-about re-signing with the Florida Panthers this offseason however careworn that his focus stays on successful the Stanley Cup earlier than making any free company selections.
“Yeah, I’ve thought of it. However we’ll cope with that sooner or later,” Marchand mentioned.
The Panthers acquired Marchand from Boston after he and the Bruins had been unable to return to phrases on a contract extension. Marchand turns into an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Subsequent season will likely be his seventeenth within the NHL.
The 37-year-old left wing could possibly be a coveted veteran on the free agent market, having scored 23 objectives with 28 assists in 71 video games this season. He stays a strong two-way participant who performs a tenacious, agitating sport, and his inventory has solely risen on this run to the Stanley Cup Remaining with the Panthers. Marchand has seven objectives and 10 assists in 19 playoff video games, with two of these objectives scored in Florida’s 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Recreation 2 of the Remaining, together with the sport winner in double-overtime.
“I did not respect how good his arms are,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice mentioned of Marchand. “They’re sort of in that Matthew Tkachuk mode. That is a set of arms that is on the high finish. These guys are particular. He is an distinctive man. Actually take pleasure in having him.”
Marchand mentioned he has tried to keep away from desirous about free company, with the Panthers tied at 1 of their collection with the Oilers.
“The longest you may go is 2 weeks, so that you’re within the second that complete time. You may’t have your thoughts in some other place aside from proper right here and now,” he mentioned. “I’ve mentioned it so usually throughout this run: You need to take pleasure in these moments. They do not come usually. There isn’t any different thought in my thoughts proper now.”
When the postseason wraps up and Marchand turns his consideration to free company, the Panthers would seem to have a bonus to retain him. Not solely have the Panthers superior to the Remaining for 3 straight seasons — and Marchand has praised the group’s professionalism behind the scenes — it is usually considered one of six U.S.-based groups that haven’t any state earnings taxes. The Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights have all gained Stanley Cups and have been to a number of Finals since 2020. The Dallas Stars, one other crew with no state earnings taxes, have made three straight Western Convention finals.
Whereas different groups and their fan bases have protested about this benefit in a wage capped league, NHL deputy commissioner Invoice Daly just lately mentioned the league and the gamers aren’t seeking to deal with the difficulty of their subsequent collective bargaining settlement.
“These imbalances have existed without end,” Daly mentioned. “There’s nothing new right here. There are such a lot of the reason why a participant can select to play in a specific location for a specific crew that don’t have anything to do with the tax scenario in that market. So I do not count on it is something we will deal with proactively as a part of this collective bargaining negotiation.”
Marchand indicated that, as a veteran participant, the native tax benefits will play into his pondering getting into free company.
“There are groups the place that completely issues. It does not matter for each participant, however while you’re coping with guys which have a selection between a number of groups, it completely performs a component,” Marchand mentioned. “When you’ve got two groups which might be providing the identical contract, you are going to choose the crew with much less tax.”
Marchand mentioned groups with out that benefit usually need to pay gamers extra, which impacts their cap area and their means to keep up a profitable crew.
“Most contending groups do not have plenty of cap area,” he mentioned. “Whenever you take a look at Canadian groups, most of them have a particularly excessive tax fee. Then the California groups, identical factor. So these groups are going to need to pay extra money to get sure gamers than others.”
The groups will face off in Recreation 3 on Monday night time at 8 ET in Dawn.