The New Jersey Devils are looking to make changes to their roster for the upcoming season. Devils President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald made it clear he was not coming back with the same group because it was not good enough. One way to change the mix up is to bring in a two-time Stanley Cup Champion like Brad Marchand.
It appears the Devils are once again being linked to the pending unrestricted free agent. According to Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period, who has Marchand ranked sixth amongst the top free agents in the 2025 class, New Jersey is showing interest in his services.
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In addition, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said of Brad Marchand, “If it’s not Florida, Utah, and Toronto expect to be ‘serious pursuers’, as well as ‘Los Angeles, New Jersey, Washington. He can fit anywhere.”
So the Devils showing interest in Marchand is nothing new. It goes back to the trade deadline. Jimmy Murphy of RG Media reported before the deadline that the New Jersey Devils were one of many teams expressing interest in Marchand. This is the type of player Fitzgerald wants to shape things up in the locker room.
This is based on the premise that Marchand, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, will be available come July 1st. Most believe he will re-sign and extend with the Florida Panthers. Panthers GM Bill Zito gave up a 2027 conditional second-round pick, which became a first-round pick, to get him. Marchand showed that he still has a lot of game left, recording 20 points (10 goals and 10 assists) in 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including six goals in the Stanley Cup Final.
And if Marchand were to be available, he is the perfect fit for what the Devils could use, not only in their top six but also in their middle and bottom six. When healthy, he is still an effective player in the NHL. Marchand had three off-season surgeries last year. While he still put up good numbers in Boston, he showed he can help young players like Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell. The Panthers had the best third line in the playoffs.
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Again, if Brad Marchand were to hit the open market, the comparable contract would be the Steven Stamkos contract with the Nashville Predators, which is four years at $8 million per year. At that number, he might be playing on the wing next to either Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes. Now is that a steep price for a team that does not have cap space and still needs to sign Luke Hughes?
Yes, it is, but the way Marchand played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he would be worth every penny. Not only did he demonstrate that he could still play five-on-five, but he also took on a role on the penalty kill and power play. Marchand did have the lone short-handed goal of the playoffs. So he is a two-way player who would fit right into what the Devils are trying to do on the ice.
How ironic would it be if Marchand went to a team that Sheldon Keefe coached? Remember, Marchand and the Bruins knocked out the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. That was the last game Keefe coached for the Maple Leafs before he became the coach of the New Jersey Devils a month later.
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This would be a player Keefe knows quite well, having seen him multiple times during the regular season when they were both in the same division with their previous teams. Marchand not only brings great play on the ice, but also leadership and experience off the ice. He knows how to settle down a locker room and be the mouthpiece to the media when it calls for it.
Brad Marchand is what the doctor ordered in New Jersey for this young group looking to take the next step. However, we saw last year that the Devils were unwilling to extend a contract beyond three years for an aging player. They were so close on Jonathan Marchessault but didn’t want to give him four years. Similar to Tyler Toffoli, before he was traded at the deadline. In this case, Fitzgerald might pony up the extra year to get a player like this in the room.
Once again, this is on the premise that Brad Marchand is even available and wants to go to New Jersey. However, if he did, it would send shockwaves through the NHL, indicating that the Devils are ready to take the next step.
