Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand opened the door Tuesday to a“What if” conversation for Toronto Maple Leafs fans ahead of a clash between the two teams.

“It was between Florida and Toronto where I was going to go,” Marchand told reporters of reaching free agency last summer.

“I never thought it was going to be possible to re-sign with Florida, I really didn’t. Just with the guys we had up and stuff like that. But once the opportunity came up to sign here, it was kind of no question that’s where I wanted to be. But just with where we were, I didn’t think it was going to be able to happen.”

The 37-year-old winger inked a six-year, $31.5 million contract to stay put with the cash-strapped Panthers. TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Maple Leafs had planned to offer Marchand a contract before he re-signed.

Marchand was acquired by the Panthers at the trade deadline last season from the Boston Bruins, while the Maple Leafs reached a deal to acquire defenceman Brandon Carlo from Boston.

The winger posted two goals and four points in 10 games with the Panthers in the regular season before contributing 10 goals and 20 points in 23 playoff games. Florida eliminated the Maple Leafs in seven games in the second round en route to repeating as Stanley Cup Champions.

This season, Marchand has 23 goals and 46 points in 40 games and is on pace to top the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career and top a point-per-game pace for the first time since 2021-22. He was named to Canada’s Olympic team for the first time in his career last week.

Marchand has long been a thorn in the side of the Maple Leafs, going 5-0 against the franchise in Games 7s and posting 33 points in 31 career playoff games against Toronto.

He acknowledged Tuesday the Maple Leafs appear to be back on track after a slow start, but also took the opportunity to take a shot at Maple Leafs fans regarding his Olympic teammate Mitch Marner.

“It’s unfortunate the fans ran Marner out of town,” Marchand said. “I mean, that’s a huge impact on their group. He’s a point-per-game player. That hurts.”

Marner moved to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade on July 1. He has nine goals and 40 points in 40 games this season after posting 27 goals and a career-high 102 points in 81 games last season.

Brad Marchand says the #leafs play the right way now, when compared to the past, but adds: “It’s unfortunate the fans ran Marner out of town. I mean that’s a huge impact on their group. He’s a point per game player, that hurts.”

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 6, 2026

Toronto enters Tuesday’s game with a 19-15-7 record, two points back of the Panthers, who are two points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild-card spot and seven points behind the Detroit Red Wings for first in the Atlantic Division.