The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens are among several teams targeting forward Mason Marchment in the event he reaches unrestricted free agency, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are still hopeful to re-sign the 31-year-old after acquiring him from the Seattle Kraken in December, LeBrun reports.
Marchment produced 13 points in his 29-game stint with Seattle but exploded for 15 goals and 17 assists in 39 appearances in Columbus. His previous contract paid him $4.5 million annually. The Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs, and Canadiens could each afford to give him a notable raise come July 1.
Marchment began his professional career in the Maple Leafs organization but played only four NHL games in Toronto before being traded to the Florida Panthers in 2020. He spent two seasons there and then joined the Dallas Stars, with whom he notched a career-high 22 goals and 53 points in 2022-23.
The Maple Leafs and Canadiens are both seeking help up front this offseason. Toronto is expected to draft Penn State winger Gavin McKenna first overall on Friday night and recently acquired defenseman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Montreal has been quiet on the transaction front since losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.
