The prospect of becoming an unrestricted free agent and signing a sizable contract can be an enticing thought, but it's not one Brad Marchand currently has on his mind.
The Boston Bruins forward is coming off a career year that saw him amass 37 goals and 60 points in 77 games. So - as he enters the final year in a four-year contract - it was no surprise when this past July Bruins general manager Don Sweeney confirmed that both sides had begun talks on a new contract.
However, with the World Cup of Hockey approaching, Marchand admits his impending contract status is not something that he's been losing sleep over.
"I don't know, I've never really been in that situation and I haven't really thought about it," Marchand said, according to Matt Kalman of NHL.com. "It's a whole year away. A lot of things can happen in a year's time. If it ever gets down to that then we'll worry about that then. But right now I have too many things that I need to focus on to even worry about that. I've always been the kind of guy to take it day by day with not a whole lot of worries.
"Right now I'm focusing on the World Cup. Then I'll focus on the season and whatever has to be dealt with that will be dealt with."
Marchand will represent Canada on the game's biggest stage, an opportunity he's extremely grateful for. However, after enjoying his best statistical season he understands that entering the tournament it is important not to get wrapped up in trying to hit certain offensive goals.
"The main thing is to not try to chase it," he said. "I think when you chase something like that then things will go wrong and you stop playing the game the right way. I'm not so much focused on hitting that number as I am playing a good game and being a good player for the team, being strong defensively and playing my role the way they want me to do it. I'm sure if I didn't get back there, as long as I played well and did the right things, then they'll still be happy with my game. So it's more about being the right player for the team than it is hitting a certain number because when you do that, you may start to cheat and play the wrong way and that can ultimately affect the team."
Marchand last represented Canada at this year's World Championship where he helped the team capture their second straight title.