Dubas reportedly could have interest in bringing back a former Leaf this summer

Back in February of 2020, the Leafs swung a deal with the Florida Panthers, sending prospect Mason Marchment to the Sunshine State in exchange for Denis Malgin, a diminutive but feisty forward who had some NHL experience and the ability to play both wing and center.

At the time, the deal appeared to be a good one, given that the Leafs had acquired a player who they thought could contribute immediately for a player who was relegated to AHL duty and did not appear ready for the NHL. Well, fast forward a couple of years and Denis Malgin is no longer in the NHL. Meanwhile, not only is Marchment an NHLer, but he's been posting some ridiculous numbers for a depth forward.

Since being acquired by the Panthers, Marchment has suited up in 91 regular season games for the Cats, notching 20 goals and 58 points, including an 18-goal, 47-point campaign this season in just 54 games played. The 26-year-old also tallied 53 penalty minutes and was a remarkable +29 this season.

So why would the Panthers let this kid go? Well, money is going to have a lot to do with it. Marchment is a pending UFA and is due a raise from his current $800,000 salary. He appears poised to head to free agency, barring a change of heart from management, who could have extended him at any point this season.

So how do the Leafs play into this? Well, according to both Elliotte Friedman and Chris Johnston, the Leafs could have their eyes on the 2nd generation NHLer to fill a role in their bottom six. Of course, like Florida, this will depend heavily on the asking price. Given these numbers, though, Marchment should be a hot commodity on the open market.

While the Leafs could certainly use a player with Marchment's size and skill set, I'd imagine that they've got their eyes on plenty of candidates who are expected to be available who may be closer in price to the likes of Michael Bunting and David Kampf. Who knows? Maybe Marchment would be amenable to taking less to come back to an organization that he is familiar with. Still, after scoring 47 points in 54 games this season, his asking price should be significantly higher than what the Leafs might be willing to pay.