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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens are Canadian rivals in the NHL.
They also might do battle this offseason in the free agent pursuit of Mason Marchment.
"The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs both covet this player," The Athletic's Chris Johnston wrote on Tuesday.
NHL free agency opens at 12 noon ET on Wednesday. Marchment will be available.
He's from the Columbus Blue Jackets, but it's not clear he'll stay there.
Johnston projects that a contract for Marchment will cost $5.67 million per year for four years -- a total value of $17 million.
The 31-year old winger likely has one really solid contract left in him.
"An in-season trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets sparked Marchment’s flat-lining game this past season and put him in a much stronger position heading into free agency," Johnston wrote. "The big winger plays an aggressive style and has good hands in tight spaces, as evidenced by the 15 goals he scored for Columbus in 39 games. He doesn’t shy away from physicality and plays a style more resembling the power forwards of years gone by than what is typical in today’s NHL. The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs both covet this player."
MORE: What the Gavin McKenna pick means for the Maple Leafs
In the 2025-26 season, Marchment finished with 45 points in 68 games -- that was between 19 goals and 26 assists.
He was a middle-six player, and that's likely what he'd remain in a new home.
Marchment's experience can set him up to bring a reliable presence to the Maple Leafs -- who want a bounceback season -- or the Canadiens -- who are quite young and could use a veteran leader.
Sure seems like they'll both be doing what they can to sell him on their team.
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