NHL Free Agents: 6 Players Who Could Fill Brad Marchand's Role If He Leaves

Boston Bruins restricted free agent forward Brad Marchand has yet to sign a new contract, and veterans report to training camp in just a couple of days.

Marchand had a breakout season last year and became a fixture on the Bruins second line with Patrice Bergeron and the retired Mark Recchi.

His agent Wade Arnott was also the agent for Phil Kessel when he was up for a new deal a few years ago.

Kessel wanted too much money, and as a result was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for two first-round picks.

Marchand seems to want to play in Boston much more than Kessel did, and his popularity with the fans would make his possible departure look really bad for the Bruins.

If he does leave, let's look at a few possible replacements.

Nicholas Goss is a Boston Bruins featured columnist for Bleacher Report and was the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals in Boston. Follow him on Twitter for NHL news and analysis. Follow @NicholasGoss35.

Jordan Caron

Jordan Caron is a good young player that the Bruins will use much more this season than last. Caron is a right winger who has good size and skating ability, and has goal-scoring potential. He also is a good penalty killer.

He played a bit with the team last season, but did not participate in the playoffs, although he practiced with the team during their Stanley Cup run.

Caron has three goals and four assists in 23 games with the Bruins last year.

Asking a young player to step onto the second line at the NHL level has its risks, but Caron is ready to contribute at the pro level right now. By the end of the season could be ready for a second- or third-line role.

Alexander Semin

If Marchand leaves, there aren't many outside players the Bruins could bring in at this stage of the summer, so promoting from within is the way to go.

However, if Boston wanted to make a major splash, trading Marchand for Washington Capitals winger Alexander Semin would be a great idea.

Semin is in the final year of his contract and has a bright future ahead of him. He would be an upgrade over Marchand in terms of scoring and overall offense, but Semin won't contribute to the penalty kill like Marchand.

Boston is also one of the few teams with enough cap space to take on Semin's large contract from Washington.

Benoit Pouliot

Benoit Pouliot was the only significant signing for the Bruins (which isn't saying much), and the team is hoping that a change of scenery with less expectations will help the former fourth overall pick reach his potential.

Pouliot has great size at 6'3" and has goal-scoring ability.

He scored 13 goals with 17 assists last season for the Montreal Canadiens. Pouliot signed a one-year deal with the Bruins and has one season to prove he can be a valuable part of the team or he could be searching for another employer.

Rich Peverley Goes to Second Line, Zach Hamill Called Up

Rich Peverley was awesome in the playoffs for the Bruins and played very well in the Stanley Cup finals in place of the injured Nathan Horton on the first line.

He is an accurate shooter and also is a good defensive forward.

Peverley is a more-than-capable player on the second line with Patrice Bergeron, and he would benefit from the slick passing of Bergeron on the second line.

Tyler Seguin Goes to Second Line, with Peverley

Tyler Seguin is the future of the Boston Bruins and the best offensive talent on the entire team.

His role on the Bruins will be much larger this season, and playing him with Patrice Bergeron and Rich Peverley on the second line in Brad Marchand's absence would be the best fit for him.

Seguin has 40-goal potential and is the fastest player on the Bruins.

Daniel Paille Moves from Fourth Line to Second

Daniel Paille, Shawn Thornton and Gregory Campbell make up the best fourth line in the NHL, and taking away Paille could ruin the chemistry of the line.

However, Paille played on the first line for stretches of the 2010 season, and even played there in the 2010 playoffs when injuries left Boston with a severe lack of depth.

Paille is a great skater and has goal-scoring ability, and is one of the most underrated defensive forwards in the game.