Florida Panthers
Brad Marchand Back in Boston, Faces Bruins for First Time Tuesday
Brad Marchand may not play for the Bruins any more, but there is no doubt he is still beloved in Boston.
Tuesday night, Boston gets to show him how much.
Marchand will be on the ice at TD Garden playing for the Florida Panthers for the first time on Tuesday.
He expects a warm welcome from the fans who adored him, but knowing how Boston fans tick, Marchand is not really sure.
โI don’t expect there to be too many boos,โ Marchand told NHL.com from Detroit last week.
โThere may be some. I think with the relationship that I had with the fans in my tenure there, I’m sure there will still be some fans there.
“I think a lot of people are not too happy about the fact that it’s Florida that I’m with after some of the battles that we’ve had recently with them. But I still think they’ll be able to separate me from that and kind of what we’ve all been through together.
โBut that could change pretty quick, knowing the Boston fans, they’re very emotional and supportive of their team. So they might have forgotten already. We’ll see.โ
Marchand had spent the entirety of his NHL career with the Bruins until he was traded to the Florida Panthers on March 7 โ a trade that rocked the NHL as trade deadline day came to a close.
Although there had been reports that Marchand and the Bruins were far apart in negotiations for a new contract, it was still a bit shocking to hear that they had traded their captain.
Especially to the Panthers, the team that had knocked the Bruins out of the playoffs the previous two seasons and had quickly become a hated rival.
Marchand has fit right in with the Panthers, helping Florida win the Stanley Cup with 10 goals (three being game-winners) and 20 points.
He made it clear he wanted to stay in South Florida and, with rumors swirling he could end up in Toronto or back in Boston, Marchand signed a six-year contract to do just that.
Boston, however, will always hold a special place in his heart โ and a place he still considers a second home.
โIt’s going to be weird,โโ Marchand continued. โI think there’s going to be a lot of different emotions, even playing in the 4 Nations for Canada was different. There’s a mix. A mix of emotions being on the other side of it. There’s a lot that goes with the situation I’m in now. So yeah, a mix of nerves, mix of emotions, happy and sad.โ
This is not Marchandโs first trip back to Boston since the trade, but it will be the first time he will play against the Bruins.
Days after the trade, the Panthers traveled to Boston โ and Marchand accompanied his new team and held a press conference there as well.
Marchand was injured, however, and could not play.
He did participate in the morning skate, working out at the Garden in Panthers gear.
โThis is not your average trade,โ Florida coach Paul Maurice said at the time.
โThis is a player who was the fabric of the team, a storied franchise which has had very few captains over the years. This is a big, big deal. And it needs to be respected โฆ and revered, how important he was to that team. There have been a handful of elite players who left after being captains. Itโs a big deal.โ
ON DECK: GAME No. 8
FLORIDA PANTHERS at BOSTON BRUINS
- When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
- Where: Boston Garden
- National TV: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN+
- Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
- This Season โ At Florida: Feb. 4; April 2. At Boston: Tuesday.
- Last Season: Tied 2-2
- All-time Regular Season Series: Boston leads 66-39-7, 6 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 7
