In exchange for the forward’s 16 seasons with Boston, Florida sent a conditional 2027 second-round pick.
In 61 games this season, Marchand, who was in his second season as the Bruins’ captain, had 47 points (21 goals, 26 points). Due to an upper-body injury he got during Saturday’s 3-2 Bruins victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, he is currently out for several weeks.
“That one goes back a long way for me and cuts deeper than any player I’ve gotten the privilege to know and watch thrive and become a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest Bruins ever,” Don Sweeney, the general manager of the Boston Bruins,
In terms of his objectives and where we were at, we simply had a lapse in communication that started on Day 2 of free agency (last season). It took us a long time. I thought we were able to overcome that, but once more, a player has every right to know their market value and act in their best interests. I must always honor that.
“That’s the decision that was made and we had to make a really, really difficult decision to say ‘Let’s give Brad another opportunity with a really good team,’ and then he can make a decision on what he thinks is best moving forward.”
If Florida advances past two rounds of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Marchand plays in at least half of the team’s playoff games, the conditional second-round selection pick will be converted to a 2027 or 2028 first-round draft pick.
“We just completed the trade call; I haven’t even had a chance to talk to him yet. “His record speaks for itself,” stated Bill Zito, general manager of the Panthers. “Having him on board makes us very happy. Let’s see how it turns out. We believe he will be out for a few weeks due to his injury. We’ll discuss it with our physicians. We’ve discussed it a little, so we feel confident in acquiring him, and we can’t wait to get started and concentrate on becoming the greatest team we can be in order to reach our full potential. We’re overjoyed.
In his 16th season, Marchand was the team’s longest-tenured player. In Bruins history, he ranks fourth in games (1,090) and goals (422), fifth in points (976), and sixth in assists (554).
In the last 12 seasons, he has scored 20 goals 14 times, and he has been selected to the NHL All-Star Team four times (2016–17, 2020–21 first team, 2018–19, 2019–20 second team).
Marchand is in second place with 138 points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, first with 56 goals, and fourth with 82 assists in 157 games. In 2011, he and the Bruins won the Cup.
Play Video Marchand left the Bruins to join the Panthers.
The Stanley Cup-winning Panthers are 39-21-3 and two points ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. They won seven games in the 2023 first round and six games in the 2024 second round, defeating Marchand and the Bruins in each of the previous two playoff seasons.
Following their gold medals with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off last month, Marchand and Panthers forward Sam Bennett are now teammates.
Last season, Bennett controversially hit Marchand in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round, causing him to miss the following two games due to an upper-body injury. Despite not receiving any additional punishment for the play, Marchand subsequently claimed that Bennett “got away with one.”
Regarding Marchand, Zito remarked, “We think he still has some gas in the tank,” “Whether it’s his skill, speed, hockey sense, will to win, or competitiveness, he is a multifaceted player who is dynamic.” I am so excited to have him in our mix. He seems to fit in.
Play Video NHL Tonight on the Panthers acquiring Brad Marchand
Boston (28-28-8) trails the Ottawa Senators by three points for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card into the playoffs.
The Bruins also made a number of other trades on Friday: defenseman Brandon Carlo was traded to the Maple Leafs for forward prospect Fraser Minten, a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 draft; forward Charlie Coyle was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche along with forward prospect William Zellers and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for forward Casey Mittelstadt and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 draft; and a fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft was sent to the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Henri Jokiharju.
Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET (SCRIPPS, NESN, SN, TVAS) Florida travels to Boston.
“A player like this, when they come available, and you have that need and a fit with your group, you pursue it,” Zito stated. “We’re thrilled.”
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