FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Veteran forward Brad Marchand first hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins when he was 23 years old. He returned to the championship series with Boston at ages 25 and 31, and after those appearances, he pondered whether he would ever reach the final round again.
Now, at 37, Marchand has made it back, this time as a member of the Florida Panthers.
On this occasion, Marchand is determined to fully appreciate the opportunity.
Across his career spanning over 1,274 games, including playoffs, Marchand admits that some memories fade, and he recognizes taking certain moments for granted, failing to pause and truly value his participation. He insists that won`t happen now, understanding that he`s closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
“It’s more like just enjoying each day, having fun when you come to the rink,” Marchand commented. “It can feel stressful when you start overthinking or looking ahead, or because of the pressure you sometimes put on yourself. This time, I’m arriving at the rink daily, simply enjoying myself and trying to stay present in the moment. You know, not getting too worked up about things.”
However, this relaxed approach doesn`t apply to the game itself.
Marchand remains intensely focused on the challenge ahead – facing Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Final, which begins Wednesday night. This series is a rematch of last season`s playoff encounter, where Florida emerged victorious in seven games. While a return matchup wasn`t an entirely unreasonable possibility after that series concluded, it`s highly unlikely anyone predicted the former Boston captain would be competing for Florida in this rematch.
“This feels special,” Marchand stated. “Opportunities like this to be part of something significant don`t come around often.”
Marchand`s influence on the Panthers` playoff success is clear: the team boasts an 8-2 record when he registers a point, compared to 4-3 when he doesn`t. They are also 9-1 when he plays at least 15 and a half minutes of ice time, versus 3-4 otherwise. It’s evident that even at his age, he significantly impacts winning through both his performance and his voice in the locker room.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice praised Marchand`s leadership. “Players who are vocal and intense might sometimes get loud or scream on the bench, right? They get so immersed in the game, but he never does that. It`s always positive,” Maurice observed. “It`s consistently, `Stick with it, hang in there.` … At this point, it`s bordering on legendary status. He`s constantly encouraging them and is just excited, every single day. That`s his inherent personality.”
Beyond his serious focus, Marchand also brings a definite sense of humor to the team.
For example, a casual trip to Dairy Queen with teammates on an off day became a multi-day news item because he jokingly claimed he ate one of their desserts between periods during a game against Carolina (the actual snack was honey, not a Blizzard). He`s been playfully teasing his teammates since joining the Florida roster. He even seems to enjoy the team`s tradition of throwing toy rats at him after victories – a nod to his famous nickname and a custom dating back to 1996 – once lightheartedly referring to it as a “family reunion.”
Tristan Blackwood