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Fans may look back at Brad Marchand’s 2024-25 NHL season as one of the most dramatic success stories in the league’s history. All it took was one trade to change the 16-season Boston Bruins veteran’s trajectory from languishing at the bottom 5 in the league table to landing on the defending champions’ roster. And the 37-year-old took full advantage of this twist of fate, all the way to winning his second Stanley Cup. Yet, even after the season, the surprises keep coming.

While all eyes were on the Florida Panthers securing contract extensions for their three stars, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand, the Panthers gathered a ton of “cool stuff” for donation. Philip Pritchard, the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Keeper of the Cup, posted a photograph of everything the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions donated for display. However, there is one oddity in the pile of memorabilia from the Cats’ 2024-25 campaign.

What’s more? That oddity didn’t even belong to the Florida Panthers. Cats’ beat writer Alex Baumgartner spotted the two small cans amidst the pile of gloves, jerseys, helmets, and more. “The Marchand booze will be in the Hall of Fame,” Baumgartner wrote one X. He added a zoomed-in picture of the two gold and black, limited edition Samuel Adams ‘Marchand(y)’ beer cans.

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If you’re wondering whether the gold and black colors signify the Boston Bruins’ connection, then you’d be right. You see, while the Boston Bruins let Marchand go unceremoniously in a shocking deadline trade, Samuel Adams honored the NHL icon with their special edition beer. “Brad Marchand will forever be a Boston legend, and legends deserve legendary beer,” the brand wrote on social media.

Head of branding Lauren Price praised everything Brad Marchand had done for not just hockey but all sports in Boston. “He truly embodies the heart of Boston sports,” said Price. Despite his sudden departure, Marchand shared the same sentiment. “We are Bostonians now and forever… Boston will always be a part of me,” he told the Boston Globe. Yet, as amusing as a piece of Boston merch finding its place in the Hall of Fame alongside stuff from the Panthers may be, Marchand’s future is with the Cats.

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Brad Marchand is no longer a loose end

While Brad Marchand hinted at a future with the Florida Panthers right after Sam Bennett dropped a huge hint, his deal took the longest. In fact, it took long enough for rumors of Marchy returning to Boston to creep in. The press even implored Bruins GM Don Sweeney about the rumors of their former captain returning to the lineup. Sweeney refused to make any concrete comments.

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Is Brad Marchand the comeback king of the NHL, or did he just get lucky?

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“So, my only comment that I’ll make is [that] I’ve exchanged texts to congratulate Brad,” the Bruins GM said about Brad Marchand. Thankfully, the Panthers’ playoff hero helped fans breathe easy on the day free agency kicked in when he signed a six-year, $31.5 million contract with the Cats. And the Panthers fans weren’t the only ones happy about the hockey veteran’s contract.

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Panthers GM Bill Zito showered praise on the 37-year-old, who had played against his team for 16 seasons up until March. “He is the definition of a warrior on the ice, a critical leader for our group and a relentless competitor,” Zito said after singing Marchand. Meanwhile, Sam Bennett went even further, saying the Cats probably couldn’t win it this year without Marchand.

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“I truly don’t think we win a Stanley Cup without him,” added the forward, who led the playoffs with 15 goals and won the Conn Smythe trophy for his own contribution. Who knows? While this year Brad Marchand added something that harkens back to his Bruins career, with the championship-winning team intact, he may get the chance to send something else for display next year.

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Is Brad Marchand the comeback king of the NHL, or did he just get lucky?

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