So, when the Boston Bruins decided to trade Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers at the 2025 deadline, it really felt like the end of an era, didn’t it? The  37-year-old center, who was with Boston for all 16 years of his career—two of those as captain—got traded to a divisional rival for a conditional draft pick. It really caught fans off guard and shows that the Bruins are shifting gears towards rebuilding. But this trade really hit Marchand hard.

At a press conference, when he first put on the Panthers jersey, he shared, “You know, I’ve had an incredible run in that organization and I’m extremely proud. Just how things went there. Sorry. So, yeah, it was very disappointing that things didn’t get done just because, obviously, I love the organization. I wanted to stay there. But at the end of the day, I also know that business is business, and every player has a shelf life regardless if that’s when we want it to be or not.”

It turned out to be a lucky break: Marchand became a key player in the Panthers’ second straight Stanley Cup run, racking up 20 playoff points with 10 goals and 10 assists. So, it turns out that what started as a short-term thing for Marchand has actually become a long-term deal. Back in June, he put pen to paper on a six-year, $31.5 million extension with the Panthers. This deal might just let him hang up his skates in sunny Florida when he hits 43. The contract really showed the trust between both sides: the Panthers were all about keeping their core after winning those two championships in a row, and Marchand was ready to take on a new chapter away from the city he used to call home.

In an interview with RG, he made it clear what he wants, saying, “This contract solidifies that I’m going to play for a long time here, and I have every intention of playing it out. Hopefully I can keep up with the young guys here in the next number of years here. It’s something I want to hold on to as long as I can. My family loves it.”

The choice was shaped by the strong bond in Florida—teammates like Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad, who also signed long-term, really helped make the transition smooth. But, you know, it was kind of a two-way street. Joining the Panthers and getting comfortable was a bit of a challenge, but in the end, those same teammates who used to be rivals and would tease each other on the ice are now gearing up to defend the Stanley Cup together for the Panthers once more.

Wearing that red jersey really suits Marchand; it shows just how much he still loves hockey and the fire he has for the game. And GM Bill Zito was pretty clear about Marchand’s excellence on the ice right from the moment he signed the contract.

Brad Marchand had already impressed his new boss

Bill Zito made his goals pretty clear after the Panthers celebrated their back-to-back Stanley Cup victories. “We want to keep everybody together,” the GM mentioned during the Stanley Cup parade. But what really stood out was his focus on three players: Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand. So, in the end, Bennett and Ekblad got their contracts, but Marchand’s was still hanging around.

But Zito didn’t waste any time signing that, even with Florida’s tight cap space. After the signing, he mentioned, “Instantly supplementing our lineup from the moment he arrived in South Florida, Brad has been an outstanding addition to our team.” You can really see how important Marchand is when you look at how he plays in the big games. Even though everyone expected the Oilers to put up a solid fight in the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, the Panthers really kept their opponents in check.

So, Brad Marchand kicked things off with a goal in the first three games of the series. You know, the big moment really happened in Game 2, which was another away game, when the Panthers pulled off a thrilling 5-4 win in overtime. Brad Marchand found the back of the net twice, and he even snagged the game-winner in overtime! All of these contributions really showed that he was worth the contract.