The unexpected trade of Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins to the Florida Panthers continues to stir discontent among fans. It’s hard to imagine him in Panthers gear after seeing him dominate in gold and black for nearly 16 seasons. Nevertheless, the hockey forward found himself sidelined for several games following his trade to the new franchise. What is the reason for that? Marchand suffered an upper-body injury in a matchup between the Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The incident took place in the opening minutes of the first period when Penguins defenseman P.O. Joseph delivered a check to Marchand, sending him into the boards and forcing him to exit the game after just over two minutes of play. Following evaluations, Marchand’s status was classified as week-to-week. He has returned to the ice, as evidenced by the Panthers’ most recent matchup against the Utah Hockey Club. During the game, the hockey forward recorded one assist and registered four shots on goal. Remarkable performance for his debut in the Panthers jersey! What was the coach’s evaluation of his newly acquired player?
In a recent segment on the Panthers’ official YouTube channel, coach Paul Maurice shared his insights on Brad Marchand. He remarked, “Yeah, well, I think in order for Brad to have the career that he’s had, point production, so over a thousand penalty minutes, he has had to push himself to be in very maximize conditioning, so now he’s at a point in his career—he’s 36, but he’s probably got as big a tank as you can possibly have, like those, you know, some of the best kind of endurance athletes don’t round into till their mid-30s, so he’s really fit, dude, um, and the hands and the experience don’t go away, so I think he can be a player for a while.”
Over the course of his NHL career, Marchand has participated in 1,091 games, during which he has netted 422 goals, provided 555 assists, and amassed a total of 977 points. He continues to thrive remarkably! This is a significant topic in Maurice’s books. The coach asserted that, considering his age, Marchand stands out as the best available talent and still possesses significant potential.
Moreover, with the regular season games still ahead and the Stanley Cup playoffs on the horizon, Maurice expresses enthusiasm about Marchand’s potential impact in these crucial matchups. What insights has the hockey forward shared regarding his journey with the new franchise?
Brad Marchand donning the Panthers outfit for the first time
“It was odd when I stepped on the ice. It kind of hit me going out there, and being cheered by Panthers fans was a lot different. But it’s a great feeling,” remarked Brad Marchand after his first game donning the Panthers jersey against the Utah Hockey Club. For an individual who has donned the Bruins outfit for approximately 16 seasons, this experience was rather unusual for him.
Change is an unavoidable reality, and this holds true for the NHL as well. Marchand had always envisioned finishing his career with the Bruins. However, given the franchise’s current struggles and the ongoing rebuild, a trade to the Panthers became necessary.
It was a challenging experience for him, yet he faced the truth and has since participated in a game while wearing their team gear. Marchand conveyed his appreciation for the supportive atmosphere created by the Panthers fans and expressed eagerness for further engagement with his new franchise.
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