Brad Marchand makes his return to TD Garden with Florida Panthers
Brad Marchand was back on the ice at TD Garden on Tuesday, but he was not sporting his usual Black and Gold sweater with a Spoked-B in the middle. Instead, the former Bruins captain was in enemy colors, donning his new Florida Panthers uniform for the first time.
It's a sight that is going to take a while for Bruins fans to really accept, though they won't have to deal with it Tuesday night when the Bruins play the Panthers for the first time since last week's Marchand trade . The winger is still out with an upper-body injury and will not play in Tuesday's tilt.
Marchand will likely be in a suit as he watches the game from the ninth floor. But don't be surprised if the Bruins have a video tribute waiting for their former captain.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said after the team's morning skate that Marchand remains week-to-week, and his new team hopes to have him make his Florida debut near the end of the regular season. But that didn't make his participation in Tuesday's morning skate for the Panthers any less strange.
Brad Marchand on skating with the Panthers
After skating with his new teammates for the first time, Marchand told reporters the last four days have been a whirlwind. After spending his entire career with the Bruins, just about everything has been different for Marchand following last week's trade.
"It still felt weird and odd," Marchand said. "It was great to get out there with them and start that process. But coming in here, and the way they do their meetings and warmups, it's just an adjustment. You learn and follow suit, but it's different from your day-to-day routine, especially being here for 16 years."
He's had to juggle getting to know his new teammates, trying to find a place to live in Florida, and getting treatment on his injury since the Friday trade that sent him to the Panthers. He's also had his family on his mind, as his wife and two young daughters are remaining in Boston.
Then there's also the matter of digesting the trade itself. It's been a lot for Marchand to take in, and he has new appreciation for players who have been dealt at the deadline.
"I feel terrible about the lack of understand I've had for guys in the past who have come and gone. I have a new respect for guys who have had to deal with that. I wish in the past I had more empathy and understanding for what guys were going through when they were joining our team or leaving our team," he said. "That was one of the biggest takeaways I've had with this situation."
But Marchand is thrilled to be a member of the Panthers, calling them the top contender in the NHL and the toughest team he had to play against this season.
"I don't look at this job as real life," Marchand said. "We're so fortunate to play a game for a living and do something we absolutely love. You work for a couple of hours a day, doing something you grew up doing and only in your wildest dreams did you think it was something you could do for a job.
"I still get to do what I love, play in an incredible place, and play a game for a job. I'm so grateful of the opportunity I'm provided every day," he said.
Even though he's the new guy on the defending Stanley Cup champs, Marchand will not be changing his game with the Panthers.
"Do you think I need to tone it down? My wife does, but I'm just going to be me," he said.
Brad Marchand reflects on career with Bruins
Marchand is certainly excited for the next chapter of his career with the Panthers. But as a pending free agent, he was asked if he would consider a return this offseason if Boston comes calling. The Bruins and Marchand couldn't agree on an extension prior to Friday's trade, and he wasn't sure what will happen this summer.
But it does sound like he'd be open to return to Boston.
"I don't know what the future brings in terms of how it plays out in the summertime. I know it didn't come together now. Can things change down the road? Potentially. But that is to be seen. I'm sure we'll have a conversation, but I don't know where that goes," he said.
"Obviously, I would still love -- my love for this city and the will to want to be here has never changed and I don't think that will ever change," he added. "Whether we have a meeting of the minds and it comes together, it remains to be seen."
Marchand spent several minutes praising Don Sweeney, Cam Neely and the Bruins brass as one of the best front offices in the business. He thanked them for all the opportunities the franchise gave him, and said he doesn't hold any ill-will against the organization over his trade to the Panthers.
He would have loved to have won more with the Bruins and retired having only worn a Boston sweater. But he understands the business side of the game, and will always cherish the memories he has with the Boston Bruins.
"My biggest thing is when I look at the situation, we were an incredible team for a long period of time. Maybe we didn't achieve everything we wanted throughout that time, but you give up a lot in those runs. You give up a lot to get to those runs. It gets to the point where it catches up to you. But the job and will to win is there every single year. Management has done an incredible job making us a competitive team and giving us a chance to win," he said.
"We knew there was a window, and we maxed that out," Marchand continued. "We had an opportunity a few years ago and we came up short. We dropped the ball on that one. That was our year and they went all-in the years leading up to that season. When you look at an opportunity like that, it doesn't come very often. Ultimately, it was on the players and we didn't do our job in that situation."
Marchand is grateful the Bruins found a way to do what is best for the team for the future, and also do right by him in sending him to a contending team in the Panthers.
"Eventually, decisions have to be made that are tough. They had their right intentions. I won't get into the details on everything, but they tried to do what was best for the team and also give me an opportunity to stay if I wanted to," he said. "I want to win and I'm a competitor. The guys in that office are competitors and they want to win. They're not going to go down a path of building losing teams. They're doing what they feel is right to build for a bright future with a young core. You can't get upset about those things.
"Yeah, I would have loved and it would have been incredible to have that fairy tale ending. But they're doing what is right for the guys in the room. They can't choose one guy over 20 guys and the millions of people that support the team," Marchand continued.
"I don't get lost in all of that and have a tremendous amount of respect for ownership and management and everyone involved in this organization," he added. "That's why you want to come here, because they just want to win and will do what it takes. ... I don't have anything bad to say because for a very long time, they've put our team in position to contend and to win. That's all you want as a player."
