Brad Marchand traded to the Florida Panthers
(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Bruins trade captain Brad Marchand to Panthers in deadline blockbuster
  • Florida adds NHL’s most notorious agitator to lineup with Tkachuk
  • Keep reading for full details on the shocking trade that reshapes the Atlantic

The Boston Bruins dropped a bombshell Friday, shipping captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers for a conditional 2027 second-round pick that could turn into a 2028 first-rounder.

The trade ends Marchand’s 16-year run in Boston, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2011 and racked up 422 goals and 976 points in 1,090 games.

The defending Cup champs now have the makings of the NHL’s most notorious line: Marchand skating alongside Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett. Good luck to anyone matched up against that trio in a seven-game series.

“We think he still has some gas in the tank,” Panthers GM Bill Zito said. “He’s a dynamic player – his skill, his speed, his hockey sense, his will-to-win, his compete. Really looking forward to adding him to our mix.”

The pick becomes a first-rounder if Florida wins two playoff rounds in 2025 and Marchand plays in at least 50% of those games. Boston keeps half of Marchand’s $6.125 million salary.

Marchand is nursing an upper-body injury from March 2 against Pittsburgh, with his week-to-week status likely cutting into Boston’s asking price.

“We had to make a really, really difficult decision to say ‘Let’s give Brad another opportunity with a really good team,'” Bruins GM Don Sweeney said. “Then he can make a decision on what he thinks is best moving forward.”

This wasn’t Boston’s only move. The Bruins also dealt Charlie Coyle to Colorado and Brandon Carlo to Toronto on deadline day, clearly hitting the reset button.

The trade makes too much sense for Florida. They already throw plastic rats on the ice after wins – a tradition from their rat-infested original arena. Now they’ve landed the NHL’s most famous “Rat” in Marchand.

Circle Tuesday on your calendar. That’s when Marchand returns to TD Garden to face his old team. While Marchy won’t be suiting up on the ice due to his injury, we still can’t wait for the fan reception. Florida leads the Atlantic at 39-21-3, while Boston sits three points out of a playoff spot.

After years of tormenting opponents in black and gold, Marchand now joins forces with Tkachuk to form what could be the NHL’s most infuriating duo to play against.

Adding a playoff veteran with 138 points in 157 postseason games could be the missing piece for a Panthers team eyeing back-to-back Cups.