The Florida Panthers are acquiring Brad Marchand. Yes, that is a real thing. They are acquiring the longtime Boston Bruin at the waning seconds of the NHL trade deadline, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
Still pending league call, but told Brad Marchand is going to Florida
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 7, 2025
It was a mystery whether the rebuilding Boston Bruins would trade Marchand by the deadline. On one hand, it's always a smart idea to trade a 36-year-old pending UFA in a season that won't result in the playoffs anyway. On the other hand, it's Brad Marchand we're talking about here. Marchand had spent the entirety of his 16-year career with the Bruins prior to the deal and was the team's captain. He did not want to go anywhere. Parting with him wouldn't be easy.
Not only did the Bruins trade him, but they wound up sending him to a division rival. The Panthers were already a force, but now, with Marchand in the mix, they're a team absolutely nobody will want to deal with come playoff time.
NHL trade grades: Who won the Panthers-Bruins trade for Brad Marchand?
The Marchand acquisition is obviously an outstanding one for Florida. He adds even more grit and experience to a Florida team that just literally won the Stanley Cup and defeated Marchand's Bruins en route to that victory.
Not only does Marchand add physicality and a strong defensive presence to the Panthers, but he's a terrific offensive player as well. This season he has 21 goals and 47 points in 61 games, and that's with playing on a Bruins team mostly bereft of offensive talent.
Regardless of where he slots in on Florida's top six, he makes the Panthers a lot better, and knowing what the Panthers had to give up in order to acquire Marchand makes it an even bigger win.
According to ESPN's John Buccigross, the Panthers are sending a conditional second-round pick in 2027 to Boston, which can turn into a 2028 first-round pick if conditions are met. This is an absolute steal for Florida.
Given that, it's shocking that the Bruins went through with this. For reference, Brandon Tanev and Anthony Beauvillier went for second-round picks. Brock Nelson went for a first-round pick and a top prospect. It was a clear seller's market, so how did the Bruins only manage to get a pick that might be a first-rounder in exchange for potentially the best non-Mikko Rantanen player to get dealt? To take it a step further, how do you accept an underwhelming return to send your longtime star to a division rival?
Sure, it makes sense that the Bruins traded him for whatever they could have, especially if they weren't planning on signing him as a free agent after the season, but it feels as if Boston could've gotten more, especially in a deal with a division rival.