Brad Marchand Still Has Got Game Left
Marchand Out to Prove His Doubters Wrong
The Florida Panthers have found themselves a difference maker not only in the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but through the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final, and his name is Brad Marchand.
The Panthers acquired Marchand at the trade deadline, as General Manager Bill Zito sought to add depth to his bottom six and a proven winner to help them return to this point, aiming to win back-to-back Stanley Cups.
And while Marchand was not effective right away, as he dealt with an injury and only played in the final few regular-season games for the Panthers, his addition was more for the Stanley Cup Playoffs than the regular season.
And what an addition he has become for the Panthers this post-season. Marchand once again proved that he gets it done on the big stage. In Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, Marchand had two goals, including the game-winning goal in double overtime to send the series against the Edmonton Oilers back to Sunrise tied at 1-1.
Similar to his first goal in the second period, which was shorthanded to give the Panthers a 4-3 lead, the game winner came on a breakaway as well. While there may have been a little luck as the puck slid between Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner’s pads, Marchand showed that even at age 37, he still has the wheels to beat out one of the best players in the NHL, right in Leon Draisaitl.
As Marchand stated following Game 2, with Anson Carter from NHL on TNT, it took some time to get his legs and game up to speed, as he had been dealing with an injury all season.
“Yeah when you miss three, three and a half months of training it takes a long time to get it back and start feeling again you're timing your hands, your power, speed conditioning, it's all takes a long time to get back it's just so tough when everybody's doing the same thing every day,” Marchand told TNT following Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. “So, to make those gains is difficult. Still, it's just exciting to be a part of this group and just having fun.”
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This type of performance is something the Panthers have been getting from Marchand throughout the entire playoffs. Go back to Round 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Who was it that tormented the Maple Leafs once again? Brad Marchand.
In a 6-1 victory by the Panthers in Game 7 against the Maple Leafs, Marchand factored in on three of the six goals, recording three points, including the game-winning goal by Anton Lundell.
Not only has Marchand raised his level in the playoffs, but the line of Lundell, Marchand, and Eetu Luostarinen has been the Panthers best line. The third line for the Panthers has combined for 45 points this postseason. Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen each have 14 points, and Marchand has 17 points.
You can see why the Panthers brought Marchand in. And while he is not thinking about his pending free agency as his focus is on winning the Stanley Cup, the thought has crossed his mind about signing an extension with the Panthers once the season is over.
“I mean, yeah, I thought about it, but we'll deal with that in the future,” Marchand told George Richards of Florida Hockey Now.
The pending free agent, who had been earlier in the season, reportedly had a three-year extension on the table from the Boston Bruins, but the deal was never finalized. Though at the time, Marchand denied the report.
Things could not be resolved between the two parties, and Marchand told Bruins GM Don Sweeney to trade him to the Florida Panthers. This was always a possibility, considering the Bruins were having a down year. However, it is always hard to trade your captain.
In the end, the Bruins relocated him to Florida, and reports surfaced afterward that the Bruins had only offered him a two-year deal worth $3 million per season.
Another report surfaced from Paul Bissonnette, stating that the Boston Bruins offered Brad Marchand $6.125 million, which is the same amount he is currently signed for. Marchand's camp reportedly asked for $7.5 million.
The player wanted to stay in Boston and called for a meeting to resolve the differences, seeking a compromise. However, management did not want to budge on their offer to the aging veteran.
This is when Marchand called for a meeting and stated that he was willing to meet in the middle, but the Boston Bruins would not budge.
Considering he helped the Bruins win their first Stanley Cup since 1972 and appeared in two other finals with the team, this was undervalued for a player who had a lot left to give to the game.
And you can see Marchand still has game left in him. It wasn’t like he was having a bad year in Boston before the trade. He had 47 points (21 goals and 26 assists) in 61 games for the Bruins before the trade to Florida.
And while Marchand is taking it all in and grateful for the opportunity he is showing to not only the Bruins, but the Panthers and other teams interested in him, he is worth that $7.5 million a season on his next deal and then some.
But if the Florida Panthers are going to get the 2011 version of Brad Marchand, then there is a good chance they win back-to-back Stanley Cups because when the lights are brightest, he delivers.
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