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June 18, 2025
Brad Marchand: Honestly, I don’t think we would’ve won the Stanley Cup without him. Fourteen years after lifting the Cup as a fierce and fearless rookie, Brad Marchand finally got the chance to raise hockey’s most coveted trophy once again.
This time, the 37-year-old forward wasn’t wearing the familiar black-and-gold.
Brad Marchand’s wild and emotional season ended on Tuesday night in Sunrise, Florida.
The former Bruins captain played a key role in helping the Panthers lift their second consecutive Stanley Cup.
Florida sealed the title with a commanding 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
This one means so much more to me,” Marchand said to ESPN after the game.
“When you win in your first year, you really don’t understand how hard it is. You don’t know the struggles, the setbacks, the fight it takes to get here.”
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“This time, I felt every moment.
And I’ve loved every second of it.
It’s been an incredible ride."
Florida’s six-game win over the Oilers marked a historic moment. The Panthers became the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups since the Penguins did it in 2016 and 2017.
Brad Marchand joined Florida late in the season after Boston traded him.
Still, the veteran made a huge impact. The future Hall-of-Famer played a key role in helping the Panthers go all the way—again.
Marchand’s season in Boston felt like a lost cause. He battled through injuries and setbacks, including one just weeks before the NHL trade deadline.
But everything changed once he joined Florida’s lineup in late March. From that point on, he played some of the best hockey of his entire career.
Marchand wrapped up Florida’s playoff run in style. He recorded 20 points in 23 games — with 10 goals and 10 assists. He also came through in the clutch.
Marchand scored the game-winning goals in both of the Panthers’ overtime victories. One came in Game 3 against Toronto. The other in Game 2 against the Oilers.
Both of those goals came when Florida needed them most. One helped the Panthers avoid going down 3-0 in the series against Toronto.
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The other stopped Edmonton from grabbing a 2-0 lead on home ice in the Stanley Cup Final.
Marchand also delivered big in Game 7 versus Toronto. He put up three points in that do-or-die matchup.
Against the Oilers, he was unstoppable.
He found the net six times over the six-game series.
Since 1980, only three players traded at the NHL deadline have put up more playoff points with their new team than Brad Marchand. Only Marian Hossa, Mikko Rantanen, and Marian Gaborik had more.
Marchand finished the postseason with 20 points — a remarkable run by any standard.
After the Cup win, Sam Bennett didn’t hold back his praise. “What he brought to this group… I honestly don’t think we win without him,” Bennett said.
“His leadership. His drive to win. It’s something else.” “Before every game, I’d look at him and say, ‘We’re following you.’”
“And that’s exactly what we did.” “He went out there and battled like a beast every single night.”
In the weeks ahead, Marchand will have some big choices to make. He’s set to become a free agent and is expected to draw a major contract offer. But right now, he’s not thinking about that.
For the moment, the former Bruins star is simply enjoying the view from the top.
After years away from hockey’s biggest stage, he’s finally back — and soaking it all in.
“You never really know how things will turn out,” Marchand said, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
“I just came in with the mindset to commit fully. I wanted to be part of the group, no matter the role. Whatever they asked of me, I gave it everything I had.”
“When you walk into this room and see what these guys go through every day —
the effort, the sacrifices, the focus —
you can’t help but follow their lead.”
“The culture in this room is something special. It’s easy to be a part of it. You buy in, give it your all, and leave everything out on the ice. We’ve got a great team here. When everyone’s locked in, good things happen. And yeah — we have a lot of fun doing it.”
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