The Florida Panthers made a late splash on trade deadline day landing forward Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a conditional 2027 second-round draft pick, which could switch to a 2028 first-round draft pick. The condition on the draft pick is that if Marchand plays 50 percent of the Panthers’ playoff games, the conditional second becomes a first. It was probably the most shocking deal of the day, and fans around the league were shocked at the news.
Marchand, who is 36 years old, has scored 21 goals and added 26 assists for 47 points through 61 games this season. Throughout his career, he has scored 422 goals and added 554 assists for 976 points through 1090 games which comes out to a 0.90 points-per-game average. He has established himself as a player who is hated by opposing fans, but those same fans would love him if he was on their team.
Here are the full trade details of the deal between the Panthers and Bruins:
The #NHLBruins have acquired a conditional 2027 second-round pick from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Brad Marchand.
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 7, 2025
????: https://t.co/wT9rTOkImf pic.twitter.com/3QPmE7fWY0
This move puts the Panthers in win-now mode yet again, as they have utilized the cap space granted to them because of players being on their long-term injured reserve list, which gave them some cap relief. The Bruins on the other hand decided to become full sellers at the deadline, moving on from their captain. This should make the Panthers a heavy favorite to defend their championship this postseason.
Panthers Add Veteran Depth Forward With Playoff Experience
Panthers Trade Grade: A+
The Panthers got away like bandits in this deal, and honestly, this may go down as a steal for them in every way. They are replacing Matthew Tkachuk until the postseason, and even when he is back and healthy, they have added a winner in Marchand who has proven to be a valuable asset in the postseason. Even if he turns out to be a rental, the price they paid was minimal, and he will help them immensely.
Another key to this deal is that the Bruins are retaining 50% of Marchand’s contract for the remainder of the season, dropping his cap hit to just $3.06 million. Marchand may have some issues defensively, but he won’t be relied on to kill penalties and be a defensive forward, instead, he will be leaned on to play his physical style of hockey that has earned him a reputation as one of the league’s strongest power forwards.
Bruins Don’t Get Nearly Enough Back
Bruins Trade Grade: D
This was a mind-boggling trade for the Bruins, and it truly makes no sense for them. The only reason they didn’t get a failing grade here is that they were able to get back a solid draft selection and add capital for their future, giving them a solid asset. However, there is just no way that’s the best offer they could’ve received for Marchand if they were shopping him on deadline day.
The Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Los Angeles Kings all needed to bolster their forward depth and likely would’ve paid more to get Marchand on their team. Unfortunately, the Bruins will have to live with one of the most bizarre moves they’ve made in their team history.
Related: A (Mostly) Levelheaded Look at the Florida Panthers’ Trade for Seth Jones
Realistically, I would’ve expected Marchand to yield a first-round pick and a prospect at the bare minimum. He is still an elite forward who produces well offensively and plays a gritty game, which is ideal for the postseason. I understand if the Bruins were permitting Marchand to go wherever he wanted to go, but even then, there’s no way they couldn’t have utilized him as their own rental if they didn’t see eye-to-eye in extension negotiations.
As the 2024-25 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news from around the NHL and the hockey world.
