The Florida Panthers are two wins away from winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup. And one player who has been instrumental to Florida’s success is veteran winger Brad Marchand. Marchand, a trade acquisition from the Boston Bruins, has turned the clock back this postseason.
Marchand struggled offensively with Florida during the regular season. He managed just four points in 10 games before the postseason. However, he has turned it on during the playoffs. After Game 3 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, he has eight goals and 18 points in 20 postseason contests.
This is an incredible display from a future Hall of Famer player chasing his first Stanley Cup in 14 years. And there may be no one less surprised at his run of form than Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron and Marchand won the Stanley Cup together with the Bruins back in 2011.
“It’s kind of weird seeing him in Florida red, not Bruins black-and-gold,” Bergeron told NHL.com. “Otherwise, he’s the same competitive difference-maker I played with for so many years. It’s amazing, and I’m loving it.
“Am I surprised at how productive he is, how influential he’s been in these playoffs? Not in the least. Not for a minute. This guy is one of the hardest-working guys you’ll ever find. He’s so competitive. When people start doubting him, he thrives on that. You’re seeing that out of him right now. Tell him he can’t do something or that he’s slowing down, and it just motivates him.”
Brad Marchand is Built For Playoff Hockey
Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesFlorida Panthers star Brad Marchand formed an incredible duo with Patrice Bergeron during their time with the Boston Bruins.
Marchand is no stranger to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He won the Cup during his first career postseason run. From there, he went on to make another 11 postseason appearances with the Bruins before his trade to the Panthers in 2024-25.
Boston never won the Cup with Marchand again. The closest they came was in 2019 when they made the Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues. However, Boston lost in seven games.
Still, Marchand has been an integral part of nearly every postseason run in his career. He has 10 or more points in 10 of his 13 career postseason appearances. And in seven of those appearances, he scored 12 or more points.
The future Hall of Fame winger is a force when the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrive. The moment never seems to phase Marchand in the slightest. In short, the Panthers star is built for this.
“He embraces the whole experience,” Bergeron said. “He loves it.”
Marchand Fits Panthers To A Tee
The acquisition made a ton of sense for the Panthers at the NHL Trade Deadline. Florida needed a top-six winger after an injury to Matthew Tkachuk at the 4 Nations Faceoff. Marchand’s blend of offense and physicality seemed like a natural fit on paper.
It has worked out better than anyone envisioned on the ice. The future Hall of Famer is in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He has become part of the heart and soul of this Florida team throughout the postseason. This is the best situation for him, and Bergeron supports him the entire way.
“He’s the perfect fit with Florida,” Bergeron said. “And he doesn’t take no for an answer. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s funny — people will come up to me and ask if I’m cheering for the Oilers or Panthers. My answer is always the same — I tell them I’m cheering for ‘Marshy.’ And I am. I’m his biggest booster right now. I’m cheering for him. I’m trying to send him positive vibes.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Patrice Bergeron Speaks Out on Brad Marchand’s Playoff Dominance appeared first on Heavy Sports.