FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Brad Marchand celebrated winning the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins at the age of 23. He had two more opportunities to compete for the championship with the Bruins when he was 25 and 31. After those experiences, he admits he wasn`t sure if he would ever reach the final round again.
Now, at 37, and playing for the Florida Panthers, he`s back.
This time around, Marchand is making a conscious effort to truly appreciate the experience.
Looking back on his career of over 1,274 games, including playoffs, Marchand acknowledges that some memories have faded. He recognizes moments he likely took for granted, times when he didn`t pause to fully appreciate being there. He insists that won`t be the case now, understanding he`s nearing the end of his career rather than the beginning.
“It`s more like enjoying each day, having fun when you come to the rink,” Marchand said. “It can be stressful when you start overthinking things, start looking ahead or the pressure sometimes you put on yourself. This time around, I`m coming to the rink every day and just having fun and trying to live in the moment. You know, not taking anything too seriously.”
Of course, his approach to the game itself remains intensely serious.
Marchand is fully focused on the task ahead, which begins Wednesday night when the Panthers face off against Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Final. This marks a rematch of last season`s series between the Panthers and Oilers, which Florida won in seven games. While a rematch wasn`t hard to imagine after that series, few would have predicted it would involve the former Boston captain now playing for Florida.
“This is special,” Marchand said. “You don`t get a lot of opportunities to be part of something like this.”
Marchand`s impact is evident in the Panthers` playoff performance: they are 8-2 when he registers a point and 4-3 when he doesn`t. They also hold a 9-1 record when he logs at least 15 1/2 minutes of ice time, compared to 3-4 when he plays less. It`s clear that even at his age, his contributions, both with the puck and through his leadership, significantly influence the team`s success.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice praised Marchand`s positive influence. “Guys that are vocal and intense sometimes will get up and down your bench screaming at your bench, right? They just get so wired in the game and he never does that. It`s always positive,” Maurice said. “It`s always, `Stay in there, hang in there.` … It`s bordering on legendary status at this point. He`s pumping their tires and he`s just, every day, excited. It`s his personality.”
Marchand also brings a distinct playful side to the team.
He famously turned a Dairy Queen visit with teammates into a multi-day story by claiming he ate one of their desserts between periods of a game against Carolina (the actual snack was honey, not a Blizzard). He`s been teasing teammates since he joined Florida. He even embraces the team`s tradition, dating back to 1996, of throwing toy rats at him after games – a subtle nod to his own “rat” nickname, which he once referred to as a “family reunion.”
Duncan Priestley 
Neville Woodall