“You saw last night, Brad’s a big moment guy.” Indeed, the Panthers general manager, Bill Zito, will be ecstatic seeing how his trade decision has worked out. The ease with which Brad Marchand has integrated with the Panthers roster in just 2 months, it’s almost like he was meant to be here. If anything, the defending Stanley Cup Champions are looking more clutch, aren’t they? And after the big performance in Game 7 against the Maple Leafs, which may be Marchand’s best in a Panthers Jersey, everybody’s talking about how fine the veteran forward is doing, even at 37. One of them is Pat McAfee, who’s hopped on the fanboy train. And his words? Definitely headline-worthy.
On the Pat McAfee Show on May 19, the topic of discussion was the Panthers-Leafs game 7 and how things unfolded. And obviously, Brad Marchand’s name came up. Buoyed by NHL analyst Pat Maroon‘s assessment, McAfee didn’t hold back. “I think points would say too. At 37 years old or whatever, Marshy’s an absolute dog. I enjoy him, I enjoy him a lot.”
He started slow in his first 10 games in the regular season after his March trade from the Bruins, where the forward scored 2 goals and 2 assists. But since the playoffs have started, Brad Marchand has shown his class with 3 goals and 9 assists in 12 games. Overall, he has 59 goals and 91 assists in 169 playoff games. So, his playoff performances this year are not exactly a surprise, even factoring in his slow start.
And he’s not just a great player on the ice who brings game IQ to the team and makes the offense better, as Pat Maroon said. Brad Marchand is a proper leader, a great presence in the locker room, which has been the captain of the Boston Bruins for 2 years. In the NHL, he has been one of the biggest players in the last decade. In fewer words, basically, he is the complete package.
Credits: Imago
And McAfee dropped his opinion on the 5’9” Canadian. “In my head, I don’t know the rules for the NHL Hall of Fame but I would have just assumed Marshy was Hall of Famer.” Anything’s up for debate. But there’s definitely substance in the claim. Even the Panthers coach, Paul Maurice, is impressed by the former Bruin.
Taking the pre-game presser for the Conference Championship round, coach Maurice said, “Two playoff series, I started to appreciate just his game, just the hockey.” And add to that the fight he brings to the ice. “To play the number of games that he’s played, as hard as he’s played, at his size, there’s a compete in that guy.”
There is no doubt that Brad Marchand is an asset to have when you go to play big teams. Just see how he destroyed the Maple Leafs’ hopes. And he does that quite often like it’s no big deal. And when you’re Brad Marchand, maybe it isn’t.
Brad Marchand helps the Panthers humble the Leafs
The Scotiabank Arena wasn’t ready for the heat the Panthers brought on the ice. And when you have Brad Marchand on your side, you know you will have that extra boost. He does the work for 2 men, that’s the effort he puts in. It was no different on May 18. And then, you add his 1 goal and 2 assists. The Maple Leafs simply couldn’t match the energy levels. And they majorly can’t when the opponent team has Brad Marchand.
NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Stanley Cup Playoffs-Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs May 5, 2025 Toronto, Ontario, CAN Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand 63 skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period of game one in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto Scotiabank Arena Ontario CAN, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJohnxE.xSokolowskix 20250505_jhp_ss9_0252
With this Game 7 win in the 2nd round, Marchand has become the first player in the history of the NHL to win five Game 7s against the same franchise. Can you believe the extent of the stat? He is the literal nemesis of the Toronto Maple Leafs. And there’s more on similar lines. After this Game, Marchand became the 2nd-highest point scorer against the Maple Leafs in the playoffs – 36 points, just behind the legendary Gordie Howe (53).
There are more record books the NHL veteran scribbled his name in after the Panthers’ Game 7. Brad Marchand has joined an exclusive list of 8 skaters with the most Game 7 wins. 5 of them have won against the Leafs. Nevertheless, this only shows the Panthers forward is NHL royalty.
And the Panthers have a big chance of winning the Stanley Cup again. It’s the other 3 teams that need to worry. What can the Carolina Hurricanes come up with to stop the Panthers juggernaut?
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