Emotions are at a bundle as Brad Marchand sets foot back in TD Garden. Ahead of his first ever NHL game against the Boston Bruins and in front of the home fans in Beantown, the two-time Stanley Cup champ was asked about the best thing in Boston. Though playing for the Florida Panthers now, his answer didn’t let Bruins fans down.
“Fans, for sure,” Brad Marchand answered immediately when asked about the best thing on the Bruins during his pregame press conference in his return to Boston.
“The city is incredible, but the fans make it awesome. They are just very unique,” Marchand explained during his media availability at TD Garden. “There are so many stories and things that I’ve seen fans do. A lot of them are PG-rated. It’s so special and unique to this area.
“All the way down, [fans] bleed black and gold. It’s part of why there is so much pressure on the team to have success. You can’t sleep. We wanted to produce and be good for the fans, and live up to that reputation. That makes it special to play here.”
Marchand and the Panthers will skate onto a sold-out crowd in Boston as the two fierce opponents in the Atlantic Division go toe-to-toe in a must-win game for both sides.
Full circle
Back during his time with the Bruins, Boston and Florida starred in heated playoff series during the 2023 and 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now, the Panthers are looking to find balance amid a pouring rain of adversity. Meanwhile, the Bruins are in search for their new identity under Marco Sturm’s coaching.
Amidst such a high-stake meeting, Marchand is found in the middle. Determined to guide his Cats to victory, but mixed up with all the emotions as he gets dressed in the away locker room at TD Garden for the first time in his NHL career.
If there’s a beacon of hope for Marchand, it’s that he has won his only game as a visitor at the arena on 100 Legends Way. That victory came during the 4 Nations Final, when Team Canada defeated Team USA 3-2 to hoist the trophy.
Still, this time around, Marchand will face emotions he never expected to feel a few months ago, back when he was still captain of the Bruins. Since his departure, no new captain has been named in Boston, so in a way, Marchand may still hold a symbolic role in the locker room.
Something’s got to give
Though far from what either team envisioned heading into the 2025-26 NHL season, both the Panthers and Bruins are entering this matchup carrying a heavy burden. The two Atlantic Division franchises have lost their past four games—both in pointless fashion. That makes this upcoming showdown all the more crucial for the Cats and Spoked B.
Losing five in a row would be crushing, though not unprecedented. Just last season, Florida lost five straight games and still hoisted the Stanley Cup by the end of the playoffs. For Boston, however, a similar streak is far from a good omen. During the 2024-25 campaign, the Bruins (without Marchand) lost 10 games in a row, a franchise-worst in a century.
When Marchand and the Panthers visit the Bruins, one losing streak will end, and the story of Boston’s 27th captain in NHL history will come full circle.