NHL News: Brad Marchand hints at retirement with sincere admission amid best career start with Panthers

Not many things have gone the Florida Panthers’ way so far in the 2025-26 NHL season. Still, Brad Marchand can’t—and won’t— be denied. The veteran winger is playing some of the best hockey of his career, leading the Cats while everything else has gone haywire.

When everything fails, the Panthers know who they can go to. Florida is riding the hot hand in Marchand, who seems to turn every puck he touches into a golden opportunity for the Cats. Amid a truly character-testing NHL season, the Panthers are glad they re-signed the veteran forward, who continues to age like fine wine.

Thanks to his 18-point (11G, 7A) production in 15 appearances, Marchand is off to the best start of any season in his 17-year NHL career. The two-time Stanley Cup champion signed a six-year extension with the Panthers over the summer. Though many fans had concerns about committing to Marchand for the long run, the former Bruins captain has been clear about his mindset as he enters the final seasons of his career.

“[My] love of the game [keeps me going]. I’ve always loved hockey, it’s been my biggest passion. When you’re at the rink, when you play this game, you just feel like a kid. It just brings back your childhood. No matter what’s going in the world, what’s going on with your life, you kind of forget about that,” Marchand admitted during his postgame interview with Katie Engleson. “You’re in the moment, competing, doing something you love. When it’s over, it’s over, so might as well make the most of it.”

Brad Marchand at Amerant Bank Arena on June 09, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.

Words to live by

It’s easy to make emotional statements, but to truly embody them every day is a whole other story. When it comes to Marchand, the Panthers’ star does just that. The past couple of weeks have been challenging for the 37-year-old, who lost a close relative, yet he hasn’t slowed down a bit since. If anything, Marchand has reached another level following the passing of Selah McCallum, the loved one he’s playing for night in and night out.

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Point streak

Following his two-point outing during the Panthers’ 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, Marchand extended his current point streak to eight games—with 12 points (8G, 4A) during that stretch. Not only is he making his presence felt on a constant basis for Florida, but Marchand is closing in on an impressive milestone.

As it stands, Marchand is just two points away from the 1,000-point mark. With 435 goals and 563 assists in 1,115 career outings, he could become the fifth Nova Scotian in NHL history to reach the millennium milestone—joining Sidney Crosby (1,707*), Al MacInnis (1,274), Nathan MacKinnon (1,044*), and Bobby Smith (1,036).