After a deflating overtime defeat in Montreal, Brad Marchand and the Florida Panthers travel to The Six to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs in a matchup with major playoff seeding implications in the NHL. Ahead of puck drop, a former Boston Bruins teammate issued a strong warning to Marchand about their upcoming meeting.
Toronto currently sits in first place in the Atlantic with 94 points, while Tampa Bay and Florida trail behind with 93 and 92, respectively. As the Leafs and Panthers meet on April 2 at Scotiabank Arena, the home team will look to extend its lead and inch closer to the divisional title, while the Cats vie to even the score.
It will be an NHL regular-season game filled with a playoff atmosphere, and the action is guaranteed. Marchand made the importance of Florida’s current road trip noted to his teammates. Therefore, there won’t be room for friendships or pleasantries between the two sides—not even for Marchand and Brandon Carlo, who shared so many memories in Boston not too long ago.
Ahead of this pivotal on-ice meeting between two longtime friends—now wearing different NHL sweaters—Carlo issued a bold reminder to Marchand, warning him about what’s to come when the puck drops at center ice.
Brad Marchand #63 of the Boston Bruins and Brandon Carlo #25 look on during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden on December 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts
“It’s going to be crazy facing him,” Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo stated, per NHL.com. “I know he’ll be high energy and won’t treat me any different than any other opponent, even though he’s one of my best friends.
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“I’m going to grin at him the first time we’re out there for a face-off. After that, it’s on. It’s time to compete and battle. That’s something we did almost every day in practice so it shouldn’t be too much different.”
Getting under one’s skin
Marchand and the Panthers are known for their chirpy playstyle, aiming to frustrate opponents into committing penalties or mistakes. Carlo has seen Marchand’s antics firsthand and knows that only cool heads can prevail against them.
“You just have to play smart,” Carlo added. “I kind of learned that in the playoffs, especially with these guys. With [Matthew] Tkachuk as well. They’re looking for you to retaliate. You’ve just got to stand your ground and not punch back, do the stuff that will get you a penalty. I almost feel like that’s a way of frustrating them more, because they want to try and antagonize you and do something dumb.”
Brad Marchand #63 of the Florida Panthers warms up prior to a game against the Montreal Canadiens at Amerant Bank Arena on March 30, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
Fortunately for Carlo and the Leafs, Matthew Tkachuk remains on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), though he could return for the playoffs, where Florida and Toronto might meet again.
A glance at the near future
The Panthers and Leafs will meet again on April 8 at Amerant Bank Arena and could face each other even more if their paths cross in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Tonight’s matchup could provide a clearer picture of what each team will be up against.
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“It’s going to be huge,” Carlo concluded. “We look at it as a challenge against a team we could very well be seeing in the near future. And [Marchand] will be ready. I’ve had a first-hand view of how he rises to the occasion in big games.”
