BOSTON — The diminutive, yet impactful, hockey player still resonates deeply with Boston’s faithful.
Brad Marchand seemed to fight back tears on the ice surface as the TD Garden patrons offered him a standing ovation Tuesday evening. This occurred during his initial game facing off against the Bruins while wearing a different jersey. The 37-year-old athlete touched his chest, dabbed at his eyes, and acknowledged the spectators with a wave. Both teams responded with rhythmic stick taps, and the game official and linesmen showed their appreciation through applause.
As the final link to Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup-winning squad, Marchand’s journey led him to the Panthers via a trade last season, chasing another championship opportunity. His contributions aided Florida in their successful bid for consecutive championships, while the Bruins experienced a decline, finding themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
Returning to Boston as a Panther, he was greeted with cheers after pregame warmups, as the TD Garden DJ played a remix that included John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Marchand tipped his stick in gratitude as he exited towards the visitors’ bench.
Supporters, adorned in both Boston and Florida No. 63 jerseys, continued to cheer when the former Bruins captain was introduced. (Boos arose when he received a tripping penalty early in the game. The crowd showed mixed feelings when the Panthers scored on the power play. Initially, it seemed to be Marchand’s goal, but it was later credited to Mackie Samoskevich. However, Marchand did register an assist.)
But the atmosphere reached another level of emotion during a break between plays in the first period, when the large screen displayed highlights from Marchand’s tenure with Boston — showcasing him raising the Stanley Cup and highlighting his time wearing the captain’s “C.”
Florida ultimately secured a 4-3 victory, with a goal scored in the final moments of the contest.
Marchand, a four-time All-Star with 422 goals and 554 assists over 16 seasons in Boston, still holds a place within the Bruins’ top 10 for goals, assists, short-handed goals, overtime goals, playoff goals, and overall points. His 1,090 game appearances rank fourth in team history, positioned just ahead of Don Sweeney, the general manager responsible for his trade to Florida at the deadline.
Earlier this year, Marchand played in the TD Garden as a visitor when he represented Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. At that time, although still a Bruin, he faced boos from the Boston fanbase.
He was then traded to Florida a few weeks later as Boston began a roster change and initiated a rebuild. However, when the Panthers played the Bruins’ first home game after the trade deadline, Marchand was not able to play due to an injury. He only participated in the practice skate.
Information from The Associated Press was incorporated into this report.
