When the Bruins traded Brad Marchand to the Panthers, they received a 2nd round pick, however, certain conditions could have that pick change to a 1st rounder.
When the Bruins dealt veteran captain Brad Marchand to the Panthers at the 2025 trade deadline, the compensation appeared paltry: a 2027 conditional second-round pick.
But that deal is set to reward the Bruins in a much greater way sooner rather than later.
As long as Florida eliminates the Leafs, Boston gets a 1st round pick
Now in the second round of the playoffs, the Panthers face the Maple Leafs with a 3-2 series lead. One more win, and not only does Florida earn their passage to the conference final, but they also provide Boston with a first-round draft pick.
Florida must advance through two playoff rounds, and Marchand must play at least 50% of those games.
He did miss some time leading up to the playoffs due to injury, but he has satisfied the minimum 50% playing time condition so far for Florida, collecting nine points in 10 games while playing on the third line.
Even if something unexpected sidelines Marchand for the rest of this round, Boston is still in the running for the first-rounder.
As long as the Panthers win the series, Marchand would have played at least half of the team's playoff games, therefore, the condition will have been met.
So for Bruins' fans, it's an odd playoff dynamic: rooting in secret for the team that dispatched them two years in a row. But if Florida can beat the Leafs, Boston receives a first-round draft pick for their long-time captain.
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