Brad Marchand’s Historic 2025 Postseason Has the Panthers on the Brink of a Stanley Cup

Perhaps even more important than the raw numbers is that Marchand has consistently shown up in the biggest moments. His two goals in Game 5, the first coming off a center-ice faceoff to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead and the second coming off a beautiful individual effort to dangle Jake Walman and put the game out of reach at 3-0 midway through the third, are a prime example. He also scored the overtime game-winner in Game 3 to even the series at one apiece. Finally, he scored the overtime game-winner in Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs to avoid falling behind 3-0 in that series and then put up one goal and two assists in Florida’s eventual Game 7 victory against the Maple Leafs.

Off-Ice Leadership and Experience

In addition to Marchand’s explosive and historic scoring output, he has added a degree of experience, poise, and leadership that has elevated the Panthers’ level of play. He won a Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Bruins but has also experienced a number of playoff hardships: losing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, losing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the St. Louis Blues in 2019, and most recently blowing a 3-1 lead in the Bruins’ first-round series against the Panthers in 2023 after a historic regular season.

The successes and disappointments in Marchand’s career have made him an imperturbable force this time around. He never wavers in his level of calmness or work ethic on and off the ice.

Finding Success on the Third Line

Marchand’s production has been especially impressive considering his role; he has slotted onto the third line and second power-play unit for the majority of the postseason. The success he has found with linemates Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell has provided Florida with unmatched flexibility and depth. In large part thanks to Marchand’s versatility as a top-six player playing in a third-line role, the Panthers have been able to consistently roll out three productive and dangerous lines. It has made their forward group a matchup nightmare, especially for a top-heavy team like Edmonton that has a relatively shaky defensive unit.

Seamless Fit

While Marchand’s historic offensive production has been a pleasant surprise, his seamless fit into the identity and culture of the Panthers’ group has not been. Florida plays a chippy, physical style reliant on depth, speed, and a high compete level up and down the lineup. In this regard, his style of play was always going to be congruous with the Panthers’ as a whole. He is chippy, physical, and, quite frankly, very annoying to play against.

Final Games of the Stanley Cup Final

Of course, as of this writing, the job is not yet finished for the Panthers. They lead the Oilers 3-2 in the series and need one more win to capture their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, a task easier said than done given the inevitable desperation that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will likely bring to Games 6 and potentially Game 7. Getting that win would be the cherry on top of what has been a resurgent and incredibly productive postseason for Marchand, a postseason that may eventually cement his legacy in the hockey history books.