Former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand set to receive major promotion with the Florida Panthers
Photo credit: AP News
The Florida Panthers could promote former Boston Bruins Captain Brad Marchand to special teams, after playing in four games for the Stanley Cup contenders.
The Florida Panthers and Paul Maurice have been patient with former Bruin Brad Marchand. He's played four games for the Stanley Cup contenders and has no goals, and one assist since he arrived.
Of course, it might be a little premature for the switch to be flipped for Marchand, as the team isn't expecting it to be immediate.
They picked up Marchand for his playoff pedigree and his one Stanley Cup win with the Bruins in 2011. He's seen plenty of playoff time during his career with the team, and has only missed the postseasons once, in 2016.
For now they're trying to find where Marchand will fit best in the lineup for the team.
"I'm going to try to play him with as many people," said Maurice.
The 1,090 NHL game veteran, despite being a seasoned player in the NHL, will have to adjust to a new system, and that will involve determining which players Marchand has chemistry with.
Maurice has discussed placing him on a power-play unit with Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe.
«We're really excited about a (power play) unit potentially with him Sam Bennett and maybe Carter (Verhaeghe),» said Maurice, who played Marchand on a line with Bennett and Evan Rodrigues against the Leafs.
«We've got some moving parts here right now with players out of our lineup, so I think that continues until we get to hopefully to the playoffs and then we just make a decision and then go.»
«We've got some moving parts here right now with players out of our lineup, so I think that continues until we get to hopefully to the playoffs and then we just make a decision and then go.»
While he could end up being a depth option for the Panthers, there' still ways for him to contribute in the lineup while Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov are out on injured reserve.
That could be the power-play, and the start of the unit Maurice has described sounds lethal, as Bennett could of course be the muscle, while Verhaeghe the sniper.
In the meantime, Marchand will have to get used to the fact he's now a cog in the Panthers' machine and playing time isn't guaranteed anymore.
As he's gone from 22 minutes a night with the Bruins to just 18 under Paul Maurice.
«He's fit in seamlessly,» said Rodrigues. «It's always hard when you play for one team for 17 years or whatever it was. There's obviously going to be a transition period, but I think he's done a great job. He'll continue to get better and he'll continue to get comfortable.
«He'll get to a point where he's not thinking about systems or anything like that. The play will just come naturally to him.»
«He'll get to a point where he's not thinking about systems or anything like that. The play will just come naturally to him.»
Now is the time for him to learn the systems and grow with his new teammates. Could a role on special teams give him an incentive to stick around in Florida after the playoffs, or will he win a cup and leverage it for a new deal elsewhere?
Previously on Bruins Insider
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 5 | 2210 ANSWERS Former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand set to receive major promotion with the Florida Panthers Do you think forward Brad Marchand will stick with the Florida Panthers after July? | ||
| Yes | 802 | 36.3 % |
| No | 1408 | 63.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
