How do you feel when you have to leave your buddies after almost two decades together? Maybe Brad Marchand could tell us. After 16 long years with the Bruins, the 26-year-old Canadian was traded after his contract expired. “It’s sad to leave a place I look at as home,” the hockey winger admitted in March. However, thankfully, it does seem like he’s settling into his new shoes rather well.

Marchand was a prized asset that gave the Florida Panthers a lot to smile about ahead of the playoffs. The defending champs didn’t finish the regular season in exactly the best possible position, but with Brad on board, things looked brighter. And that’s exactly how things have been. The Cats triumphed over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1 of the postseason and are now level with the Leafs in Round 2. And the former Boston captain couldn’t be more excited to share the room with the incredible talents that make up the Panthers’ roster.

Just a while ago, the Panthers won their second straight match of the best-of-seven-game series against Toronto. Winning 2-0, Paul Maurice’s boys have tied the series 2-2. While Brad Marchand didn’t get to score tonight, it was nonetheless a good day at the office for him, especially since the victory came on his birthday! In an X post by NHLonTNT, the Panthers star could be heard talking to the network in a post-match interview, highlighting how he’s been coping with the transition from Boston to Miami.

At one point in the interview, Henrik Lundqvist asked Marchand if it felt weird to wear the Panthers’ jersey after so many seasons with the Bruins. Admitting that it indeed was, Marchand also noted that he was eager to get some play time with his new teammates before the playoffs began. “I just felt like I needed to keep playing to get a little more acclimated. And then once everyone came back, we were being shifted around, and just the whole routine was different,” Marchand said on how having a full house made it difficult to find a spot on the roster at every game.

Thankfully, being the seasoned star that Marchand is, it didn’t take long for him to get used to the new way of things. “…the last really two games of the season, I started feeling a little bit more comfortable, which was great timing, because once the playoffs hit, the lineup was healthy and full, and we were able to start building that chemistry with the group and just kind of in sync with everybody now,” he claimed that the assimilation is now complete.

With that, Brad also again highlighted that he is indeed grateful to be a part of a team that knows what it means to win the Stanley Cup. And yet, one can’t help but imagine there’s some sadness that lingers behind Marchand’s head. After all, the Bruins have been his family since 2009.

Over the years, the star mentioned several times that he wanted to play till 40 and spend his entire career at Boston. However, that dream was shattered when the Bruins decided to trade their captain in exchange for a conditional second-round pick. But Brad Marchand didn’t waste time brooding over the heartbreak, and instead looked forward to getting along with his new camp. And it didn’t take long.

“You can tell the way they prepare every day, how they recover, how they take care of themselves. They’re in to win it, and it’s special to be a part of,” Marchand said in April. After the Panthers steamrolled the Red Wings on April 11, he even admitted that he found it helpful that the Cats played in a way that matched his philosophy as well. “It’s a very aggressive style. I mean, that is, you know, kind of how I play,“ he grinned with a glimmer in his eyes.

And so far, it looks like the Miami team is also showing Marchand exactly why they are a right fit for him.

Brad Marchand is in good company

The Panthers finished the regular season behind both the Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning. That immediately made many fans and pundits claim that the team wasn’t going to be able to defend its Stanley Cup this time. Moreover, with the team losing its last match before the playoffs to the Bolts, the signs only looked worse. But as the Battle of Florida ensued, it looked like a whole different Panthers squad.

For the postseason, the roster was back to its full strength. From Matthew Tkachuk to Aaron Ekblad, the top stars were all back, alleviating Coach Maurice’s anxiety, we’d wager. And things took little time to heat up. In Game 2, Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel was suspended after his hit from behind took out the Cats’ captain, Aleksander Barkov. But while Hagel wasn’t available for the next game, Tkachuk stepped up to even the score with the arch in-state rivals. This time, at Jake Guentzel’s expense. Thankfully, though, Matthew did not suffer a fate like Hagel. In Game 4, Aaron Ekblad pulled a stunt of his own and received a suspension for two matches.

Then, with the Maple Leafs picking up a 2-0 lead after the first two games, Florida fans almost started the preparations for another heartbreak coming their way. Thankfully, in Game 3, it was Brad Marchand who finally managed to give the fanbase some hope. With all this in hindsight, and the series level 2-2, can Marchand & Co. whip up another victory over this year’s Battle of Ontario winners? What do you reckon?