Brad Marchand's first morning skate as a member of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday happened at the place he called home for the last 16 years: TD Garden.
The Bruins traded Marchand to the Panthers just before last Friday's NHL trade deadline. The Panthers are in Boston to play the Bruins on Tuesday night, but Marchand, who suffered an upper body injury on March 1, won't play.
Marchand isn't signed beyond this season, and after his representatives and the Bruins weren't able to work out an extension before the deadline, the team decided to make a move. The return was pretty lackluster: a conditional 2027 second-round draft pick from the Panthers.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Even though Marchand is now playing for the Panthers, it is possible he could return to the Bruins. If he becomes an unrestricted free agent in July, he'll be able to sign with any team.
Has the Bruins chapter of his career closed?
āI donāt know, I guess is how I would respond," Marchand told reporters in Boston after Tuesday's morning skate. "I donāt know what the future brings in terms of how it plays out in the summertime. I know it didnāt come together now. Can things change down the road? Potentially, but thatās to be seen.
āIām sure weāll have a conversation down the road, but I donāt know where that goes. Iāll say I would still love ā¦ like, it doesnāt change my love for the city, and the will to want to be here has never changed. I donāt think it will ever change."
More Bruins coverage
What are the most important things Marchand will look for in his next destination?
āI havenāt thought much about it, if Iām being very frank,ā Marchand said. āItās one of those things that, Iām sure my family will think about it a lot here over the next little while. I think thereās a lot of different things.
"You want to try to win. It's hard right now because there are so many good teams and there are so many teams that could be good over the next few years. I donāt know. Youāre kind of stumping me because thereās a lot of different things that I would look at. The term was the biggest thing for me, always. So thatās probably first and foremost, and then after that, thereāll be a lot of things that come into play.ā
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported over the weekend that the Bruins and Marchand were able to agree on the term of a possible extension, but there was a gap on average annual value (AAV).
āI think the Bruins and the player had agreed on term ā three years," Friedman said on the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. "But as Don Sweeney said (Friday), there was a gap, and there was a gap on AAV. I donāt think he was being asked to take a pay cut or anything like that, but I do think it was a sizable gap that they obviously could not bridge."
Marchand, if healthy, is still a very productive player capable of scoring 25-30 goals. He can also contribute to the power play, he kills penalties, he provides excellent leadership and he has Stanley Cup-winning experience.
The veteran left wing should have plenty of potential suitors if he reaches free agency this summer. Will the Bruins be one of them? We'll see.