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Brad Marchand's first NHL point came just 26 seconds into the second period of his first game with the Boston Bruins. It seemed very simple, so simple that he was confident that his results would appear regularly in all protocols.
Oops. Almost a whole year passed before his second NHL point.
“After the first one, I thought, ‘Oh, this isn’t that hard,’” Marchant said. “But after that I had a rather rude awakening. You just see how hard it is to play in this league every night.”
He never forgot the lessons learned after that first point, what it was like to go scoreless for 21 straight games, what it was like to be sent from Boston to the team's minor league affiliate in nearby Providence. And they were still on the mind Tuesday night when the Florida Panthers, who acquired him in a trade last season, paid tribute to Marchand joining the NHL's 1,000-point club in a pregame ceremony before hosting the Montreal Canadiens.
Marchand reached this milestone over a month ago; The Panthers allowed him and his family to choose when they wanted to hold the ceremony, and the choice fell on this game. Marchand's wife and mother were presented with flowers, and his three children were presented with golden mini-sticks. The NHL sent Marchand a Tiffany crystal as a gift, and he also received a commemorative gold stick and plaque from Panthers president and general manager of hockey operations Bill Zito.
Several NHL coaches and players also sent video congratulations, including many of his former Bruins teammates, as well as Pittsburgh star and fellow Nova Scotian Sidney Crosby.
“Very proud of you,” former Bruins teammate Zdeno Chara said.
Marchand watched the ceremony from a corner of the ice, surrounded by his family.
“I have all my family in town,” Marchant said. “Moments like this don’t happen very often in your career. This is a great opportunity to celebrate something I definitely never thought would ever be possible. This is a great opportunity for everyone to enjoy something special.”
Getting 1000 points is a testament to many things, including his longevity. Marchand reached 100 points in a season exactly once; In fact, throughout his 17-year career, he was practically the point guy.
“This is a very important milestone,” Marchant said. “Your dream is to play in the NHL. I never really thought about what it took to get to this point. You hope to play and then stay.”
“All you really worry about is just trying to stay and last as long as possible. Even when I was 10 years old, I didn’t think it was possible.”
Panthers coach Paul Maurice often tells the story of last season's playoff game, the first-round game at Tampa Bay that Florida lost 5-1 late in Game 3 of the series. Everyone was ready for Game 4 except Marchand, who was cheering on his teammates and trying to start a comeback attempt.
No plays happened, but what Marchand did that night still resonates with his coach.
“He’s not 25 anymore,” Maurice said of the 37-year-old Marchand. “What he was able to do, the consistency of his play, was incredibly impressive. I think you'll find that the older players, when they get into the playoffs, can find a different level, but from October to Christmas sometimes that doesn't happen. Juice is hard to find. But not for him.”
It was fitting that the ceremony took place in the city of Montreal; The Canadiens were a serious rival for Marchand throughout his years with the Boston Bruins, and coach Martin St. Louis—another annoying, diminutive forward who just knew how to put pucks in the net, like Marchand—is one of the Panthers' star idols.
“It’s always a special team playing,” Marchand said. “And it’s great to have Marty on the bench, he was my favorite player growing up.”
Marchand scored the first 976 points of his career with the Bruins. He joined Florida late last season in a deal that shocked many – especially considering how the Bruins and Panthers have developed a playoff rivalry in recent years. The Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, which also marked the second Cup of Marchand's career.
And Tuesday marked the Panthers' last game before the calendar flips to 2026. Either way, 2025 – with the trade, the Cup and the big moment – was a year to remember for Marchand.
“It’s been a hell of a year,” Marchant said. “A lot of ups and downs, but if I could categorize it, I would just be really grateful for it all.”
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