Brad Marchand met with media for the first time as a member of the Florida Panthers on Monday and explained the range of emotions he's felt since the Boston Bruins dealt him to the reigning Stanley Cup champions.
"When the trade happened, I was disappointed and I was sad," Marchand said. "But I'm still extremely grateful that I get to come to an incredible place, an incredible team, a very, very, very competitive team. That's what you want. Ultimately, we chase the Stanley Cup, and you want a chance at playing for that every single year."
Marchand was traded before the deadline for a conditional second-round draft pick. Although the 36-year-old said before the move that he wanted to remain and retire a Bruin, the blockbuster reportedly materialized after Boston's front office wouldn't budge in extension negotiations.
The Nova Scotia native played 16 years for the Bruins, but Boston was a major seller at the deadline as it sits outside the playoffs. Marchand said the Panthers were his top destination.
"I feel rejuvenated coming here," Marchand said. "They're a completely different mindset from where we were as a team and the things we were going through."
He added, "When things were coming up, and kind of the writing was on the wall, this is absolutely the place I wanted to go."
Although Marchand was visibly emotional discussing his departure from the Bruins, he said he isn't holding any resentment about the trade.
"I don't have any ill will towards the management group. ... I've had an incredible run in that organization, and I'm extremely proud how things went there," he said. "It was very disappointing that things didn't get done, just because obviously I love the organization and I wanted to stay there. But at the end of the day, I also know that business is business and every player has a shelf life. ...
"If we were in the playoffs at that point in time, we'd probably be having a much different conversation."
Marchand doesn't have a target date for his Panthers debut as he continues to rehab an upper-body injury on a week-to-week timeline. Florida plays in Boston on Tuesday night.
