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Former Bruins captain Brad Marchand reacts to missing playoffs
Current Bruin Nikita Zadorov disagreed with Marchand’s viewpoint.
In a somewhat unpredictable turn of events — especially for Bruins fans circa 2022 and prior — Brad Marchand will be watching the NHL playoffs from home, while the Bruins are in the postseason.
Marchand’s Florida Panthers missed the playoffs this year, and Boston rebounded from last season to earn a wild-card spot in 2025-26.
The Bruins traded Marchand to Florida at last year’s trade deadline after it became clear the team was not in serious playoff contention, and Marchand promptly won a Stanley Cup as a result. He then re-signed with the Panthers this offseason, but without the same fortune.
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Speaking to reporters, Marchand gave his thoughts on missing the postseason.
“At the end of the day, what’s the difference? Losing in the finals and not making the playoffs,” Marchand said. “You don’t win. There’s one winner and everyone else is a loser. … This gives us more time to prepare for next year and become an even better team.”
As a veteran with plenty of playoff experience, it makes sense for Marchand to have a “championship or bust” mindset. However, current Bruin Nikita Zadorov disagreed with Marchand’s stance on missing the playoffs.
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“That’s why I’m playing hockey,” Zadorov told reporters. “I don’t want to go out there, play 82 games and not make the playoffs. I think that’s a waste of a year for me, you know what I mean? You want to be playing these games.”
Zadorov has a few playoff appearances under his belt already, most recently with the Canucks in 2023-24. He’ll make his Bruins playoff debut Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres.
The towering Boston defenseman is certainly eager to take his hard-hitting play style into Buffalo, and look to upset the young Sabres team that just ended a 14-year playoff drought this season.
Zadorov and the Bruins face off with the Sabres at 7 p.m. Sunday for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Boston is searching for its first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 2019, and its first championship since 2011, the squad that included a young Marchand.
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