Yeah, life is fairly good in South Florida, the place it’s all palm timber and trophies. The solar shines brightly, however the highlight doesn’t. The vibes are excessive and the taxes are low. So hey, why not hang around on the rink a bit longer?
After all, Brad Marchand is 37 years previous. That is his seventeenth NHL season. He doesn’t should be on the market for greater than an hour. He doesn’t should show to educate Paul Maurice that he’s worthy of a roster spot. The man might have been showered, dressed and midway dwelling by now.
However dang it, it’s simply actually enjoyable to be a Florida Panther.
“It’s rejuvenating,” Marchand advised The Athletic. “The love of the sport, coming into a brand new group and a brand new atmosphere. Typically that’s all it takes to get your thoughts again into the correct place. And it makes you wish to maintain up your finish of the discount. That’s an enormous a part of this group. You don’t wish to let the man beside you down. You see how exhausting everyone seems to be working, so that you’d higher pull on that a part of the rope as nicely.”
It’s why Marchand — who felt “written off” by many of the hockey world final season — signed a six-year contract to remain in Florida, a deal that might take him into his mid-40s. Like so many earlier than him in the previous few years, he’s discovered hockey paradise and he doesn’t wish to depart. One have a look at Panthers common supervisor Invoice Zito’s cap sheet is sufficient to ship a chilly shiver down the spines of 31 different fan bases. The next gamers are all signed via the tip of the last decade, and most of them for nicely beneath market worth: Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Seth Jones and Niko Mikkola.
Learn extra on the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions beneath.
