NHL: Stanley Cup Final-Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers - Source: Imagn — Don Cherry predicts Brad Marchand’s possible return to Bruins after Stanley Cup run with Panthers (Source: Imagn)

Don Cherry speculates Brad Marchand's shocking return to Bruins in free agency after successful playoffs stint with Panthers

Modified Jun 16, 2025 06:12 GMT

Brad Marchand is having a strong Stanley Cup Final with the Florida Panthers. He now has six goals in the series. Marchand scored two goals on Saturday in Florida’s 5-2 win over Edmonton. This is the second time Marchand has scored at least five goals in a Stanley Cup Final. The first time was in 2011 when he played for the Boston Bruins.

According to ESPN, Marchand made NHL history in this series by becoming the first player to score at least five goals in a Stanley Cup Final with two different teams. He now has 10 goals in the 2024 playoffs and recorded five shots on goal in Game 5.

Florida now leads the series 3-2. The Panthers are one win away from winning their second straight Stanley Cup. Marchand has been very important for Florida in this series.

While Brad Marchand is focusing on the Panthers now, his future has become a talking point. On the 312th episode of Don Cherry’s Grapevine Podcast, Cherry talked about Marchand’s next step. Marchand will become an unrestricted free agent. His last contract was for eight years and $49 million with the Boston Bruins.

Don Cherry's son, Tim, asked where Marchand might go next in free agency. Don Cherry said that maybe Marchand would return to Boston.

Don said maybe there was already a quiet plan between Marchand and the Bruins. Don said [06:09],

“Maybe they said, ‘Listen, you sign them for this year. We’ll sign them. We’ll sign them next…’”

Florida now needs Marchand to help them win one more game to secure the Stanley Cup. Game 6 will be on Tuesday, and Edmonton must win both remaining games to take the championship.

Don Cherry has picked Brad Marchand as his favorite to win the Conn Smythe

Don Cherry shared his Conn Smythe Trophy pick on his podcast. The trophy goes to the best player in the playoffs. The Florida Panthers are one win away from winning the Stanley Cup. If they win Game 6, the trophy will be awarded.

Cherry said this year’s race is the toughest he has seen. His son Tim asked him to choose between Sergei Bobrovsky, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand.

"You gotta pick one of those guys. I would say Marchand," Tim said.

Cherry agreed with Tim’s choice and picked Marchand.

Sam Bennett also leads the playoffs with 15 goals, and Bobrovsky has played well in the net. Still, Cherry and his son believe Brad Marchand has made the biggest difference.

About the author

Abhilasha is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, her interest in writing hockey was piqued after watching an NHL skills video on YouTube. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finale series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers was among the most iconic games she has seen and it left an impact on her.

Her reporting strengths include covering news stories and following stars like McDavid, Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, among others.

Abhilasha is a huge fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche because of their skilled forwards, while her favorite players include Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. For her, John Tortorella is the greatest coach ever.

Abhilasha has over 3 years of experience writing content for different products and websites, along with handling social media content for various brands. She values using credible sources when writing and likes to identify fake and false narratives.

Abhilasha’s hobbies include spiritual reading, staying updated on the latest makeup trends, fitness and exploring new destinations through travel.

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