Brad Marchand returned to Boston to face the Bruins on Tuesday night for the first time as a visiting player, and the Florida Panthers star was overwhelmed with emotion when his former team paid tribute to him in the middle of the game.
During a stoppage in play midway through the first period of the Panthers’ 4-3 win at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., the Bruins showed a roughly one-minute video recapping Marchand’s career. Marchand appeared to fight back tears as he watched from the Florida bench.
One clip from the montage showed Marchand interacting with his daughter Sawyer when she was seated in the front row at a Bruins game. The four-time NHL All-Star became really choked up at that point.
When the video finished, Marchand received a lengthy standing ovation from fans and players on both teams. He was seen crying on the bench before play resumed.
Brad Marchand was emotional during the Bruins' tribute for him in his first game back in Boston 💛🥹
— ESPN (@espn) October 22, 2025
Watch his return to Boston now on ESPN and the ESPN App pic.twitter.com/U1uxorYxL5
Marchand played for the Bruins for 16 seasons. He helped the team win a Stanley Cup in 2011 and was Boston’s captain at the time he was traded to the Panthers last season. Marchand picked up right where he left off once he joined Florida and became a postseason hero en route to another championship.
Marchand ranks fourth all time in Bruins history with 422 career goals and fifth with 976 points. He was a beloved player for a storied franchise for well over a decade, and fans treated him accordingly in his return on Tuesday night.
