No player in Stanley Cup playoff history has tormented an opponent like Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand has tormented the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Panthers eliminated the Leafs, 6-1, in Game 7 on Sunday night, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. With the win, Marchand became the first player in NHL history to defeat the same opponent in at least five winner-take-all games. He moved to a perfect 5-0 in Game 7s against the Maple Leafs — winning with the Boston Bruins in 2013, 2018, 2019 and 2024, before winning with the Panthers this postseason.
Marchand had a goal and two assists in the victory.
“I grew up a Leafs fan. I enjoy playing against the Leafs. I enjoy interacting with fans. Like, it’s fun. It’s not something I’ll forever get to do,” he said after Game 7, which was Toronto’s seventh straight loss in a Game 7.
Marchand said that he hadn’t historically played well against Toronto in Game 7s. “It wasn’t me that beat them, it was our team,” he said. But Marchand was anything but a passenger in Florida’s Game 7 win. Marchand set up two goals — including the primary assist on Eetu Luostarinen’s critical third-period goal that answered a Maple Leafs tally just 47 seconds later — and scored the empty-net dagger for his third of the playoffs.
With his three-point night, Marchand is now second all-time in career playoff scoring against the Maple Leafs with 37 points, trailing only Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie Howe (53).
“I think the thing about Toronto is that their fans are very in your face. They’re aggressive. They let you hear it all the time. So it’s just fun to interact [with them]. I interact with a lot of fans and I enjoy that part of it,” said Marchand, who also passed Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin (8) for the most career Game 7 points (10) among active players.
Boston traded Marchand, their captain, to the Panthers at March’s NHL trade deadline, ending at 16-year run with the Bruins that included a Stanley Cup championship in 2011 and two other trips to the Stanley Cup Final.
“It was his personality that I didn’t know,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “He’s moved into that Matthew Tkachuk ‘hate them’ (role). That’s a horrible word, but it’s close. And then they get here and they’re the exact opposite person that you thought they were. He’s just a wonderful human being.”
The Panthers dominated the Leafs from the opening draw, carrying play in Game 7 after Toronto extended the series with a Game 6 victory in Sunrise on Friday night. After two periods, the Panthers held a 70-33 advantage in shot attempts. That included a 39-14 gap in the second period, when Florida scored its first three goals.
Marchand factored into two important ones. Just 4:03 after Seth Jones opened the scoring. Marchand’s shot was deflected by teammate Eetu Luostarinen off of goalie Joseph Woll’s pads, and center Anton Lundell was there to clean it up for his fourth goal of the playoffs to make it 2-0.
In the third period, Marchand’s pass was tipped home by Luostarinen just 47 seconds after Max Domi cut the Toronto deficit to 3-1. Marchand scored his third goal of the playoffs into an empty Toronto net for the dagger, sparking a celebration on the Panthers bench.
“There are moments that you need to enjoy. Careers fly by. I’ve been at it a long time. I’m very fortunate. But it’s almost over. I can’t believe how fast it’s gone by. I wish I was able to enjoy more moments,” Marchand said.
With the loss, the Maple Leafs suffered yet another postseason failure. Toronto hasn’t gotten past the second round since 2002. The infamously haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967, the longest drought in the NHL for any franchise — including ones that have never won the Cup in their existence.
After the game, Marchand was complimentary of this Toronto team. He said of all the Game 7s he’s played against the Leafs, he was most nervous about this one because “they competed way harder than they ever have.” He felt criticism of this group, which may have played its last game together, was unwarranted.
“If you look at the heat this team catches, it’s actually really unfortunate. They’ve been working at building something really big here for a while,” he said. “They were a different brand of hockey this year, and they’re getting crucified. I don’t think it’s justified.”
That said, Marchand did have a little fun at Toronto’s expense on the TNT postgame show. When asked what the difference was in the Panthers locker room from Game 6 to Game 7, Marchand said “we just had that Be-Leaf” — a winking reference to one of Toronto fans’ rallying cries.
