Marchand, Don Metz unlikely playoff heroes 83 years apart

Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," shares his humor and insight with readers each Wednesday. This week compares a pair of unlikely Stanley Cup Playoff heroes 83 years apart but with one common denominator, each contributed mightily to his team's Stanley Cup victory.

Chances are Brad Marchand never heard of a hockey player called Don Metz. Few have.

But the Florida Panthers feisty forward and the Toronto Maple Leafs utility skater from a previous century share a common theme: Each was an unlikely Stanley Cup Playoff hero, separated by 83 years.

Metz, a wheat farmer from Wilcox, Saskatchewan, and a grunt right wing, never played a full NHL season in his life. Yet in the 1942 Stanley Cup Final between the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings he illogically replaced a star, energized his fading team and spurred it to a record-breaking championship.

"Although he played only part of nine seasons in the NHL, Metz will be remembered as a hardworking defensive forward, always dependable when called upon," said Kevin Shea, co-author of "The Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club" with Jason Wilson and a Hockey Hall of Fame historian, "but never more than the Final series in 1942."

Switch now to the present: Marchand, the Boston Bruins captain who turned 37 on May 11, was traded to Florida on March 7 for a conditional second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. The Panthers' hope was that the Halifax, Nova Scotia, native might galvanize them toward a second straight Cup title.

"I showed my grit and what I was capable of when things got real," said Marchand, runner-up for the Conn Smythe Trophy after he had 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) and was plus-17 in 23 playoff games.

Metz, who scored only two goals for Toronto in 25 games during the 1941-42 season, wasn't even in uniform for the Cup Final when the underdog Red Wings catapulted to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.

"The series seemed all over but the shouting," wrote Toronto Globe and Mail sports editor Vern DeGeer in Jim Hendy's 1943 Official Hockey Guide. "The Leafs had run out of heroes."

Desperate for a win, Toronto coach Hap Day gambled by benching leading goal-scorer Gordie Drillon and replacing him with Metz, who would skate next to his older brother Nick with captain Syl Apps at center.

"Gordie was tuckered out," Day said, "and he couldn't keep up with Detroit's speed."

The seemingly bizarre lineup change made no sense to anyone but Day.

"The switch took a lot of guts," Maple Leafs defenseman Wally Stanowski said. "When we heard that Don Metz was replacing Drillon, we thought Hap Day had lost his mind."

Game 4 on April 12, 1942, drew a crowd of 13,694, largest in the history of Detroit Olympia history to that point.

"Detroiters figured it would be 'The Kill' of the mighty Leafs," wrote DeGeer. "They didn't come prepared for the turn of events that would unfold, especially what Drillon's replacement would do."

Metz spiced the Maple Leafs and they rallied to win 4-3 when he set up brother Nick for the game-winner. For an encore in Game 5 at Maple Leaf Gardens, Don had a hat trick with two assists in a 9-3 victory.

"Thanks to Don," Apps said, "everyone on the club began believing that we could still win the Cup."

The one-time benchwarmer wasn't finished. In Game 6, Metz broke a 0-0 tie 14 seconds into the second period. Toronto won 3-0 and tied the series 3-3.

"That first goal -- the game-winner -- by Don turned the trick," Day said.

The Maple Leafs became the first team to win the Stanley Cup after being down 3-0.

"Without Metz' efforts in the previous three games," team historian Eric Zweig said, "it's unlikely the series would have gotten that far."

Likewise, contemporary fans will be talking for years about "old man" Marchand's histrionics in the 2025 Final.

"I knew when Florida traded for me that I might never get a chance to win a Cup ever again in my career," Marchand said.

Placed on the third line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, Marchand:

* Scored in overtime to win Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round 5-4 against the Maple Leafs after Toronto took a 2-0 series lead and led 2-0 in the first period before Florida's comeback.

* Scored twice in Game 2 of the Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers, the first on a short-handed breakaway and the second in double-overtime of a 5-4 win.

* Beat Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner 56 seconds after the opening face-off in Game 3.

* Twice split the Edmonton defense for a pair of goals in a 5-2 victory in Game 5.

* Playing with Marchand, Luostarinen had 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) and Lundell 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in the playoffs.

Metz continued to make decisive cameo appearances after the 1942 thriller, his name getting on the Stanley Cup for Maple Leaf wins in 1945, 1947, 1948 and 1949.

"As a result," Zweig said, "Don Metz enjoyed one of the most unique careers in hockey history."

Said Metz, then 61, over the phone from his farm in 1977: "I had the legs, plus I was motivated with Syl and Nick on my line. They made a difference."

Panthers forward Sam Bennett, voted Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP, said of Marchand: "I truly doubt that we could have won the Stanley Cup without him."

Marchand is a two-Cup champion, also winning with the Bruins in 2011. Could he catch Metz? He signed a six-year, $31.5 million contract with the Panthers on July 1. Florida will attempt a three-peat this season. With "Battling Brad," you never know.